Richard C. Harwood

Rich Harwood is a leading authority on improving America’s communities, raising standards of political conduct and re-engaging citizens on complex and controversial public issues. He is a frequent contributor to national and syndicated media outlets including MSNBC, NPR, The Christian Science Monitor, CNN’s Inside Politics, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and C-SPAN. Called "one of the great thinkers in American public life," he has dedicated his life to helping people make good on their urge to do good. His latest publication, Why We’re Here, documents how public broadcasters and organizations like them innovate, become more intentional in relating to communities, engage and mobilize people and ultimately deepen their impact in people’s lives. He is founder and president of The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation.
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Gambling on Community in Las Vegas, NV

I was in Las Vegas where I discovered a community — once on top of the world — fighting to come back in the wake of the Great Recession. What people in Las Vegas are doing offers a vision of...

Post Debt Crisis: How to Bring Out the Best in Ourselves

The debt ceiling crisis brought out some of the worst of people’s tendencies in the country. Today, many of us are asking what can be done to get things moving in a better direction. Here are five questions that...

Three Ways to Restore Your Belief

At the core of many of my conversations with individuals and groups lately, stands a basic question of “belief.” Will we believe that we as individuals, and together, have the ability to affect change? Wavering on this question leaves...

When Charity Counts, But Change Is Called For

“Charity is ensuring someone has a meal tonight or roof over their head … things I suspect we agree are good things to do,” says Richard C. Harwood, founder and president of The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation. The...