Healthy Democracy in Action: National Civic League Updates on Civic Health, Public Participation, and Innovation

The National Civic League’s Center for Democracy Innovation, led by Matt Leighninger, released an update on local democracy initiatives, including the expanded Community Foundations for Civic Health program supporting planning, learning cohorts, and funding. Progress includes the Healthy Democracy Ecosystem Map spanning 12,500 organizations, a national survey showing support for civic reforms, and research demonstrating local reforms can strengthen trust. Examples include Decatur, Georgia’s civic lottery charter revision, the Better Public Meetings expansion, leadership partnerships in Tennessee and Texas, Colorado’s Civic Health Action Guide, and the CyberSim cybersecurity project. These efforts advance NCDD’s mission by building local civic infrastructure, fostering community-led democratic innovation, and giving residents an authentic voice in public decision-making.

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The National Civic League's Center for Democracy Innovation has released an update from Vice President Matt Leighninger on initiatives working to rebuild confidence in collective problem-solving and democratic participation at the local level. The report documents progress across multiple areas including the Community Foundations for Civic Health initiative, which convened almost 100 local funders in Chicago to showcase innovative civic health efforts in Iowa, Kentucky, Colorado, Michigan, Delaware, and Wisconsin. In 2026, the expanded initiative will include in-person and virtual convenings, a learning cohort, tools for measuring civic health, and direct funding to community foundations for civic health planning. The update highlights how community foundations are well-positioned to lead local civic renewal work, offering the trust, relationships, and long-term commitment necessary to strengthen democratic participation at scale.

The Center's work demonstrates measurable progress in building civic infrastructure across the country. The Healthy Democracy Ecosystem Map recently crossed 12,500 organizations and will soon unveil a new platform making it easier to filter organizations and trace networks, with applications ranging from preventing political violence to coordinating service volunteerism during America's 250th anniversary. A national survey conducted with ActiVote, summarized in the report "Disconnected but Hopeful: What a New Survey Reveals About Civic Life in America," shows that Americans support civic reforms giving people greater voice in governance, including civic assemblies, digital engagement, participatory budgeting, and improved public meetings. The Center's review of scholarly literature suggests these reforms, particularly at the local level, can meaningfully strengthen trust among people, trust in institutions, and trust in information—findings that will be detailed in an upcoming research brief produced with $1 Billion for Trust.

Leighninger's update showcases specific examples of local democracy innovation, including Decatur, Georgia's completion of the first city charter revision process using a commission partly assembled through civic lottery, with recommendations including provisions for upgrading public participation. The Better Public Meetings initiative is expanding to Anchorage, Alaska, Rochester, Minnesota, and New York City, working alongside Perfect City's participatory theater experiences. Partnership with the Bridge Alliance supports community leaders in Franklin, Tennessee, and Edinburg, Texas, in deploying new civic engagement skills. The recently released Colorado Civic Health Action Guide, supported by El Pomar and Boettcher Foundations, provides practical ways for local leaders to strengthen civic health and give people voice in public decisions. A new CyberSim initiative, developed through partnership with Take9 and Newmark Philanthropies, will help local leaders understand and manage growing cybersecurity threats through role-playing simulations.
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To read the full update on the Center for Democracy Innovation's work, visit https://www.nationalcivicleague.org/an-update-on-the-work-of-the-center-for-democracy-innovation/