This assessment, which is the first of its kind for the state, documents the health of Missouri's civic sector. The report describes various indicators of civic life in Missouri. It also brings the workings of civil society into a broad discussion about what kind of institutional structure will best support democracy.

Historical trends show that some forms of civic participation are declining. However, analyses of social capital, civic participation, and access to information show that there are foundations that can be built upon to revitalize the state's civic health. The information in this report can be used to motivate and inform broad, statewide discussions of how to enliven civic participation in Missouri and strengthen the social fabric of the Show Me State.

KEY FINDINGS
1. Missouri has made signicant efforts to facilitate some forms of civic engagement across the state. These include:
a. Senate Bills 845 and 641, which put in place easier procedures for overseas voters to cast their ballots, and ease voting burdens by enabling voters to cast their ballots in advance of elections.
b. The Missouri Community Service Commission, which aims to engage Missouri residents in community service and volunteerism, and helps to coordinate and administer federal funding to service programs throughout the state.
c. Missouri Service–Learning Regional Centers administer free support to teachers and students wishing to implement service–learning in their school districts.
d. Within Missouri's public schools, a statewide civics test gauges the civic education of students on topics related to American history and the U.S. government.

2. Missouri performs better than the national average on several important indicators of civic engagement, including:
a. Volunteering
b. Working together to solve community problems
c. Voter turnout and voter registration
d. Non–electoral political participation

3. There is cause for concern that civil society in Missouri is deteriorating as the data suggest that civic engagement has been declining in recent years. For example:
a. There has been a decline in voter turnout in recent presidential elections.
b. The percentage of Missourians who volunteer has been declining since 2004.
c. Attendance at public meetings in Missouri is lower than the national average.

4. Missouri has a stronger “blue–collar base” for civic engagement than most states.
Several of our ndings suggest that Missouri has a stronger “blue–collar” base for civic engagement than is typical of the nation as a whole. In general, higher levels of education are associated with more participation. However, even though college–educated Missourians are more engaged than those without college experience, less–educated Missourians are participants and leaders at higher rates than residents of other states.

5. The data suggest that Missouri scores lower than the national average on several key indicators of social capital, including:
a. Connecting with others
b. Discussing politics
c. Group association and leadership

6. Obstacles to strengthening civic participation in Missouri include:
a. Declining employment in manufacturing, construction, and transportation may weaken Missouri's “blue–collar base” for civic participation.
b. Cuts to higher education may limit the development of future civic leaders in the state.