WHAT IS A CIVIC HEALTH INDEX?
Founded in 1946 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1953, the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC), a leader in promoting our nation's civic life, has been tracking, measuring, and promoting civic participation and engagement in partnership with other organizations on a bipartisan, collaborative basis. NCoC focuses on ways to enhance history and civic education, encourage national and community service, and promote greater participation in the political process.

In 2006, NCoC, in partnership with the Civic Health Index Indicators Working Group, launched America's Civic Health Index , measuring civic trends over the last 30 years. The now annual report elevates the discussion of our nation's civic health by measuring a wide variety of civic indicators. America's Civic Health Index is an effort to educate Americans about our civic life and to motivate citizens, leaders, and policymakers to strengthen it.

This year, NCoC has called upon partners to launch the 2010 report, this time enhancing the national report by publishing individual civic health indexes of 12 states and four cities. The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia is honored to be analyzing and disseminating the results for Pennsylvania. The National Constitution Center is an independent, non–partisan, and non–prot organization dedicated to increasing public understanding of, and appreciation for, the Constitution, its history, and its contemporary relevance. Through an interactive, interpretive facility within Independence National Historic Park and a program of national outreach, the National Constitution Center seeks to attain its goals so that “We the People” may better secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity. 1

The Pennsylvania Civic Health Index will contain data that has never before been collected or reported. For the first time, Pennsylvanians will know how much they participate in non–electoral acts of engagement such as donating to a campaign or attending a protest. They will nd out for the first time where their fellow citizens are getting their information—television, newspapers, the Internet, for example.

THE PENNSYLVANIA STORY
Pennsylvania is the birthplace of our nation's democracy. It is in Philadelphia where our independence was declared and where the founding fathers spent three sweltering months behind closed doors deliberating and writing the document that would provide the foundation for our government and in turn, our society. The Constitution, however, does not mark the beginning of Pennsylvania's rich civic history. As one of the original 13 colonies, Pennsylvanians are not strangers to politics and the importance of active and engaged citizenry.

Today Pennsylvania strives to uphold its civic heritage in the face of economic difculties challenging the entire nation. It is committed to stimulating economic investment, growth, and employment opportunities; developing innovative public–private partnerships; supporting the development and training of workers; providing adequate housing for those in need and improving the state's transportation system. 2 As can be expected, during times of economic crisis, however, accomplishing political agendas and keeping citizens inspired to participate in the democratic process can be difcult. The Pennsylvania Civic Health Index will monitor the trends of civic participation and provide insight into the best opportunities to further motivate Pennsylvanians to engage.

Upon leaving Independence Hall, after the close of the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin was approached by a concerned citizen. She asked the statesman what kind of government he and his peers had created during their secretive meetings. Franklin's response? “A republic, madam, if you can keep it.” The Pennsylvania Civic Health Index will annually track how well Pennsylvanians are “keeping it.”