Empowering neighborhood groups and de-centralized planning structures is one strategy that cities use to promote equitable civic engagement. But how effective are these structures? The the Center for Civic Innovation (CCI) sought to answer this question by conducting a comprehensive, community-based assessment of Atlanta’s 24 Neighborhood Planning Units. CCI identified the system’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Read more.

On January 18 the W.K. Kellogg Foundation hosted the 6th annual National Day of Racial Healing, an event organized to uplift personal & communal narratives, celebrate community, and promote racial healing through calls for collective and sustainable change. The event featured panels, discussions, and performances designed to explore racial healing as a necessary component of racial equity. The final panel focused on the “racial zero-sum” and the “solidarity dividend.” Read more.

Seldom has one family been as strong a force for democracy across three generations as the Pforzheimer family of New York. A long-time supporter of the League, the Pforzheimer family continues to support our work through a Fellows program for college students. The Pforzheimer Fellows Program is operated by the National Civic League to provide mini-grants to students conducting research or developing solutions to civic challenges.

The League’s program, “Enhancing the Equity and Inclusiveness of Age-friendly Initiatives”, focuses on infusing racial equity into the work of cities and counties to be age-friendly. The program has received continued funding from the Colorado-based foundation, NextFifty Initiative to support five Colorado counties in engaging all older adults from populations that are often underrepresented.

The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) is hosting its 2022 Annual Conference in Jacksonville, Florida this March, thematically focused on “Democracy under Threat: The Future of Equality in a Post-COVID World.” Six plenaries, 12 high-level panels and 150 concurrent sessions will look at today’s most important governing challenges through the lens of global democratic stability.

The National Civic League’s All-America Leader Award seeks to recognize individuals, or teams of individuals, who have successfully spearheaded civic engagement efforts in their community. Nomination letters must be submitted by February 28, 2022. All individuals, regardless of age, race, gender, political affiliation, employment status or any other factor are eligible to be nominated. Learn more and nominate a leader in your community.