People do best when they have productive and rewarding work, enough income to fulfill basic needs and support their families, and the ability to afford important assets like a home, as well as to invest in education.
How can Americans engage in a more productive conversation when it comes to issues of guns and public safety? Five ideas on how to improve the public conversation.
In the late 1990s, eight electric utilities in Texas participated in an experiment in public consultation about energy priorities. Today, the Lonestar State is the country’s largest producer of wind energy.
Resident engagement has played a central role in efforts to revitalize the Village of Silverton after years of economic stagnation and community decline.
Voter turnout in local elections is often much lower than in national elections, especially among minorities and young people. What can communities do to encourage higher levels of voter participation?
The ability of community members to engage with each other in productive ways, even when they may disagree, is at the heart of democratic public life. To create the kinds of communities we want to live in, investment in learning the skills that enable citizens to do the work of citizens is essential.
Philosophical pragmatism offers local policy-makers valuable insights when addressing complex problems such as poverty, economic development and healthcare and homelessness, especially when it comes to “wicked problems” with no single source or solution.
In 2018, Wichita, Kansas, replaced an existing citizens’ academy with a new Civic Engagement Academy designed to be more interactive for participants and less taxing for city staff. The result is a new, more engaged cadre of community leaders.
Civic leaders are looking for ways to engage younger members of the public and mine community data for insights and solutions. Civic hacking is one good way for cities and organizations to promote both learning and public participation.
