Social capital, or the connections that we have with one another, is an essential measure of North Carolina's civic health. We need to feel connected to our communities and the people who live in them to be driven to participate in democracy. A successful democracy hinges on active, engaged citizens participating in civil society.

The strength of North Carolina's civil society can be measured by the number of residents who attend group meetings, formally belong to groups and, to a larger degree, by the number of group participants who also hold ofces or committee memberships. By this denition, 33% of North Carolinians have participated in civil society within the past year, compared with 35% of Americans. 25 Just 7% of North Carolinians are civil leaders, compared with the national average of 8.5%.

Nationally, greater participation in civil society is highly predictive of other civic behaviors. This makes sense, as formal group memberships and taking leadership roles generally provide people with ample opportunities to serve the community and work with others.

WHO'S PARTICIPATING?
Not only are North Carolinians lagging in group participation, but there is a signicant gap in the demographics of residents who are participating in North Carolina's civil society. In keeping with the trend of low youth civic engagement, North Carolina's young people are the least likely to belong to a group or organization (84% are non–participants compared with the state average of 67%). The vast majority of the state's Hispanic residents, a rapidly growing segment of North Carolina's population, is not participating in civil society (88% are non–participants compared with 65.4% of non–Hispanics). African–Americans in North Carolina are less likely than white residents to participate in civil society (76.8% non–participants compared with 61% of whites).

North Carolina's wealthiest individuals, those with annual incomes at or above $75,000, are the most likely to participate in groups; 59% report group membership. North Carolinians with some college experience are more than twice as likely as those with no college experience to participate in a group (45% compared with 18%).

WHO'S LEADING?
Those who lead our community groups, churches, or governments are also highly engaged in all forms of civic engagement, far above the levels among those who simply participate in civil society. These group leaders are an essential component of North Carolina's social capital not only for the leadership they provide, but also for their broad involvement in civic life. Unfortunately, North Carolina possesses a relatively small leadership base.

The state's small leadership base is characterized by disproportionate representation of certain demographics: College–going and white North Carolinians are more likely to be civil leaders, as are residents who are involved in religious institutions. In North Carolina, there is an especially strong connection between education and formal group leadership. Residents with college experience are more than ve times more likely to be civil leaders than their fellow North Carolinians who never went to college. Only 2.2% of North Carolinians without college experience are civil leaders.

White non–Hispanics are the most likely to be civil leaders in North Carolina; 9.5% serve in leadership positions, compared with the state average of 7%. Metropolitan residents are more likely to be civil leaders than those living in rural areas of the state (8% compared with 4.6%).

North Carolinians who participate religious groups, beyond simply attending religious services, are signicantly more likely to be civil society leaders. Among those who belong to a religious group or organization, 33% are leaders; only 4% of those not belonging to a religious group are leaders.

All in all, North Carolina's civil society appears to be supported by a small and homogeneous group of people with college educations. About two–thirds of residents lack any formal group afliation. North Carolina's civil society must be strengthened and we must
cultivate a new generation of diverse leaders who represent the interests of all North Carolinians.