The Kettering Foundation, formally the Charles F. Kettering Foundation, is a US-based, nonpartisan, nonprofit operating foundation headquartered in Dayton, Ohio that conducts research on what it takes to build thriving and inclusive democracies.
Founded in 1927 by inventor and philanthropist Charles F. Kettering, the foundation today focuses on citizen engagement, government accountability, and resisting authoritarianism through democratic practices.
# Origins In Dayton, Ohio
Charles F. Kettering established the foundation in 1927 “to sponsor and carry out scientific research for the benefit of humanity,” drawing on his experience as an inventor and General Motors executive and on Dayton’s identity as a hub of technological and civic innovation. Early work aligned with his interests in science education, energy conservation, and medical research, and Dayton became both a symbolic and practical home for this experiment in applied research for the public good. - en.wikipedia.org 
# Shift Toward Democracy Research
After Kettering’s death in 1958 the foundation gradually expanded its focus from technical and educational questions toward broader social challenges. By the late 1960s it had largely moved away from traditional grantmaking and concentrated on its own research programs, asking how citizens, communities, institutions, and media interact in a democracy. Over time the foundation crystallized around a central question that continues to guide its work today: what does it take to make democracy work as it should. - participedia.net
In the 1970s and 1980s Kettering began working closely with civic organizations, educators, and journalists to experiment with public deliberation, citizen forums, and new forms of civic learning. This period laid the groundwork for long-term partnerships with National Issues Forums and other initiatives that treat democratic citizenship as a set of skills and practices rather than only a legal status.
# Mission And Focus Areas
Kettering describes its mission as inspiring and connecting individuals and organizations to advance thriving and inclusive democracies around the globe, grounded in the belief that all people belong and have the right to engage in and shape a democracy that serves them. - kettering.org
The foundation’s current strategic framework organizes its work into several focus areas that reflect different dimensions of democratic life.
- Defending inclusive democracy, including efforts to counter rising authoritarianism and protect basic rights.
- Information for a democratic society, focusing on the role of journalism, media, and trustworthy information in public life.
- Democracy and community, exploring how people act together locally to solve problems and share power.
- Democracy and the arts, recognizing artistic practice as a way of expressing and sustaining democratic values such as belonging, fairness, and mutual responsibility.
- Democracy around the globe, supporting partners who are strengthening democracy in diverse international contexts. - kettering.org
# Relationship To National Issues Forums
The Kettering Foundation has a long and close relationship with National Issues Forums, a US network of civic organizations that convene public deliberations on contested issues. Kettering has served as a research and learning partner for NIF, helping to develop issue guides, study the practice of public deliberation, and document what happens when everyday people deliberate rather than simply debate or consume political messaging. - nifi.org
Through this work the foundation helped translate elements of Swedish Study Circles into an American context by supporting small-group, peer-led forums in schools, churches, libraries, and community centers.
The Kettering–NIF relationship is often cited as a key site in the development of contemporary Deliberative Democracy practices in the United States, including experiments in classrooms, community organizations, and local governments.
# Programs And Fellowships
To advance its mission the foundation runs a variety of fellowships, networks, and programs that connect researchers, practitioners, and civic leaders.
- Research fellows and senior fellows, who collaborate with Kettering on projects related to democratic practice, civic engagement, and public problem-solving.
- The Dayton Democracy Fellowship, which supports leaders in the Dayton region who are building movements for inclusive democracy in their communities.
- The Charles F. Kettering Global Fellowship, which brings together international leaders from academia, journalism, and civil society to work on democracy’s challenges in different contexts.
- The Katherine W. Fanning Fellowship in Journalism and Democracy, highlighting the role of independent journalism in democratic life.
- Additional named fellowships, such as the David Mathews Democracy Fellowship and the Ruth Yellowhawk Fellowship, which honor figures in the foundation’s history while supporting new generations of democratic innovators. - kettering.org
# Research Approach And Publications
Kettering’s research is distinctive in that it is conducted from the perspective of citizens rather than primarily from that of institutions or experts. Staff and partners study how people work together to address problems affecting their communities and ask how political practices might become more deliberative, inclusive, and responsive. - abundantcommunity.com
The foundation publishes books, reports, and essays on democratic practices, as well as annual reports that document its learning and evolving strategy. Recent publications emphasize “defending democracy” and “advancing inclusive democracy,” reflecting concerns about polarization, disinformation, and authoritarian trends alongside hopeful examples of citizen action and institutional reform. - issuelab.org - kettering.org
# Significance For Deliberative Democracy The Kettering Foundation occupies a central place in the modern history of Deliberative Democracy. Its long-term work on citizen forums, study circles, and public problem-solving has influenced scholars, educators, and practitioners in the United States and abroad. Through partnerships with organizations like National Issues Forums, libraries, universities, and community groups, Kettering has helped show how ordinary people can deliberate together about difficult issues and how those practices might reshape institutions, policies, and civic culture. For projects such as Study Circles in Ohio Schools or broader experiments in democratic education, the Kettering Foundation offers both a body of research and a living network of people exploring how to make democracy work as it should in everyday life.