4th National Civic League edition Civic Index 2019 Civic Capital The formal and informal relationships, networks and capacities communities use to make decisions and solve problems Civic Capital 4th edition Engaged Residents Shared Inclusive Vision & Community Values Leadership Components of Civic Capital Culture of Collaborative Engagement Institutions Embracing Authentic Communication Diversity & Equity ational ivic eague About this edition e Civic Index ha been ate eioically ince it a t introuce in . i ourt eition uiling on ecae o wor in counitie inclue an even greater ocu tan reviou verion on te critical role o incluive civic engageent an euit a e coonent o civic caital. riting an laout o ti ulication wa eareae aron eav wit uort ro ara ico arla iroug eecca rout an eague reient oug inart. About the National Civic League oune in civic leaer incluing eoore ooevelt an oi anei the ational iic eae i a nonatian nonot organiation woe iion i to avance civic engageent to create euitale triving counitie. We acieve ti iniring uorting an recogniing incluive aroace to counit eciionaing. e ational ivic eague enviion a countr in wic te ull iverit o counit eer i activel an eaningull engage in local governance incluing ot eciionaing an ileentation o activitie to avance te coon goo. n aition to the Civic Index oter eague rogra inclue te ll erica it awar National Civic Review oel it arter roiing ractice ataae llerica onveration oolit an ounit itance. e eague ue tee an oter tool to el local counitie ue civic engageent to avance ealt eucation utainailit racial euit an oter iortant value. FOR MORE INFORMATION WWW.NATIONALCIVICLEAGUE.ORG Table of Contents The Civic Index Engaged Residents 4 Inclusive Community Leadership 8 Collaborative Institutions 12 Embracing Diversity, Equity 16 Authentic Communication 20 Culture of Engagement 24 Shared Vision and Values 28 Longmont Case study 32 Somerville Case Study 34 Hampton Case Study 36 Civic Index Questionnaire 38 Civic Index Facilitator's Guide 40 leaning u uring ulin alionia ie wee The Civic Index What makes some communities i coon trea i civic caital a ter more able than others to solve the tat National Civic Review autor illia tough social, political, economic or Potach an ale P. oce once ene a physical challenges they face? te collective civic caacitie o a counit te currenc uorting collaorative trategie tat urue innovative rogra an orge new relationi to uil a uture wit i wa a uetion te ational ivic bee elt o chilen an ailie. eague et out to anwer in . nte groun reearc reveale a et o actor oewat lie ocial caital ut not to e T cone ith nancial caital ciic caital can tat we call civic caital te oral an inoral relationi networ an caacitie tat e oun in all ort o counitie not ut te counitie ue to ae eciion an olve ot aent ecate o aantae. hile role. ria oter actor contriute to counit oe ciic caital i the coe acto ientie A common thread in successful communities te ational ivic eague a te riar is the ongoing struggle through formal and elanation or longter counit ucce. informal processes to identify common goals and meet individual and community needs and At te ational ivic eague we now o an aspirations. ~ Former National Civic League counitie wit an aunant ul o civic President John Parr caital. e llerica it rogra a recognie over o tee counitie uring te at ear. ll ave varing level o Page civic engageent collaoration an leaeri About this Publication an ave een ale to tacle toug iue in a utainale anner ringing a ivere grou i oolet tae te even coonent o civic o reient an taeoler to te tale. caital eveloe a art o te Civic Index an oe a oe colete icte o ho thee einnin ith the t eition in coonent la out in real counitie. te Civic Index a een an eential tool or eauring a counit civic ac ection ecrie a articular coonent caital. e Civic Index i a elaeent an inclue eale ro counitie tool coniting o a et o uetion tat acro te countr. or eac coonent te rovie a raewor or icuing an ational ivic eague a eveloe our to i eauring a counit civic caital. uetion wic counitie can ue to ae te trengt o teir civic caital in ti area. ounitie ave ue te Civic Index to bee netan thei ciic tenth an rougout ti ulication we are torie to ienti ga or area in nee o urter o governent iniviual uinee aention olicitin conity int to ceate an organiation tat are eerciing teir a aeline eaure o teir civic caital an conity ciic caital to ole toh onitor rogre