The Gahanna Foundation is recruiting grades 10–12 students for its “Doctors of Democracy” initiative in Gahanna. Participants will support voter outreach and civic engagement efforts while earning volunteer hours or paid experience. Applications due June 22. Read more: https://ow.ly/2oMf50Z3kxn

The spread of misinformation has fueled polarization and weakened trust in public institutions. In John Gastil’s National Civic Review article, he explores how civic infrastructure and digital innovation can help combat misinformation. Read here: https://ow.ly/1pYi50YXNRW

Participatory budgeting has grown into a mainstream governance tool worldwide. In our latest newsletter, the League's Nick Vlahos examines a recent study on how citizen participation in budgeting can strengthen transparency, accountability, and public trust. Read here: https://ow.ly/KKek50Z2cQM

Five-time All-America City Award winner Hampton has long been a leader in civic engagement. In League President Doug Linkhart’s latest article for the National Civic League's National Civic Review, he explores Hampton’s model for community-centered governance. Read here: https://ow.ly/tZlO50Z1JEA

Earlier at the ICMA Local Government Reimagined Conference, the League's Laura Wood shared findings from the Local Policy Lab's forthcoming case study on Philadelphia’s election preparedness efforts, highlighting strategies around transparency, voter communication, accessibility, and public trust.

Public libraries are about more than books—they foster trust, opportunity, learning, and community. In Shamichael Hallman’s article for the National Civic League’s National Civic Review, he explores how libraries help communities navigate a changing world: https://ow.ly/srB350YXNIr

Better Public Meetings is now live in NYC! In partnership with the New York City Civic Engagement Commission, Perfect City, and ActiVote, this initiative aims to make public meetings more inclusive, productive, and meaningful for New Yorkers. Read more here: https://ow.ly/pz0z50YZ8rl

Florida has more than 400 civic and democracy organizations, yet most have never connected. That changes tomorrow. Join the National Civic League for a free statewide virtual conversation (May 13, 1–2 PM ET) to meet peers and exchange best practices. 👉 Register here: https://ow.ly/977r50YULEL

The League was happy to join our partners at #CFLeads to speak about our joint Community Foundations for Civic Health Initiative at Council on Foundations#CFLeads#BuildingTogether2026 conference.

May’s newsletter from the National Civic League is out now! Explore how a new collaborative is bolstering civic health leadership, #AAC2026 finalist programs, the latest National Civic Review, and how participatory budgeting is shaping governance. Read more: https://ow.ly/EPJ250YVgW9#AAC2026

Florida has 400+ civic and democracy groups, and most have never connected. That changes May 13 (1–2 PM ET). Join the National Civic League for a free statewide virtual meetup to share ideas and build partnerships. 👉 Register here: https://ow.ly/MCST50YULEK

Fostering connection and hope is essential when America often feels short on both. This summer, theater-maker Michael Rohd offers 3-day facilitation workshops to help professionals lead productive conversations and navigate complex public issues. Learn more here: https://ow.ly/M05w50YRY0B

A strong and healthy democracy depends on an understanding of its core principles. Research from the Center for Free, Fair, and Accountable Democracy (CFFAD) reveals a growing challenge: many Americans express support for both democracy and autocracy. 📖 Read more: https://ow.ly/jnKG50YO0LO

The Healthy Democracy Ecosystem Map continues to evolve! We’ve listened closely to feedback from organizations and networks across the field and made updates to better meet your needs. Explore the updated features and see how your organization can use the map: https://ow.ly/kHJ050YO1QP

Join Shared America for on Wednesday, April 22nd at 3pm ET to explore insights from 18 months of conversations with people across the country, and introduce new tools to help you communicate more effectively and contribute to positive change. Register here: https://ow.ly/sirF50YIP0p

Communities across Nebraska and beyond are coming together. Join the State of Civic Life Conference with Civic Nebraska on May 19 in Lincoln to connect, share ideas, and take action for a stronger civic future. Learn More and save your spot: civicnebraska.org/SoCL

