Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, also known simply as Convergence, is a think tank established in 2009 that hosts a variety of projects centered around finding consensus on public policy matters. The group has worked on issues including health care, civil service reform, modernization of Congress, and incarceration and reentry issues.

Convergence receives funding from interest groups on both sides of the political spectrum, including corporations, trade associations, labor unions, and left-of-center grantmaking foundations including the American Federation of Teachers, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The group has also received funding from Stand Together, the funding arm of libertarian donor and businessman Charles Koch’s philanthropic network. In March 2022, Convergence announced it had received funding from left-of-center billionaire donor Mackenzie Scott. ^{1 2 3 4}

Background and History

Convergence Center for Policy Resolution was founded in 2009 by Rob Fersh, a former Congressional staffer who had previously directed the U.S. branch of the international conflict resolution group Search for Common Ground as well as the Food Research and Action Center. Convergence was founded by Fersh and other individuals involved with the Search for Common Ground who had worked with the organization on issues including health insurance coverage and United States-Muslim relations. Their intent was to found an organization modelled after Search for Common Ground that focused on American domestic policy rather than international affairs. ⁵

Fersh’s background is in nutrition policy and many of the organization’s early projects centered around developing food and nutrition, school meals, and public health awareness campaigns. Other projects led by the group since its founding focused on revamping the federal budget-making process, long-term care financing, prison reentry, and U.S.-Pakistan relations. ⁶

Since its founding, the organization has engaged stakeholders in its projects from both left-of-center and right-of-center sources as well as from both companies and labor unions. Examples include projects featuring input from representatives of the Brookings Institution and the Heritage Foundation, as well as from Walmart and the National Employment Law Project. ⁷

Convergence also launched Education Reimagined, now an independent organization promoting left-of-center public education policies. ⁸

Funding

Convergence Center for Policy Resolution posts a partial list of its funders on its website that features notable left-leaning foundations and labor unions, as well as companies and trade associations representing the business community.

Left-of-center funders of the group include the American Federation of Teachers, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Democracy Fund, the National Education Association, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Bush Foundation, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. ⁹ In March 2022, Convergence was announced to have received funding from left-of-center billionaire donor Mackenzie Scott. ¹⁰

Business-affiliated funders of the group include America’s Health Insurance Plans, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Johnson & Johnson, American Medical Association, American Hospital Association, National Association of Convenience Stores, and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association. ¹¹

The group has also received funding from Stand Together, the funding arm of libertarian donor and businessman Charles Koch’s philanthropic network. ¹²

The organization receives pro-bono legal services from the large corporate law firm Akin Gump. ¹³

In 2022, the organization received a $4 million grant from MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos. According to the PR Newswire, it was the single largest grant the organization had ever received since its inception in 2009. Then-President and CEO of Convergence David Eisner commented that, “The funding will enable us to better rise to the challenges presented by growing unrest, intolerance, and toxic polarization that threaten our communities and the future of democracy in America.” ¹⁴

Leadership

Robert Fersh is the founder of the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution. Starting the organization in 2009, Fersh serves as a senior advisor to the organization. Prior to finding the group, Fersh worked as the president of nonprofit advocacy group Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). Beforehand, Fersh served as a Congressional staff member for the offices of then-U.S. Rep. Leon Panetta (CA) and then-Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt) and Edmund Muskie (D-ME). ¹⁵

Mariah Levison serves as the interim CEO for the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution since 2023, while also working as its Chief Program Officer. She previously worked as the director of the Minnesota State Office for Collaboration and Dispute Resolution as well as the program director of the Conflict Resolution Center. ^{16 17}

Financials

According to its 2022 990 form, the organization reported a revenue of $2,267,156, expenses of $4,226,177, and total assets of $3,293,167. ¹⁸

1. Latest Projects.” Convergence Institute for Policy Resolution. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://convergencepolicy.org/latest-projects/
2. “History.” Convergence Institute for Policy Resolution. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://convergencepolicy.org/about-convergence/history/
3. “Funders.” Convergence Institute for Policy Resolution. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://convergencepolicy.org/about-convergence/supporters/
4. Scott, MacKenzie. “Helping Any of Us Can Help Us All.” Medium. March 23, 2022. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://mackenzie-scott.medium.com/helping-any-of-us-can-help-us-all-f4c7487818d9
5. “History.” Convergence Institute for Policy Resolution. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://convergencepolicy.org/about-convergence/history/
6. “History.” Convergence Institute for Policy Resolution. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://convergencepolicy.org/about-convergence/history/
7. “A Decade of Difference.” Convergence Institute for Policy Resolution. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://www.convergencepolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/A-Decade-of-Difference.pdf
8. “Education Reimagined Origin Story.” Education Reimagined. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://education-reimagined.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Education-Reimagined-Origin-Story.pdf
9. “Funders.” Convergence Institute for Policy Resolution. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://convergencepolicy.org/about-convergence/supporters/
10. Scott, MacKenzie. “Helping Any of Us Can Help Us All.” Medium. March 23, 2022. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://mackenzie-scott.medium.com/helping-any-of-us-can-help-us-all-f4c7487818d9
11. “Funders.” Convergence Institute for Policy Resolution. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://convergencepolicy.org/about-convergence/supporters/
12. “Funders.” Convergence Institute for Policy Resolution. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://convergencepolicy.org/about-convergence/supporters/
13. “Funders.” Convergence Institute for Policy Resolution. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://convergencepolicy.org/about-convergence/supporters/
14. “Convergence Receives Its Largest-Ever Contribution.” PR Newswire, March 28, 2022. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/convergence-receives-its-largest-ever-contribution-301511814.html
15. “Robert Fersh.” Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, Accessed February 27, 2024. https://convergencepolicy.org/leader_council/robert-fersh-staff/
16. “Mariah Levison.” Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, Accessed February 27, 2024. https://convergencepolicy.org/leader_council/mariah-levison-2/
17. “Mariah Levison.” LinkedIn, Accessed February 27, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariah-levison-130b2716?challengeId=AQHePN-tGYY-bAAAAY3r5S0Jt60ymG6uDkQn3XiM7TpAolqSnA8gwfQDNBuzd5CS4fTbxUCzLIzZX0EEUXq2LNyktWkCesgHRQ&submissionId=38ea0998-b9cc-b717-e8e0-abee647a612d&challengeSource=AgHEbmNyldmcagAAAY3r5WEjm26ZMFDVQ9f7uwMBAKBEYEvZXLHCnd_OqJqx0Qw&challegeType=AgHC-7DpDwWzhAAAAY3r5WEmxBUkTT0QBWkXotqGEGOfFuoYQDoxei0&memberId=AgHWVLy-uaoR-AAAAY3r5WEqcqq2_Dhca2ce94NVjtVLOjs&recognizeDevice=AgESf32uX6uH5wAAAY3r5WEt0oZpKupJFAeQv1qN_W40fiF1Ff_6
18. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Convergence Center For Policy Resolution. 2022. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/320280279/202332999349301148/full