At The Heinz Endowments, we believe healthy democracy begins in our neighborhoods and communities. Our Civic Participation work focuses on strengthening collaborative local governance – bringing together residents, government leaders and community stakeholders to identify problems and work together on solutions that improve people’s lives. Our approach recognizes a fundamental truth: people participate in civic life because there are problems in their lives, and they hope civic engagement will help address those problems.
Through our multi-year commitment to collaborative governance, we’re working to rebuild trust between neighbors and in our institutions by supporting three key areas:
- Stronger civic infrastructure that can effectively coordinate with government and hold it accountable
- Responsive local governments equipped with the training and resources to meaningfully engage residents
- Access to reliable journalism and information that keeps communities informed about the issues that matter most to them
In addition, the Endowments supports research that can provide robust data and analyses to help test and refine our interventions over time, in support of our commitment to continuous learning time and in service of the broader field.
Our ultimate goal is to create a region where all residents experience a higher quality of life, where more people feel like they truly belong and can see their future here, and where trust in our systems and in each other grows strong. By focusing on local solutions and collaborative problem-solving, we build the foundation for lasting change that can serve as a model for communities across the country.
