What Do Americans Think They Owe Each Other? A new analysis from The Beacon Project shows that while Americans are deeply divided politically, they largely agree on core civic responsibilities…
With Roles as Civic Hubs, Libraries Turn Over a New Page Cities across the U.S. are reimagining libraries as civic hubs that spark economic revival, deepen community connection, and strengthen…
Books, Binoculars and Birds The Birder Backpack program shows how a simple idea — lending binoculars and field guides — can spark curiosity, deepen neighborhood connections, and strengthen civic life…
Bridgebuilding Resource Hub The Bridgebuilding Resource Hub highlights how libraries can strengthen civic life by helping communities connect across differences, rebuild trust, and engage more deeply in democracy. Through tools,…
Libraries as Civic Hubs Public libraries are emerging as powerful civic spaces where people can connect across differences, rebuild trust, and strengthen democratic engagement. Shamichael Hallman’s work shows how intentionally…
Gen Z Civic Vibe Check The Civic Outlook of Young Adults In America is a first-of-its-kind national survey of 18–24-year-old Americans that sheds light on their civic knowledge, engagement, and…
The Lost Art of Organizing Civic Groups Democracy relies on participation in autonomous civic groups, but engagement has declined due to the erosion of unions, grassroots political organizations, and participatory…
Civic Help Desk, Peter Levine This is a civic help desk for individuals and organizations interested in civic life It can serve any cause. You can start by telling the…
Takeaways from Tallahassee — Creating civic connections Florida Civic Advance’s latest report on the state’s civic health was recently featured in the Florida Politics newsletter, highlighting Florida’s low rankings in…
Fans, Politics, and the Power of Sports A new report from More in Common finds that sports fandom can strengthen democratic engagement and social connection. The study shows that avid…
Lack of Local News Linked to Rising Government Secrecy A new study from the Brechner Center reveals a direct connection between the decline of local journalism and increased government opacity.…
The Case for Civic Abundance This Washington Monthly article argues that rebuilding state capacity requires embracing civic participation as a vital resource, not a barrier. It calls for a renewed…
The Together Project: Combating Loneliness and Rebuilding Connection Founded by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, The Together Project is a national initiative to prioritize social connection and reduce isolation.…
Newfangled Ways to Spark Old-Style Civic Life Four innovative civic-engagement organizations are reviving community life in unexpected ways, facilitating neighborly conversations through local platforms, redefining journalism as a civic act,…
Peter Levine and Harry Boyte on Civic Education and Renewal In this conversation with host Sherman Tylawsky, Peter Levine and Harry Boyte discuss decades of work in civic education and…
New Civic Information Index Maps Local Information and Civic Health The Civic Information Index is a groundbreaking tool that tracks and analyzes the health of local information ecosystems across the…
How to Be a Better Neighbor A new piece from Nice News highlights six simple practices that can strengthen community ties and improve well-being, from small talk and sharing information…
2024 National Findings Report: Creating Thriving Communities Through Civic Participation The 2024 National Findings Report highlights the connection between civic engagement and improved health outcomes. From volunteering to joining neighborhood…
County Health Rankings: Strategies for Strengthening Civic Infrastructure The University of Wisconsin’s County Health Rankings and Roadmaps program offers evidence-based strategies to increase civic participation. These solutions focus on building…
Florida Lags Far Behind in Civic, Volunteer Work Sarasota’s rapid growth is bringing both opportunities and challenges for the region’s civic health. The article, authored by FCA board member Tim…
Study shows Floridians are not civic minded. That needs to change. Civic awareness in Florida is falling behind even as the state experiences significant change and development. The article, authored…
Urban Libraries Council Hosts 2024 Civic Health Virtual Summit The Urban Libraries Council convened leaders from across the public library sector for a virtual summit on strengthening civic health and…
With Their Votes And Their Wallets, Americans Support Funding Public Spaces Americans across the political spectrum are showing strong support for investing in parks, libraries, and other public spaces. From…
YMCA Youth and Government: Civic Health in Action YMCA Youth and Government programs are fostering civic health by empowering young people as active contributors in decision-making. The Y’s strategy invests…
Equipping Local Leaders to Improve Civic Health The National Civic League and the Bridge Alliance have launched the Healthy Democracy Project to strengthen local leadership and governance. Working with two…