Cybersecurity isn't just an IT problem, it's a civic one. We're launching CyberSim, to help local governments prepare for real digital threats through immersive, hands-on simulations. Learn more: https://ow.ly/Pc4L50YH1Kb

Our partners at #CFLeads are hiring a Director of Civic Health to lead the Community Foundations for Civic Health initiative, a national effort we're proud to be part of alongside CFLeads and the Rhode Island Foundation. Applications are open through April 27. https://ow.ly/ZJZk50YGMT0

#SpreadTheVote reduces barriers to basic civic participation by helping Americans obtain identification and understand how, when, and where to vote. Now, Spread the Vote is joining the League so that together, we can engage more Americans in the democratic process. 👀 https://ow.ly/eK6K50YGML1#SpreadTheVote

We're joining forces to scale our collective impact! The Local Policy Lab is joining the National Civic League. 🥳 Together, we're taking proven models for resident participation from individual cities to a national scale. Read more: https://ow.ly/HByg50YETS6 #Democracy #innovation #civicengagement

Congratulations, 2026 All-America City Award finalists! These communities are being recognized for their work to strengthen civic health & build trust. After a careful selection process, we’re proud to recognize their outstanding impact. All-America City Award Read more: https://ow.ly/XKSa50YCONi

The National Civic League is joining forces with Local Policy Lab and Spread the Vote! Together—with our existing programs—we are helping to build the next chapter of American democracy. Read more: https://ow.ly/xKJ950YCQVI

Over the last 250 years, the spirit of service has allowed us to transcend our differences and build robust communities. Host Brian Baird leads an inspiring discussion on how service and democracy have shaped our way of life. Watch here: https://ow.ly/jq4f50YAJCF #democracy #service

The League's Civic Genius team is working with the Chicago Financial Future Task Force to make sure every resident has a say in the city's future. Register now for a community town hall: http://tinyurl.com/CFFTTownHall

🔜Tomorrow at 2:30 pm ET, join us for an interactive event on the Healthy Democracy Ecosystem Map. Learn about new features, connect with others, and share ideas on the map's next steps! Register today to help us continue evolving this resource: https://ow.ly/mzpJ50YvkkA #democracy #innovation

📣 Join us March 25 for an interactive session about the Healthy Democracy Ecosystem Map We’ll demo the new features, then turn to you to help shape what comes next. Register today to co-create this shared resource: https://ow.ly/eioS50Yvkhl

The latest thought-provoking piece out of the League's Center for Democracy Innovation argues that if we want mass deliberation to succeed, we can’t just design better forums, we have to build an economy and culture that supports participation. Food for thought: 👀📰: https://ow.ly/jCNU50YhMkp

You asked. We listened. The updated Healthy Democracy Ecosystem Map now includes: 🔎 Multi-sort organizations by state, issue area, and network membership 📄 View richer profiles with mission, website, and contact info Explore the Map → https://www.nationalcivicleague.org/2024-healthy-democracy/

Big news from the League’s Civic Genius team 🚀 This spring, we’re launching a civic assembly in Snohomish County, WA—bringing residents together to help shape how AI can make county services more effective and efficient. Learn more: https://ow.ly/nwIi50Y9jyP

📣 Civic Assembly Exploration Event for Community Colleges 🗓 Feb. 5, 2026 | ⏰ 3:00–4:00 pm ET Campus Compact and New America’s Political Reform Program are hosting a Q&A for community college administrators and faculty interested in piloting civic assemblies. 👉 Register: https://ow.ly/JPtb50Y8QKh

The League’s latest newsletter is out 📬 It’s chock-full of organizational updates (👀 civic assembly spoiler alert!) and new resources from partners working to strengthen democracy. Step out of the doom loop and into some real, working solutions—check it out. https://conta.cc/4td49m4

Public meetings don’t have to feel chaotic, or contentious. Join the League & #ICMA for a 4-part Better Public Meetings Training Series designed to help local government leaders plan, facilitate, and manage civil, inclusive, and effective public meetings. 👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/d6YvmbAb

Public meetings out of control? The Better Public Meetings Training from NCL & #ICMA helps local government leaders improve their public meetings by promoting civility and ensuring residents feel heard. This 4-part workshop covers meeting design, facilitation & engagement. 🔗 lnkd.in/d6YvmbAb

