While civic health has been on the decline across most indicators for the last 30 years, there are some important signs of progress in the last few years, especially among young people. We should build on these positive trends.

We invite discussion and input on the Civic Health Index and findings presented in this report and welcome ideas to improve our assessment of the country’s civic health. We believe that our nation can and should do a better job in collecting, reporting, and debating the implications of data that show us trends in our civic life. For we know that when our civic health is vibrant, our communities and country are stronger, and our own lives are enriched.