CIVIC HEALTH IN WISCONSIN

 

The UW-Madison Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies joins a coalition of nonpartisan Wisconsin-based organizations, in partnership with the National Conference on Citizenship, to release the first-ever report on Wisconsin’s civic health.

With the publication of this report, “Civic Health in Wisconsin: Connectedness in Context,” Wisconsin joins 30 other U.S. states in measuring civic health, laying the groundwork for tracking changes and improvements.

WIPPS is proud to be among the coalition members involved in this initiative, which includes these organizations:

 

  • The UW-Madison Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies
  • Campus Compact for Wisconsin
  • The Helen Bader Institute for Nonprofit Management at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
  • League of Wisconsin Municipalities
  • Morgridge Center for Public Service at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • The UniverCity Alliance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension

 

Civic health” is a term that refers to the degree to which citizens participate in their communities, from local and state governance to interactions with friends or family. Civic health also relates to the overall well-being of neighborhoods, communities, states, and the nation.

“In this age of concern around the health of our democracy, it is critical that we measure and understand how residents of Wisconsin are participating in civic and community life,” said Eric Giordano, WIPPS executive director. “The Civic Health Index helps us to begin that process.”

Publication of this report also marks the beginning of a Wisconsin civic health initiative, which will mobilize these data to strengthen and catalyze civic engagement efforts in Wisconsin communities. Citizens are invited to better understand and take action for Wisconsin’s civic health.