2025 Vermont Civic Health Index Released The National Conference on Citizenship has released Vermont’s first-ever Civic Health Index, offering an in-depth look at community engagement in the Green Mountain State.…
America’s Future Starts with Local Communities The Trust for Civic Life emphasizes that lasting national change begins at the local level. By investing in local leadership, building civic capacity, and…
The Generational Politics of the 2020s: Young Voters Rule Younger voters are shaping the political landscape in unprecedented ways, driving major shifts in electoral outcomes. This analysis explores how their…
The Civic Health and Institutions Project (CHIP50) The Civic Health and Institutions Project brings together researchers from multiple universities to study the health of America’s civic and institutional life. Using…
Are Walking Tours the Missing Piece in Local Planning? In Charlottesville, Virginia, city staff found that neighborhood walking tours not only encouraged exercise and connection but also gave residents a…
When Residents Act and Cities Shut It Down This Strong Towns article examines the breakdown in trust that occurs when resident-led problem-solving is met with resistance from city officials. Instead…
A Place to Be Known: How Churches Strengthen Civic Life Churches have long served as open, welcoming spaces where community connection thrives. In an era when public gathering places are…
Why Neighborhood Block Parties Are Good for Democracy Neighborhood block parties are more than social gatherings—they are catalysts for building trust and strengthening democratic life. By creating opportunities for neighbors…
America Has What It Takes to Improve Trust New research from Allstate reveals that the United States has both the desire and resources to rebuild trust in communities and institutions.…
The Miami Foundation, in partnership with the FIU Metropolitan Center, has just released its Civic Engagement in Greater Miami brief in their continuing issue spotlight series. Civic engagement is defined…
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/herald-tribune/20240117/281633900092901 This is a guest column in the Sarasota Tribune by Tim Dutton, FCA Board Member, arguing that social cohesion, the backbone of democracy, can be nurtured in Sarasota by…
https://www.tallahassee.com/story/opinion/2024/01/04/why-its-critical-to-measure-the-civic-health-of-a-community/72088373007/ Civic health measures the overall wellbeing of residents, neighborhoods, and communities. Social cohesion and connectedness are essential both for civic health and a robust democracy. Research has linked strong civic…
The national survey by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars’ (ICS) at Princeton University, September 2023, included more than 4,000 18–24-year-olds and found a strong relationship between civic knowledge and…
In the American Bar Association’s 2023 “Survey of Civic Literacy,” 70% of respondents consider public understanding of how government works to be “not very informed” (53%) or “not at all…
In the same way that doctors conduct an annual check-up to assess our health, we can collect information to assess the civic health of our communities. Civic health includes factors…
Dawn Hunter on Public Health and Civic Engagement
Our nation is tackling a global health pandemic. Calls for reforms that place racial equity are front and center. Is the civic health of our communities strong enough to help…
“The evidence is increasingly clear that the civic health of communities is inextricably linked to the future of local news. Our analysis represents a step toward evaluating the state of…
According to Census data, fewer than three-quarters of eligible Americans are registered to vote. Since 2019, a nonprofit called Vot-ER has taken voter registration efforts into medical exam…
As part of its series, “Countering Truth Decay” the Rand Corporation released its new 2023 report, Defining and Measuring Civic Infrastructure. The paper presents a definition (places, policies & programs)…
New webinar series from Americorp- Reigniting Civic Life Series featured their first in the series in March 2023, “What is Civic Engagement? Exploring New Paradigms” It reviews the key constructs…
The Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago is releasing a report that challenges past narratives suggesting Chicago’s civic life is precarious.…
2023 focuses on the connection between civic health and thriving people and places. Civic health reflects the opportunities people have to participate in their communities. It starts in our local…
Governing Magazine, May 16 2019 https://www.governing.com/gov-institute/voices/col-parks-community-centers-public-spaces-critical-social-infrastructure.html We need to reimagine them and invest in them as platforms for health, equity and neighborhood wellbeing. Our community centers, parks and other public…
