Civic health is the civic, social, and political strength of a community. Civic Nebraska is an active connector of these distinct yet interrelated strands – we help weave them together to fortify our state’s civic life.
In 2020, our Civic Health Programs built capacity in Greater Nebraska. Our rural initiatives empowered communities large and small to identify assets, identify goals, and lead change. In urban areas, Collective Impact Lincoln and One Omaha extended their neighborhood-building reach, linking residents to power structures and providing them with training and resources to take on issues. And we developed a five-year roadmap to improve Nebraska’s civic fabric.
When we’re more connected to one another and to our institutions, our communities are better able to solve local problems. That’s civic health – and from Scottsbluff to Diller, from Wayne to Ogallala, Civic Nebraska is strengthening it.
Civic Health Index
How does our state fare in all areas of civic health – and what are the best ways to strengthen our collective civic life? Civic Nebraska stood with partners to research, write and publish the 2020 Nebraska Civic Health Index, a guide to our state’s political involvement, community engagement, social connectedness, and confidence in institutions.
Civic Saturdays
In a time of anxiety, disconnectedness and polarization, people need a way to come together in civic community – in person or virtually – to reflect on and rededicate ourselves to the values and practices of being a contributing member in civic life. Civic Nebraska brought the national phenomenon of Civic Saturday to Lincoln in 2019 and, with newly trained local “civic seminarians,” will regularly host virtual Civic Saturdays starting in fall 2020.
More about our civic health initiatives, including:
– The New Americans Civic Leadership Academy, which creates agency among immigrants and refugees
– Phase 2 of Collective Impact Lincoln in Star City neighborhoods
– Mini-grants from One Omaha to strengthen the city street-by-street