The shootings in Minneapolis are another reflection of our country’s move toward authoritarianism. A new report from Amnesty International cites 12 “alarm bells,” that signal this move, including attacks on our freedom of expression and assembly. As a nonpartisan organization that doesn’t take sides, we feel that all of us have a responsibility to combat this trend. As Albert Einstein once said, “the world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.” Read more.

Doug Linkhart

President

National Civic League

Civic Genius is excited to announce an upcoming civic assembly in Snohomish County, WA! Kicking off this spring, the assembly will consider how the county should use AI to make services more effective and efficient. We’re excited to share the insights from this assembly as it gets underway, and welcome conversations with cities and counties that are interested in bringing deliberation to their communities. Read more.

We know communities are juggling a lot right now, so we’ve extended the deadline for the 2026 All-America City Award to March 5, 2026. The extension is designed to give applicants more time to sharpen their submissions and tell the full story of their civic work. To support you along the way, we’re hosting three informal office hours to answer questions and share guidance. Register for AAC office hours here and learn more about the application here.

Many people have lost confidence in the basic idea that Americans can make decisions, solve problems, and build community together, and that affects how they think about politics at every level of our system. This crisis shows up locally, but also has local remedies. Our work, alongside some great partners, demonstrates that this confidence in our collective abilities can be rebuilt in communities, at scale, in measurable ways.

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Building a Healthier Democracy

A $1 Billion Idea to Solve the Trust Crisis

National Civic Review: Winter Edition

Across the US, some of the most consequential democratic work is happening far from Washington. Yet these efforts are frequently fragmented, lightly documented, and disconnected from similar work happening elsewhere. When communities lack opportunities to learn from one another about what is working, promising reforms remain isolated, and the burden of innovation falls unevenly on local officials and civic leaders. Expand Democracy was created to help address this challenge.

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Trust is the enabling attribute that allows our economics and societies to flourish, and its absence is now noticeable everywhere. To confront this foundational erosion, a new nonprofit is launching an ambitious social initiative: $1 Billion for Trust. $1B for Trust is embarking on a 10-year mission to rebuild trust in three critical areas: trust in information, trust in each other, and trust in institutions.The goal is to help create a rich and diverse ecosystem that catalyzes $1 billion annually to fund new solutions that strengthen trust. Read more.

This Winter issue of NCR examines how local democracy is being reshaped in response to declining trust, deepening divisions, and rapid technological change. From the role of community foundations and bridging institutions to new models of local governance, civic dialogue in schools, and the emerging implications of AI, contributors explore what democracy actually looks like on the ground today. Together, these pieces highlight responsive, and resilient communities. Read more.