One of the strongest indicators of a community with civic muscle for tackling problems is the presence of trust. This is particularly true when it comes to the administration of...
In an era of increased polarization and misinformation, local governments continue to play a critical role in defending democracy. At the ICMA – International City/County Management Association’s Local Government Reimagined...
National Community Engagement & Safety Initiative United Against Hate Week October 18 – 24, 2026 United Against Hate Week (UAH Week) is a locally driven campaign to: Affirm a shared...
On May 5, the Raleigh City Council unanimously accepted recommendations developed by the city’s first-ever civic assembly (not to mention the biggest one east of the Mississippi!). The assembly met for six Saturdays over three months...
The National Civic League’s Center for Democracy Innovation is partnering with the New York City Civic Engagement Commission, Perfect City, and ActiVote to launch Better Public Meetings NYC, a new...
From award-winning filmmakers Andrew Shea and Melissa Shea, Flag Day is a new documentary portrait of the largest Flag Day parade in the United States and Three Oaks, Michigan, the community that...
Many community foundations have long been champions of civic health in their communities. As place-based institutions, they understand local dynamics intimately. They are above the political fray, so they can...
Participatory budgeting (PB) has moved from a niche democracy innovation to a mainstream governance tool, now used in thousands of cities worldwide. A recent international study by Merrick Langdon, Harlow Pickens, Grace...
When Oakland voters approved Democracy Dollars in 2022, they created California’s first public campaign financing program and set up a major community engagement challenge: How do you help residents understand and...
