Click here to download the full 2011 Connecticut Civic Health Index

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CITIZENSHIP
At the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC), we believe everyone has the power to make a difference in how their community and country thrive.

We are a dynamic, non-partisan nonprofit working at the forefront of our nation’s civic life. We continuously explore what shapes today’s citizenry, define the evolving role of the individual in our democracy, and uncover ways to motivate greater participation. Through our events, research, and reports, NCoC expands our nation’s contemporary understanding of what it means to be a citizen. We seek new ideas and approaches for creating greater civic health and vitality throughout the United States.

SECRETARY OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT
Secretary of the State of Connecticut Denise Merrill serves as the state’s chief elections official and business registrar. As a former state legislator and Majority Leader in the State House of Representatives, Secretary Merrill helped pass bills supporting civics education, campaign finance and ethics reform, early childhood education, and requirements for technology in the Connecticut public school system. Today, she and her staff continue the work to expand democratic participation, protect every citizen’s rights and privileges, and ensure that every vote is counted accurately.

EVERYDAY DEMOCRACY
Everyday Democracy was established in 1989 by The Paul J. Aicher Foundation, a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing deliberative democracy and improving the quality of public life in the United States. To achieve this, Everyday Democracy helps neighborhoods, towns and cities develop their own capacity to bring together people of all backgrounds and views to talk, solve problems, bring about measurable change, and create communities that work for everyone. We emphasize the connection between racial equity and issues such as poverty and economic development education reform early childhood development police-community relations and youth and neighborhood concerns. Since our founding, we have worked with more than 600 communities across the United States on a variety of public issues.

We partner with state, regional, and national groups to expand the reach and impact of the tools, stories and lessons that come from community-driven change efforts. Since our aim is a democracy that includes and values everyone’s voice, we help communities connect with others who are finding ways to involve people in public life. At the national level, we help bring together all parts of the democracy reform movement, for stronger collective impact.

About The Authors
Valeriano Ramos, Jr. is Director of Strategic Alliances at Everyday Democracy and Coordinator of the Connecticut Civic Health Project. Nancy Thomas is a Senior Associate at Everyday Democracy and director of the Democracy Imperative.