A privately funded initiative called “Be The People” will try to connect hundreds of millions of Americans with efforts to solve local problems as part of a vision for the next 250 years of the United States. The 10-year initiative aims to change the perception that the U.S. is hopelessly divided and that individuals have little power to solve problems. The nonprofit, Stand Together, which was founded by the billionaire Charles Koch, is one of the conveners. The groups have raised a budget of more than $200 million for the first year and will aim to move people to take action on local problems.
