Let us help you support democracy! — 2026 Rising Stars Cycles
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What would become possible for your democracy project if you had expert guidance, honest feedback, and a mentor who truly understands your context
The Rising Stars Mentorship Program is now open for applications, and we’re inviting practitioners like you to apply.
Rising Stars is a free, online mentorship program designed for people working to strengthen participatory and inclusive democracy. We connect democracy practitioners with experienced mentors who help turn promising ideas into stronger, more sustainable participatory programs.
And it works.
Past Rising Stars mentees have:
Secured clean water access for over 40,000 people
Launched citizens’ assemblies on complex local issues
Strengthened participatory budgeting, co-creation processes, and civic innovation efforts around the world
You could be next if you apply by February 27! Applications submitted after this date will be considered only for the next cycle.
Note that we have reserved spots exclusively for People Powered members. If you haven’t yet, this is the best time to learn more and apply for membership!
Who is the program for?
Activists in civil society organizations and governments trying to win approval for participatory programs.
Government officials and community partners trying to improve or address planning challenges on participatory programs.
Staff in government and civil society organizations responsible for figuring out solutions for implementing or sustaining participatory programs.
How does the mentorship support work?
Apply for expert mentoring support.
Prepare for the mentorship sessions. Participate in an online orientation session about the program’s goals and expectations, mentoring process and resources offered. We review your application and assign you a mentor or mentoring group. Matching criteria include the type of participatory program, language, location, and challenges you need support with.
Meet your mentor or mentoring group. You and your mentor schedule a call to discuss your challenges and decide on the goals you want to achieve through your mentorship. You have up to five calls with your mentor or mentoring group over 6 months.
Get the confidence, knowledge and skills to run a more successful participatory program!
Meet the mentors
We’ve carefully selected 30 mentors from 22 countries, and they’re ready to help. Read more about them.
If you’ve been waiting for the right moment or the right support to move your work forward, this might be it.
Don’t wait—apply now.