Renewing Trust: What It Takes to Rebuild Civic Life from the Ground Up

February 25, 2026: Trust—in each other, in our institutions, and in the information we rely on—is at the core of a healthy democracy. Today, that trust is dangerously low. Since the pandemic, confidence in public institutions has continued to erode, polarization has intensified, and many people feel shut out of decisions that affect their lives. Yet recent research—from a new brief released as part of a national effort by $1 Billion for Trust—shows something important: Americans remain eager for better ways to participate and are open to reforms that could restore trust.

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.