Our History

At home at Portland State University

College of Urban and Public Affairs at Portland State University

NPCC began as a partnership between Portland State and Kitchen Table Democracy

The National Policy Consensus Center (NPCC) was established in 2000 to conduct research through on-the-ground testing of consensus-building and collaborative governance. Portland State and the national nonprofit Kitchen Table Democracy (formerly the Policy Consensus Initiative) formed NPCC to help state and local leaders develop innovative collaborative solutions to community problems. Kitchen Table Democracy’s Board of Directors noted that Portland State University is an ideal home for NPCC due to Oregon leaders’ strong support for collaborative governance, and Portland State’s commitment to community engagement, as expressed in the university motto, 'Let knowledge serve the city.'

Portland State University is an ideal home for NPCC due to Oregon leaders’ strong support for collaborative governance, and Portland State’s commitment to community engagement, as expressed in the university motto, 'Let knowledge serve.'

Our programs are specialized but collaborate to provide services

Over the years, NPCC has acquired several programs that jointly fulfill our mission of on-the-ground service and research. Project managers in each of our programs often work across programs to provide the range of services that a single government collaboration project may require.

Oregon Solutions grew out of the Oregon Sustainability Act of 2001

In 2002 a new program, Oregon Solutions (OS), moved to NPCC from the Oregon Governor's Office. Oregon Solutions was an outgrowth of Oregon’s Sustainability Act of 2001 (Oregon Revised Statute 184.423).

Oregon Solutions conducts projects that are designated by the Oregon Governor and that meet the objectives of the Sustainability Act.

Learn more about OS

Oregon Consensus continued the work of the former Oregon Dispute Resolution Commission

Oregon Consensus (OC) became part of NPCC as a result of a 2005 bill that dissolved the Oregon Dispute Resolution Commission and directed Portland State University’s Hatfield School of Government to create a program to continue the commission’s functions. OC is that program. Its mission is grounded in a legislative mandate to provide alternative dispute resolution services to state agencies.

Learn more about OC

Oregon’s Kitchen Table works to give all Oregonians a voice

In 2010, Oregon's Kitchen Table (OKT) was created by a group of non-partisan, nonprofit community organizations dedicated to helping Oregonians have a voice. Housed at NPCC, OKT is a statewide platform for civic engagement that can be used at any scale. Since its first public consultation in 2012, the program has grown to provide multiple pathways (such as online input and public meetings) for community members to contribute to public work. Currently, over 16,000 Oregonians have joined OKT.

Learn more about OKT

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