August 12, 2026
The League is excited to host this webinar in collaboration with the American Society for Public Administration.
Almost every city, county and state has opportunities for its constituents to get involved in the governance process, but ease and access can be limited. How can governmental bodies encourage participatory events that are fair and accessible to as many constituents as possible, ensuring policy outcomes that are both reflective of and responsive to community needs? This webinar will explore tools, techniques and programs that can elevate marginalized voices, minimize barriers to participation and encourage equitable participation in public initiatives.
Speakers:
Brandon Davis, Managing Director, Office of Oversight and Public Accountability, City of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Kip Holley, Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, The Ohio State University
Jillian Youngblood, Director of Deliberative Democracy, National Civic League
September 4, 2026
Join us to explore how bridging, organizing, and participatory democracy can add up to more than the sum of their parts.
In this webinar, we’ll explore lessons from the Parkersburg Engagement Project and how bridging, organizing, and participatory democracy helped strengthen leadership, navigate challenges, gather community input, and turn more than 500 ideas into a community-driven action plan.
July 22, 2026
This webinar featured a new narrative and message guide to strengthen public trust in local government and advance democracy. In this workshop, attendees learned about the evidence-based research that informed this narrative and how to apply a pro-democracy and local government narrative to their own work.
May 29, 2026
This webinar explored the relationship between economic policy and democratic participation. Bringing together leading practitioners and scholars working at the intersection of civic engagement, economic mobility, participatory governance, and community wealth building, the conversation examined how local governments can strengthen democracy through economic decision-making.
April 7, 2026
The Mapping team briefly showed off the Map's new features and explored with attendees the question: What’s next for the Healthy Democracy Ecosystem Map?
February 14, 2026
In this Promising Practices webinar, the National Civic League brought together leading scholars and practitioners to explore what trust really is, why it matters, and how it can be rebuilt, especially at the local level.
October 29, 2025
In this session, participants learned about the benefits of applying, the application process, and available resources such as mentor communities. Rebecca Trout, Director of the All-America City Award program at the National Civic League, walked through program details and shared valuable tips for crafting a strong application.
Additionally, representatives from 2025 All-America City Award-winning communities discussed their experiences and offered insights into maximizing the impact of the All-America City journey.
August 1, 2025
In this promising practices webinar, attendees learned about practical ways that individuals and communities can participate in United Against Hate Week (October 19–25)—a nationwide call for civic action that brings together neighbors, institutions, and local leaders to stand against hate and bias and foster a deeper sense of belonging for all.
July 18, 2025
In this webinar, attendees learned about It’s Your America, a dynamic, participatory event that invites residents to come together for a few hours of fun, connection, and thoughtful deliberation.