On February 6, #BraverAngels is hosting a National Forum on America’s deportation policy, bringing together experts who hold different views on immigration, but who are committed to grappling with the system’s failures and harms & to finding better ways forward. Register: https://ow.ly/2KiY50Y3M4U

“If we’re the bear, our paw is caught in a trap.” Danielle Allen’s latest essay explores how party primaries have warped our democracy, and how all-party primaries could help free us from the partisan doom loop. The UnPopulist https://ow.ly/9TlN50Y0FmY

"Trust is like the air we breathe: when it's present, nobody really notices—but when it's absent, everyone notices." Right now, we’re suffocating. How do we repair the fractures in our foundation? 🗳️ Take the 1st step by completing the survey on rebuilding trust: 👉 https://ow.ly/VvOv50XXfb2

#LocalPolicyLab is hosting a conversation in response to the heightened tension communities are experiencing right now. This session will explore how local governments can help maintain calm, build trust, and support civic stability. January 22 @ 12:00 PM ET🔗 Register: https://ow.ly/1A2r50XVFeu

🏛️ Citizens’ assemblies are proven tools for tackling complex public problems and rebuilding trust. Now we need to move from one-off pilots. 📅 Join us on January 15th for a panel on what it takes to make citizens’ assemblies a routine part of governance. 👉 Register: https://ow.ly/Y32250XT0ui

Last call for Letters of Intent to apply for the All-America City Award. Get those LOIs in by the end of the day to save $100 on your #AAC2026 application fee.

Will technology strengthen, or undermine, democracy? In this Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation discussion moderated by Danielle Allen, the co-authors of Rewiring Democracy unpack both the promise and the peril of tech in civic life. https://ow.ly/zbeK50XLrth

This article reminds us that the next generation isn’t waiting their turn, they’re already leading. From teens mapping climate collapse, to high schoolers launching national voter registration movements, young people are rewiring what leadership looks like! https://ow.ly/hC8450XKmQc

Matt Leighninger joined the Strong Cities Network #SixthGlobalSummit to explore social cohesion measurement. 🌍 370+ mayors, local leaders, national gov. reps, and CSOs gathered to share innovative solutions for more connected & thriving cities. https://ow.ly/AUZa50XJFlu

A new national effort to strengthen democracy through evidence-based narrative strategies launched on December 8. The Pro-Democracy Narrative Playbook Initiative is providing open-source resources to help communities communicate about democratic values and civic space. https://ow.ly/3PGb50XFK4G

Shout out to everyone who joined us in Rochester, MN this week! The League’s Center for Democracy Innovation hosted a public forum with residents and local leaders on improving public meetings. Great crowd and great ideas, despite the chilly temps!

The Guidebook for Deliberative Engagement from the University of Canberra breaks down what makes community deliberation effective, with practical steps, real-world examples, and design principles you can use in your own processes. 🔗 https://ow.ly/F1Cn50XA7hv

Think tanks aren’t just research hubs, they shape how communities understand issues and participate in democracy. This piece explores how civic engagement + evidence-based policy together strengthen democratic decision making. https://ow.ly/wlUg50XA4Ip

Can technology strengthen democracy? This visual story on Audrey Tang shows how open-source tools, transparency, and collective intelligence can counter polarization and build trust. 🔗 Read more: https://ow.ly/aX2g50XA4wE

Civic Nebraska's new “Screen / Table / Us” project digs into how Americans see each other — and how face-to-face conversations can reconnect us across divides. Important, insightful work. Read more → https://civicnebraska.org/20251124-screen-table-us/

A major new partnership between University of Notre Dame, Harvard University and UC Riverside aims to transform civics education through hands-on, community-based learning. A win for students, educators, and democracy. https://ow.ly/KUVx50Xy9b7

How do we rebuild space for civil, nuanced public dialogue? Jim Peyser joins The Codcast to discuss polarization, democratic health, and why complex issues deserve better than strident slogans. https://ow.ly/Vo1z50Xy987