Forum Locals: A pilot program launching this fall

Illustration by Fátima Bravo for OBI x Fine Acts

What it is

Forum Locals is a pilot that places small grants (€500) in the hands of trusted members to host informal, self-directed gatherings in their cities. A dinner, a coffee, a picnic in the park: the format is theirs. What matters is simply that Forum members in the same place meet in person, build relationships on their own terms, and connect over the local realities they share. There is no set agenda and no programming to run. Just an open door.

A spark, not an engine

The €500 is seed money, not a standing subsidy. It is there to get people in a room, and our hope is that what happens next does not depend on us. If a few people start meeting for coffee, a project takes root, or a local community forms and simply keeps going on its own, that is exactly the point. The best outcome is a gathering that outgrows the grant and carries on without the Forum's support at all.

This is an experiment

We want to be upfront: Forum Locals is a small, deliberate pilot, a first test of whether our network can come together locally when given a nudge and a bit of trust. We don't have it all figured out, and that is the point. This first group of hosts will help us learn what works and shape whatever comes next.

Why we're doing this

Most of what the Forum does happens virtually, and that work matters. But it points to something our own thesis has been telling us all along: belonging is built locally, through sustained, face-to-face relationships. If the local is where democratic trust gets rebuilt, then it is where our own network should invest too. Forum Locals is the Forum acting on its own theory.

How hosts are chosen

For this first round, we are keeping things simple and personal. Rather than run an open application, we are inviting a small group of trusted members directly. We are looking for people who believe in what the Forum is building, who can bring people together and make them feel genuinely welcome, and who can spark connections that outlast a single evening. If Forum Locals grows beyond the pilot, we expect to open it up more widely.

What hosting involves

Hosting is a light commitment:

• Join the kickoff. Meet your fellow hosts, get oriented, and share what you're planning.

• Host your gathering (November to mid-December). One gathering in your city, in whatever format you choose.

• Reconvene to reflect. Come back together with your fellow hosts to share what you learned.

• Share as you go. Send something small from your gathering to the wider network: a photo, a short post, a reflection.

What hosts receive

• A €500 seed grant to cover the costs of your gathering

• A short orientation with Forum staff

• The company of fellow hosts in other cities

• Freedom to shape the gathering however works for you, and to carry it forward on your own terms

FAQ

1. Can I put myself forward as a host? 

For this first round, hosts are invited directly, so there is nothing to apply to right now. If the pilot grows, we hope to open it up, and we'd love to hear from anyone interested in future rounds.

2. Who are these gatherings for? 

Forum Locals gatherings are for Forum members. If there are others in your city you'd like to include, we warmly encourage you to invite them to apply to join the Forum, so these connections can continue to deepen our community.

3. Do hosts need experience running events? 

No. If you can bring people together and make them feel welcome, that is what matters.

4. What kind of gathering counts? 

Whatever fits your city and your style: a shared meal, a coffee, a walk. Social first.

5. What does the grant cover?

The costs of your gathering: a meal, a venue, or whatever you decide will work.

6. Is this ongoing funding?

 No. The €500 is one-time seed money. Our hope is that gatherings find their own momentum and continue without depending on Forum grants or support.

7. What is expected afterward? 

No formal report. Just something small shared with the network, and a conversation with your fellow hosts. Whether your gathering becomes an ongoing thing is up to you and the people who come.

9. What happens after the pilot?

We will take what we learn from this first group of hosts and decide where Forum Locals goes next. Hosts help shape that.

Questions?

Curious about Forum Locals, or interested in future rounds? Get in touch at evan.yoshimoto@berkeley.edu