NCoC is thrilled to announce that several new civic health indicators have been added to the November 2011 Current Population Survey (CPS), administered by the U.S. Census Bureau. The CPS provides the data for “Civic Life in America,” as well as NCoC’s state and local civic health partnerships.

This civic data set is the largest and most definitive in the country. It provides information related to a variety of activities, including volunteering and service, political involvement, charitable giving, and social connectedness. To explore the many dimensions of modern civic life, NCoC and the Corporation for National and Community Service have suggested incorporation of several new indicators. These new indicators were collected by Census for the first time on the November 2011 CPS supplement:
• Voting in local elections (such as mayor or school board)
• Frequency of using the internet to express opinions about political or community issues
• Frequency of communicating with family and friends
• Trust of neighbors
• Confidence in institutions (corporations, the media and public schools)

Note: A memo outlining all the civic health indicators is available for download at right.

The national results will be released in the “Civic Life in America” partnership between NCoC and the Corporation for National and Community Service in the fall of 2012.

We will also have the results localized for all 50 states and largest metropolitan areas. NCoC is currently recruiting partners to explore these exciting new findings through Civic Health Index reports and initiatives. Detailed information on our 2012 partnership opportunities, is available at NCoC.net/PartnerRecruitment. To speak further about partnership, please contact Kristi Tate, Director of Community Strategies.

NCoC would like to recognize the Civic Indicators Working Group and current Civic Health Index partners for their advice and contributions in suggesting these new indicators. The assessment of civic health is provided for in the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.