Civic Deserts: America's Civic Health Challenge

In 2000, Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone sounded an alarm about the decline in civic life within a generation and issued a challenge for renewal of American community. In response to these concerns and to build from significant momentum after 9/11 to renew America’s civic traditions, the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) assembled a broad coalition of thought leaders to develop America’s Civic Health IndexTM. Over the past 11 years, NCoC has since reported to the nation on progress and challenge in renewing civic health. Civic health indicators have included: connecting to civic and religious groups; trusting other people; connecting to others through family and friends; giving and volunteering; staying informed; understanding civics and politics; participating in politics; trusting and feeling connected to major institutions; and expressing political views. In turn, these efforts have spawned over 80 local, state, and national civic health reports and initiatives to boost levels of civic engagement and participation.

“Civic Deserts” — communities without opportunities for civic engagement — are increasingly common in the United States. The continued decline in a wide range of important indicators of civic health and connectivity threatens our prosperity, safety, and democracy.

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National Service

As part of their annual Capitol Hill Day, Voices for National Service released two reports that outline the vital role national service plays in our communities and across the nation.

National Service: Cost-Effectively Delivering Critical Services to Americans in Need

This report demonstrates how national service programs are mobilizing citizens to address pressing education and housing challenges and providing needed capacity to disaster relief efforts across the country at a three to one return on taxpayer investment.
 

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National Service: Providing Pathways to Employment

This report highlights the unique role that national service programs play in providing Americans with the skills nonprofit, corporate and public sector employers are looking for from job applicants in this challenging economy.

For more information, visit the Voices for National Services website.

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National Conference on Citizenship

Since 2006, the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC), in partnership with the Civic Indicators Working Group, has published annual reports called America's Civic Health Index. These reports have informed Americans about leading indicators of our nation's civic health and motivated citizens, leaders and policymakers to strengthen the foundations of civic engagement. America's Civic Health Index has become the leading gauge of how well Americans are connecting to each other and their communities, and measures rates of volunteering, voting, connections to civic and religious organizations, trust in other Americans and key institutions, and other civic behavior and attitudes. America's Civic Health Index received a new level of recognition through its inclusion in the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which was signed into law in May 2009. The Act formalized a partnership between NCoC, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Corporation for National and Community Service to develop, refine, and implement an annual civic health assessment.

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Download: Civic Health and Unemployment II: The Case Builds 2012

Download: Civic Health and Unemployment 2011

Download: Civic Health Assessment 2010

Download: Civic Health Index 2009

Download: Civic Health Index 2007

Download: Civic Health Index 2006

Download: Report on the 2005 Annual Conference

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National Conference on Citizenship

The Peace Corps is a story of contrasts. It emerged late in the 1960 presidential campaign, yet ignited one of the most instantaneous responses. It promoted a spirit of youthful idealism, while generating controversy among seasoned policymakers. It was a risky experiment, but held the promise of transforming how millions of people abroad viewed America and how hundreds of thousands of Americans engaged in the world. It is the most enduring legacy of a short-lived presidency.

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Fifty years later, the story of the Peace Corps continues to be told and retold through many books and articles and even a YouTube channel. We believe, however, that the most important storytellers are the voices of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) themselves, speaking over the decades since its formation in 1961 to the present day.

When we discovered that there had never been a large-scale, independent, nationally representative survey of the more than 200,000 volunteers who experienced the Peace Corps, we set out to listen to these individuals who helped shape and define the organization's first 50 years.

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Please watch the video by the Case Foundation below.

A Call to Peace

"AARP was founded with the motto, 'To Serve, Not to Be Served,' and we've been engaging volunteers for fifty years. We are putting a high priority on increasing the number and involvement of 50+ volunteers, which will not only help keep them active and healthy, but will help meet our country's urgent needs."
- Tom Nelson
COO, AARP

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"More to Give is the right study, about the right opportunity, at the right time, by three of our most distinguished and visionary social analysts. As 10,000 Americans a day move into their 60s and beyond, Bridgeland, Putnam, and Wofford demonstrate how this nation can transform the purported 'age tsunami' into an experience dividend, one with the potential to improve the lives of all generations. Without question, this is the most important study and most compelling blueprint for making the most of America's aging opportunity." 
- Marc Freedman
Founder and CEO of Civic Ventures, and author, Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life 

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The Quiet Crisis: The Impact of the Economic Downturn on the Nonprofit Sector

In the wake of the economic downturn, hospitals, nursing homes, nursery schools, senior centers, soup kitchens, and other nonprofit organizations have been hit by a triple whammy. The evaporation of wealth has decimated charitable donations; the state and local budget crunch is costing nonprofits their foremost paying clients; and the human need for nonprofit help is skyrocketing as nonprofit resources shrink. Reversing the nonprofit plunge is a matter of jobs, not just charity. With 9.4 million employees and 4.7 million full-time volunteers nationwide, nonprofits constitute 11 percent of the American workforce—greater than the auto and financial industries combined. If the nonprofit sector were a country, it would have the seventh largest economy in the world. We cannot afford for it to go the way of Iceland, whose financial system collapsed.

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All Volunteer Force from Military to Civilian Service

In the wake of the economic downturn, hospitals, nursing homes, nursery schools, senior centers, soup kitchens, and other nonprofit organizations have been hit by a triple whammy. The evaporation of wealth has decimated charitable donations; the state and local budget crunch is costing nonprofits their foremost paying clients; and the human need for nonprofit help is skyrocketin

Introduction: The dawn of a new century found our nation at war in Afghanistan and Iraq in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on 9/11. Nearly two million Americans have now served in these wars, risking their lives to protect our country and preserve our freedoms. Their service is not mandated by government, but is a voluntary act of courage, conscience, and commitment. These servicemen and women join the ranks of approximately 45 million Americans before them who have served in America's wars from the War for Independence to the present day.

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Executive Summary: The central message of this report is that a new generation of veterans is returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan without sufficient connections to communities, is enthusiastic to serve again, and points the way forward for how our nation can better integrate them into civilian life. Although the 1.8 million veterans are from every corner of our nation, they are strongly united in their perspectives regarding civic responsibilities and opportunities as they return home.

g as nonprofit resources shrink. Reversing the nonprofit plunge is a matter of jobs, not just charity. With 9.4 million employees and 4.7 million full-time volunteers nationwide, nonprofits constitute 11 percent of the American workforce—greater than the auto and financial industries combined. If the nonprofit sector were a country, it would have the seventh largest economy in the world. We cannot afford for it to go the way of Iceland, whose financial system collapsed.

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