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 initiative focused on improving how New Yorkers participate in local decision-making through public meetings. The effort comes at a time of renewed civic energy and openness to change across New York City.
Community members are invited to help shape the future of local democracy by sharing their perspectives through this community survey. Responses, combined with community-based research and real-time evaluation of public meetings, will help build a deeper understanding of New York City’s civic landscape. Drawing on this research, Better Public Meetings NYC will pilot new approaches to make public meetings more inclusive, productive, and meaningful for both residents and public officials.
- Learn more about the initiative and additional ways to participate here: NCL-CEC-NYC-PerfectCity – ActiVote
- Read the press release: New York City Launches “Better Public Meetings NYC” to Reimagine Civic Participation in a Moment of Change
About Better Public Meetings
Most city council and school board meetings have used the same ‘three minutes at the microphone’ format for decades. The “Democracy Innovations for Better Public Meetings” project, supported by the AAA-ICDR and Luce Foundations, is helping local governments, school systems, neighborhood councils, and other institutions change their meetings so that citizens, staff, and officials all feel valued and heard. In seven communities across the country, CDI has conducted civic infrastructure scans, piloted first-of-their-kind participatory practices in city council meetings, and used our Engagement Scorecard to measure improvements.
Learn more and email [email protected] to bring this democracy innovation to your community.
