This Report represents our third comprehensive assessment of Ohio's civic health. As the recession continues, Ohioans have modied their civic behaviors (as we reported last year), and their community life and sense of belonging have been affected by unemployment and the foreclosure crisis, both of which have an impact on people's abilities to remain rooted in and committed to their communities. Mobilizing Ohio's strongest asset—its people—is the best solution to providing statewide economic longevity, neighborhood stabilization, and personal well being. Individuals throughout Ohio stand poised and prepared to give and participate in a variety of ways, if our infrastructures can create the opportunities and avenues for such engagement. This Report provides both analysis of ways Ohioans currently civically engage and recommendations on how to more effectively mobilize residents to realize Ohio's civic potential.

KEY FINDING ONE:
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IS ABOUT PARTICIPATING
Nearly 40% of Ohioans participate in groups. Group afliations build community and foster communication; however, some Ohioans participate more than others. Men, the unemployed, and low–income residents are less likely to participate and less likely to gain the benets of formal group afliation. Political participation is another important dimension of civic engagement. In Ohio, we nd that 65.5 % of voters turned out for the last two Presidential elections. Similarly, 40.6% of Ohioans discuss politics with family and friends more than once a month.

KEY FINDING TWO:
OHIOANS HAVE STRONG ASSETS IN THEIR COMMUNITY LEADERS
Of the 13 states participating in the NCoC Study, Ohio ranks first in the nation for its leadership rate. 11.3% of Ohioans serve as ofcers or committee members in a group or association . 2 We celebrate Ohioans' willingness to lead community organizations, and we urge Ohioans to make a concerted effort to include members from a wide variety of groups—low–income residents, people of color, members of the Millennial generation—in leadership roles.

KEY FINDING THREE:
VOLUNTEERS ESTABLISH ESSENTIAL NETWORKS IN OHIO'S COMMUNITIES
Ohio ranks 22nd for its rate of volunteerism at 29.4% . Volunteering remains a lynchpin of civic engagement, and volunteers both create and participate in networks that create the social capital necessary to solve community problems. As state revenues and other funding streams continue to decline, Ohioans must come together to serve our schools, our service agencies, our local governments, and other associations.

KEY FINDING FOUR:
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT IS STRONGLY CORRELATED TO ALL TYPES OF POLITICAL AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Higher levels of education have a positive correlation to voting, volunteering, participating in groups, xing problems in the community with neighbors, and leading organizations. It appears that individuals who attend college gain the interest in and the ability to get involved civically and politically. However, Ohio has fewer college graduates than most other states: Ohio ranks 44th in the nation in the number of people over 25 with a college degree.