Ever notice how challenging it can be these days to simply talk—really talk—about the things that matter? At Unify Montrose, we think it's time to rediscover the power of conversation. No arguments, no politics, just genuine connection. And in a town like ours, where we all value independence, community spirit, and a good neighborly chat, this couldn't be more important.

We are thrilled to share the success of our very first locally run "mini-deliberation" – an experiment in collective problem-solving and inclusive decision-making, organized and executed entirely by local volunteers via the Catalyst and Connectors Club (CCC). This pioneering initiative has set the stage for future community-driven efforts across various issues related to the greater Montrose area.

The representative assembly of Montrose residents voted in November 2023, and five ideas to help solve the local childcare problem received more than two-thirds support.

Here’s the demographic details for the 46 Delegates who participated in the Assembly for the full 12 weeks.

Here’s the week-by-week experience of the Unify Montrose Assembly of Delegates

Unify America was searching for a municipality with between 15,000 and 50,000 people in which to run this pilot for a Citizen’s Assembl

Unify Montrose is a partnership between Montrose residents and Unify America, a national, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps communities collaboratively solve problems using the model of public deliberation.

The Deliberation begins with a shared goal, which was established after discussions with Montrose residents, business leaders, experts, and officials starting in February 2023 and finalizing the language in June 2023.

The randomly selected panel of 64 Delegates matches the demographics of Montrose County based on data from the 2020 Census within an 11% margin, and a majority of the demographic categories listed on the following page are below a 4% margin.

On Wednesday, August 2, 2023, Unify Montrose randomly selected the community members to serve on the 64-person assembly to help solve the serious childcare shortage in Montrose.

Missed our Deliberation Lottery last night? No worries! Catch up and watch the recording now.

Thanks to the Forum for hosting Unify America founder Harry Nathan Gottlieb. Watch the full video here.

Unify Montrose is hiring for this summer! If you’re interested in a paid summer experience packed with new experiences, new people and perspectives, and purpose, you can join the team as a Contract Canvasser in Montrose, Colorado!

Read the March 2023 Montrose Daily Press’s coverage on how Unify America is bringing Montrose together for solutions.

Unify America is on a mission to replace political fighting with collaborative problem-solving. Here’s what that means for Montrose.