The National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) and Points of Light, the nation’s definitive experts on civic engagement, in partnership with Bloomberg LP, today announced the results of The Civic 50 . IBM, Citi, and AT&T, Inc. take top honors in the first comprehensive ranking of S&P 500 companies that best use their time, talent and resources to improve the quality of life in the communities where they do business.
The National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) and Opportunity Nation share a belief that our communities are stronger when everyone has the opportunity to contribute. The Opportunity Index, the first statistical measure of access to the American Dream, is an important evidence-based tool supporting this approach. It provides a holistic view of a community’s economic, social and civic strengths and allows communities to identify areas for improvement and measure progress over time.
Group participation is a central component of community involvement and broader civic health. Volunteering and Civic Life in America, presented in partnership between NCoC and the Corporation for National and Community Service, explores the degree to which Americans are involved in organizations, what types of groups they participate in, and whether or not they serve in leadership roles.
Many civic health statistics show Millennials to be the least engaged generation, but Tarsi Dunlop sees a number of promising trends both in the data, and from her own observations. In this week’s guest feature, she highlights stories from the Roosevelt Institute Campus Network.
What stories do you believe best illustrate the state of Millennial engagement in America?
A report released today by the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) finds that states with higher levels of civic engagement are more resilient in an economic downturn. The report identifies five measures of civic engagement – attending meetings, helping neighbors, registering to vote, volunteering and voting – which appear to protect against unemployment and contribute to overall economic resilience.
“Civic Engagement and Recent Immigrant Communities,” a new guide developed by the National League of Cities, presents local officials with the first steps and directions for efforts toward integrating immigrants into the civic life of the city.
The guide aims to help leaders (including leaders who are themselves recent immigrants) set goals, agree on expectations, and decide what kinds of engagement will work best for their community. While it looks at public engagement through the lens of immigration, the planning recommendations and meeting agendas may be useful for leaders working on a variety of issues.
Today, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes released the 2011 Kentucky Civic Health Index, a report that measures Kentucky’s overall civic health. It found the state fared well in certain indicators, but there remain gaps in civic participation along demographic lines of age, race and ethnicity, income, and educational attainment. The report put forth recommendations to bridge these gaps, including promoting civic education, improving accessibility and ease of voting, and addressing social inequality.
As Pennsylvania’s pivotal primary election nears, a new Census–based report reveals that Pennsylvania citizens are less politically engaged than citizens in other parts of the country. Released today by the National Constitution Center, the state’s second annual Civic Health Index ranks Pennsylvania last in the nation in the percentage of citizens who talk frequently about politics with friends and family.
A report released today finds that Alabama out-performs national trends in public work – including attending meetings and working with neighbors to solve problems. Some forms of civic involvement, such as contacting elected officials and joining groups, appear to be lagging.
The National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) today named Ilir Zherka as its new Executive Director.
Zherka, who has served as Executive Director of DC Vote since 2002, will oversee the day-to-day work of this Congressionally chartered non-profit and provide strategic direction for NCoC, whose mission is to encourage a more active and engaged citizenry.
A study released today by the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) shows that a strong civic foundation is directly linked to strengthening employment at the metropolitan, county, and state levels. Communities with better civic health have weathered the recent recession far better – and experienced considerably smaller increases in unemployment – than other communities that faced similar economic circumstances.
Press Release: Secretary of the State Denise Merrill today joined national partners from Everyday Democracy and the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) in releasing the first–of–its–kind index of Connecticut’s Civic Health.