New York Civic Health Index 2010 December 8, 2010
A new report released today by the Florida Joint Center for Citizenship shows that Florida’s civic culture is in failing health, indicates that tough economic times are making the illness worse, and highlights the need for immediate action to treat the malady,
The report found that the state has one of the worst civic cultures in the country, ranking 46th in the nation. It ranked Florida 34th in average voter turnout, 49th in percentage of citizens who volunteer, 48th in percentage of citizens attending a public meeting and 37th in percentage of citizens who worked with others to address a community issue.
The tanking economy is taking its toll. Personal income in America decreased $25.3 billion, or 0.2 percent, in the month of December according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Disposable personal income decreased $25.1 billion, or 0.2 percent, that same month. In the non-profit sector, foundation endowments are down 30% according to the Council on Foundations.
Inspiring Americans to serve each other and their communities, and investing in the infrastructure needed to accommodate new volunteers, will mobilize the nonprofit sector to play a key role in helping build a stronger future.
“Civic Engagement” “Democracy ” “Social Entrepreneurship” What’s it all mean? To folks outside “the field” not a whole lot.
The 2008 America’s Civic Health Index indicated that “what we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” And while we certainly cannot resort to the methods used by Captain who immortalized those words in the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke, we do need to recognize that the words we use to describe what we do – what we are all so passionate about – fail to light a fire under a large section of America.
How do you talk about what you do? Become part of the discussion by posting your tips, focus group data, or other research to help us tackle this issue.
Mark Shriver is the son of the late Sargent Shriver—lifelong activist and first director of the Peace Corps—and has authored a soon-to-be-released book on his father’s legacy, entitled “A Good Man.”
Read the interview with Mark and tell us the story of your own personal civic hero.
NCoC has used civic health data for years to understand civic life in communities across the country, and to take an evidence-based approach to their work.
Community Strategies Director Kristi Tate discusses some recent efforts to respond to the data revolution, and how one might take up the charge on their own.
In tonight’s State of the Union address, President Obama spoke of the harsh and complex realities of today’s political and economic climate.
NCoC believes that in solving even these complex problems, the actions of citizens themselves can be the key to ensuring our country’s success and vitality. The President noted the way civic participation and public projects revived America after World War II and the Great Depression; it can be the case again.
During a discussion at the 66th Annual Conference, moderator Eric Liu asked “What if … we scrapped birthright citizenship for everybody? What if everybody had to do something to earn it? How would people have to contribute—have to live—in order to get something you don’t get just by being born here?”
David B. Smith reflects on a recent Aspen Institute Roundtable on Assessing Community Information Needs. The main topic of conversation was the Richard Harwood’s new white paper, “Assessing Community Information Needs: A Practical Guide” along with discussion around the Knight Foundation’s toolkit focused on assessing a community’s information infrastructure. How do communities use information to define themselves, and celebrate failure in the process?
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