https://www.governing.com/community/want-equity-and-prosperity-invest-in-urban-public-spaces A robust, nature-rich and welcoming public realm of parks, streetscapes and civic facilities has an array of social benefits for disadvantaged communities. Governing Magazine, Nov 2021 The good news…
April 2023 Governing Magazine https://www.governing.com/now/in-communities-where-civic-health-is-poor-lives-are-shorter • Civic health and population health go hand in hand. • Emerging research shows that the stresses of discrimination and poverty are direct causes of illness.…
https://civiccommons.us/app/uploads/2023/03/Investing-with-Intention_Civic-Engagement.pdf Civic engagement happens when people of all backgrounds participate in public life and help shape their community’s future. A thriving culture of civic engagement is associated with a robust…
The most and least civically engaged states. As a rule, northern rural states excel by these metrics, while urbanized states in the southern half of the country struggle. Nevada, Florida…
ORANGE PARK, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis highlighted Florida’s continued commitment to expanding civics education in Florida schools and announced that the first 4,500 teachers have completed the Civics Seal of…
Governing Magazine, https://www.governing.com/now/civic-education-is-having-a-moment-this-is-what-that-means For decades, America dropped the ball on teaching students about democratic governance processes. It is now seem as essential to repairing a battered democracy. Fewer than half…
Conventional wisdom tells us Floridians are too polarized to make progress on education, let alone for people with different views to see and hear one another. But I’m certain there’s…
Richard Haass, author of “The Ten Habits of Good Citizens,” suggests we’re failing to teach what it means to be American and that “our civics deficit” can jeopardize the future…
Rich Harwood who will present in a FCA Webinar on Feb. 22, 2023 (Register here:https://floridacivicadvance.com/events/) has an opinion piece in the Tallahassee Democrat “Conventional wisdom tells us Floridians are too…
Every year, an annual Quality of Life Survey in Escambia County and Pensacola is a chance to understand how residents feel the community is faring on key issues like public safety,…
Leading edge civic leaders across the country are innovating new and better ways to design, operate and manage public spaces in order to deliver social, economic and environmental benefits for…
Community-centered technology can power the future of public spaces
How Miami’s new linear park is using ‘community-centered technology’ to bridge the digital divide
As it nears the quarter-century mark, the nonprofit formerly known as the Southwest Florida Community Foundation is poised for a moonshot. Over an image of the historic, once-segregated 1924 Atlantic…
The Suncoast Region of Florida – encompassing Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties – is a region marked by incredible diversity of multiracial and multilingual rural, suburban and urban communities…
Rich Harwood recently penned a piece in the Sarasota Herald Tribune on working together to solve community problems. “Instead of getting stuck on divisive issues, people focused on their shared aspirations.…
WHY CIVIC ADVANCE MATTERS FOR FLORIDA Read Op-Eds Published in the: Tallahassee Democrat Herald-Tribune Florida Politics Why Civic Advance Matters for Florida Businesses and Entrepreneurs The Florida Chamber of Commerce…
Acknowledgement This study was commissioned by Volunteer Florida to develop, implement, and analyze a scientific quantitative survey of a random sample of Florida residents about the nature of volunteering in…
Charlotte Community Foundation, Collaboratory, and Collier Community Foundation jointly announced the return of a major regional civic engagement initiative, On the Table SWFL. On Wednesday, Oct. 12, thousands of neighbors,…
Vote.org, the nonpartisan voter registration and turnout organization, is investing at least $10 million to engage young voters ahead of the midterm election. The group is launching its “Vote Ready”…
Grassroots efforts to energize and inform young voters in South Florida just got a financial boost. The Southern Poverty Law Center has awarded roughly $390,000 worth of grant funding to Engage Miami, a…
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis awarded Polk State College, Broward College, and Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) with $6.5 million to launch the Career Pathways for Public Service…
The University of Florida has received $3 million in unrequested funding to establish a civics program backed by a shadowy organization linked to conservative views, but its new director says…
We’d like to let you know what we have been doing since our successful December 2019 FCA Statewide Summit, and where we hope to be going with your help and…
Today in a time of a global pandemic, economic upheaval, and political turmoil, The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation set out to gain a deep understanding of how Americans from all walks…