over tie a te wor to role. e ational ivic eague enance teir internal caacit. e Civic Index gatere tee torie ro llerica it i intene to e uective an ualitative war winning counitie our an ow a counit ran on te ine een national an local artner an troug on te view o reient an oter counit reearc into te et eale o civic taeoler. n iortantl te raning caital uiling trougout te countr. by ieent at o the conity hol not be aeae let the ieence aon n aition to oe ecic eale e hae variou art o te counit e lot. create tree longer cae tuie or ongont oloao atoniinia an Soeille The Seven Components Maache. hee cae tie hel to ow wat it loo lie wen counitie of Civic Capital uil civic caital acro te coonent. 1. ngage eient 2. nclie onity eaehi ncle in the bac i a acilitato ie 3. ollaboatie ntittion wic i eigne to uort all grou eole converation uing te Civic Index 4. racing iverit an uit uetion eiter a a earate eercie or a 5. Autentic ounication art o a large gatering wit reaout grou. 6. ulture o ngageent ee all grou converation allow eole 7. Shae iion an ale to learn ro one anoter an icu wa to leverage te counit trengt an are Civic Capital shapes: it callenge. ere oile it i et to ue te Civic Index eiter wit grou ro a roa • ow counit callenge are aree croection o te counit or in gatering or acnowlege in ieent at o the conity to bette • ow eciion are ae netan ho ieent eole ie the • ivic rie an ow reient view teir Index's eae. conity ality o lie • e reilienc o a counit in te ace o crie or callenging tie Page ational ivic eague Components of Ways to use the Civic Capital Civic Index ngage eient 7 ncluive ounit eaeri 91. ot counit converation reeral wit all reaout grou in wic ollaorative ntitution eole anwer te Civic Index uetion racing iverit an uit an icu te ilication o teir anwer. Autentic ounication ulture o ngageent 2. ncourage artner or grantee to ue te are iion an alue Civic Index to create a coon language or et o goal aroun civic caital. 3. are uetion on ocial eia to ar a Communities with converation aout te counit civic caital. strong civic capital: 4. ncle Index uetion in rogra evaluation or eaure ow a e ave reient wo la a ore rogra el uil civic caital. active role in aing eciion. eient wor to olve role 5. ncle etion o the Index into a rater tan waiting or governent civic corecar or an annual uate on te to olve teir role. ealt o te counit. ultivate an uort leaer 6. e it at a ta eteat o concil iionin ro all acgroun an ivere eion to align rogra aroun e civic erective. caital goal. ectiely collaboate aco ecto. 7. e it wit an electe o or a governing oar to urace e iue witin te re iverit an euit an counit. oe toa bee otcoe o all. 8. e te Index a a raing eercie or tool uort creile valuale o tateic lanniniionin eot. inoration oving etween reient intitution an oter 9. ncourage local caniate to lege to taeoler. urue olicie wic te elieve will el oter civic caital. ectiely enae the eient ot aecte by aticla oble creating tronger ore relevant The Civic Index provides a oa olicie an eot. framework for discussing and reate a are viion an value measuring a community’s civic ro wic aligne action eerge. capital Page eient coe togeter to ten a counit garen Engaged Residents Residents play an active role in shaping decisions and civic affairs. "The health of a democratic society may be o te iue reuentl a intitutional measured by the quality of functions performed tructure an ractice tat ae articiation by private citizens."- Alexis de Tocqueville, iclt an hee eciion ae oten ae Democracy in America eore reient are even conulte or involve. o uil te civic caacit o a counit an ounitie are ore liel to trive evelo rout civic caital reient ut were reient la an active role in te orwar to tae action an leaer an Caing eciion an taing action. e intitution ut encourage an uort ti notion that oenent cannot o it alone a articiation an eciionaing. an iortant art o e ocueville eage an i increaingl evient in tie o liite reource. ctivitie to are articular iue are ore liel to e utainale wen counit eer are involve in teir eveloent an ileentation. t i eential o leae to encoae articiation an ae ace or reient. ccuation o aat an lac o unertaning Page ational ivic eague P LAKEWOOD, COLORADO eient in eac neigoroo ot woro an colete roect tat avance utainailit n aeoo oloao eient inteete enance livailit an reuce ecological ootrint in creating ore utainale neigoroo earning oint tat are ue to rate erorance.