WELCOME.
With the familiar rhythms of community life shifting, the future can seem clouded. It’s worth asking: How do we stay grounded? What does it mean to belong to a place, to a people, to something larger than ourselves?
One answer lies in civic health.
Civic health refers to how we assess our connection to one another and our shared public life. It reflects how engaged we are with our communities, whether at city hall or on a front porch, in a voting booth, or at a neighborhood gathering. It measures how we show up for each other, how we work together to solve common problems, and how well our institutions reflect the people they serve.
This report takes a closer look at how Nebraskans are doing across four key dimensions of civic health:
›› Civic Trust, or how much people trust their neighbors, communities, and institutions like government, schools, and businesses.
›› Civic Access, or whether people can participate fully in civic life, through broadband, transportation, local news, and inclusive public spaces.
›› Civic Action, which includes the ways people show up — by voting, volunteering, joining groups, or working with neighbors to make a difference.
›› Civic Knowledge, or how informed people are about the world around them — including news, civic education, and the democratic process.
These indicators are signals. They help us understand where our connections are strong and where we might need to build new bridges. While each town and city in Nebraska has its own story, these common threads help us see the bigger picture of civic life across our state.
In the pages ahead, you’ll find insights drawn from statewide data, plus stories from communities doing the work of democracy every day. These examples remind us that civic health is deeply personal and local. Whether it’s a small town rallying around a school bond or a city neighborhood organizing to improve public safety, strong civic health powers real progress.
The benefits of this work are many. Communities with higher levels of civic engagement tend to be healthier, more economically resilient, and better equipped to meet shared challenges. When people are connected – trusting, participating, and collaborating – they’re more likely to find common ground and work together.
This report is a starting point. It’s a prompt for reflection and, more importantly, for conversation. We hope it inspires collective action across Nebraska to strengthen the civic bonds that define us as a community.
ABOUT THE PARTNERS
CIVIC NEBRASKA
Civic Nebraska creates a more modern and robust democracy for all Nebraskans. It does this through statewide civic health programs, youth civic leadership programming, and nonpartisan voting rights initiatives. For more information, visit CivicNebraska.org.
NEBRASKA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Nebraska Community Foundation draws on volunteer community leadership, place-based philanthropy, peer-to-peer learning, experienced mentors, and professionals to create greater opportunity for all. Together, we envision a brighter future, recruit and develop local talent and leadership, and build and leverage local and regional assets. For more information, visit nebcommfound.org.
NEBRASKA EXTENSION
Nebraska Extension engages with Nebraskans wherever they are, connecting them with the resources, research and innovation of the University of Nebraska. With 83 county offices and four research and education centers across the state, Extension’s 350 experts are connected to our state’s communities to address critical issues. For more information, visit extension.unl.edu.
THE CENTER FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS RESEARCH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA OMAHA
The Center for Public Affairs Research at the University of Nebraska Omaha produces and disseminates high-quality public scholarship about topics that impact Nebraskans’ lives. Projects include policy analyses for the Nebraska Legislature’s Planning Committee, the Nebraska Rural Transit Project, and the U.S. Census Bureau. For more information, visit governing.unomaha.edu.
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA PUBLIC POLICY CENTER
The University of Nebraska Public Policy Center provides assistance to policymakers and researchers on a wide range of public policy issues. The Center works with policymakers in all three branches of government at local, state, and federal levels. As a systemwide Policy Center, staff work with university researchers from all institutions in the University of Nebraska System. For more information, visit ppc.unl.edu.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CITIZENSHIP
The National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) is dedicated to strengthening civic life in America. We pursue our mission through a nationwide network of partners involved in a cutting-edge civic health initiative, our cross-sector conferences and engagement with a broad spectrum of individuals and organizations interested in utilizing civic engagement principles and practices to enhance their work. Connecting people for the purpose of strengthening civic life is our goal. At the core of our joint efforts is the belief that every person has the ability to help their communities and country thrive.
PRIMARY AUTHORS
Lily Sughroue, Director of Civic Health Programs, Civic Nebraska
Allen Chlopek, Rural Civic Health Program Manager, Civic Nebraska
Steve Smith, Director of Communications, Civic Nebraska
CONTRIBUTORS
Jeff Coates, Research and Evaluation Director, National Conference on Citizenship
Cameron Blossom, Communications Director, National Conference on Citizenship
