While national politics is engendering increased distrust of government and political violence, local governments are finding new routes for de-escalation, civility, and problem-solving. Violence should never be tolerated, whether it’s political or not, nor should we capitalize on violent acts to limit free speech. While cities are still working to find a perfect formula for peaceful politics, new approaches are showing real potential for keeping politics constructive.

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Doug Linkhart

President

National Civic League

America at 250:

Power to the People!

Rethinking the Congressional Town Hall

What a New Survey

Reveals About Civic Life

As the nation marks 250 years since its founding, we reflect on the ongoing journey to fulfill the promise of a government by, for, and of the people. The 2026 All-America City Award will recognize communities that are bringing these founding ideals to life by ensuring that the power to shape the future resides with the people. The award will spotlight communities with processes and systems that creatively engage residents to create welcoming, thriving places where trust and belonging are abundant. Begin your community's AAC journey, download the application today!

Last week, residents of New York's 25th congressional district joined their congressman, Rep. Joe Morelle, for an experiment in democracy. You may already know about the League's work to transform public meetings at the local level. Elements like focused topics, small group discussions and facilitated engagement with elected officials are now well-tested in a variety of communities and have the potential to improve policy discussions at every level of government. We decided to test these elements out in a congressional town hall. 

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A new national survey finds that while many Americans feel left out of local decision-making and disconnected from their neighbors, they remain eager for better ways to participate. The findings reveal a mix of frustration, and hope about the state of civic life today. The survey, a collaboration between the League and ActiVote, a voter information and democracy app established in 2017 that was one of the most accurate pollsters of the 2024 presidential election, offers a snap shot of how residents experience and imagine civic participation today. Read more.

Strengthening Civic Health

in Colorado

Community Foundations Convene in Chicago

Spotlight: Curating the Tools to Put Equity First

Healthy communities don’t just happen, they’re built through strong connections between neighbors, trust in public institutions, and a shared sense of belonging. Civic health is the foundation for solving community challenges, reducing polarization, and unlocking positive outcomes like better physical health, higher employment rates, and improved resilience. Throughout this month, the National Civic League is hosting three free regional workshops to explore ways to strengthen civic health using the new Colorado Civic Health Action Guide. Learn more and register.

More than 60 community foundation CEOs and senior leaders from across the country gathered in Chicago on September 30, 2025, for Community Foundations for Civic Health: Live in Chicago!, a day-long convening designed to accelerate innovation and collaboration in strengthening civic health at the local level. The event, held at Summit Chicago, was hosted by partners in the Community Foundations for Civic Health initiative: CFLeads, the National Civic League, and the Rhode Island Foundation.

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The Neighborhood Design Center’s Equitable Engagement Toolkit: Prioritizing Equity in the Community Design Process is a curated library of 51 resources designed to help practitioners put equity at the center of community engagement. The toolkit organizes resources and includes tools and guides that practitioners can use directly in their work, papers and articles that offer critical analysis, books that delve deeper into theory and practice, as well as reference lists and networks that connect users with further learning and communities of practice. Read more.