Better Politics Foundation
The Better Politics Foundation (formerly Apolitical Foundation) is a Berlin-based, non-partisan global foundation co-founded by Lisa Witter — who also co-founded Apolitical — to support political leaders directly, rather than the public servants Apolitical focuses on. Its own site describes it as the world's leading convener of political leadership entrepreneurs and innovators, serving as a convening space, a launchpad for new approaches and leaders, an amplifier giving a field visibility, and a connector linking people, resources, and innovation.
What it does
"We focus on equipping courageous leaders with new tools and ideas to reimagine political systems."1 Its work includes the Better Politics Index and the Better Politics Fund (both listed in the org's own site navigation, though neither yet has a standalone page this session could verify content from). Current projects include a study of the mental health and wellbeing of politicians in Australia, a report on supporting newly elected Members of the German Bundestag through their transition into parliamentary work — "This report examines how newly elected Members of the German Bundestag can be better supported as they transition into parliamentary work"2 — and the annual Better Politics Week, held in Brussels in November 2026 after debuting in Berlin the prior year.
Why it's on our radar
Lisa Witter appeared as a Conversation Leader at Folio Collective's September 2026 event on democracy's present and future, introduced as co-founder and Executive Chair of Better Politics Foundation, "a global, non-partisan initiative dedicated to renewing leadership, reimagining politics, and rebuilding trust, which has helped spark 178 Political Leadership Incubators across 60 countries."3 Where most of the Democracy Landscape focuses on citizens' participation mechanisms, the Better Politics Foundation works the other side of the same relationship — the quality, safety, and capability of the elected leaders citizens participate alongside.
Links
- Website: betterpolitics.foundation
See also
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"We focus on equipping courageous leaders with new tools and ideas to reimagine political systems." Better Politics Foundation ✓ Verified, accessed 16 September 2026. ↩
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"This report examines how newly elected Members of the German Bundestag can be better supported as they transition into parliamentary work." Better Politics Foundation ✓ Verified, accessed 16 September 2026. ↩
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"She is the co-founder and Executive Chair of the Better Politics Foundation (formerly the Apolitical Foundation), a global, non-partisan initiative dedicated to renewing leadership, reimagining politics, and rebuilding trust, which has helped spark 178 Political Leadership Incubators across 60 countries." Folio Collective's introduction to "Should we celebrate democracy today — or reimagine it for tomorrow?" ✓ Verified, accessed 16 September 2026. ↩