Introduction (Hollie Russon Gilman and Mark Schmitt)

Introduction

By Hollie Russon Gilman and Mark Schmitt

Co-governance offers a model for shifting decision-making power to ordinary people and re-building their trust in government. Co-governance models break down the boundaries between people inside and outside government, allowing community residents and elected officials to work together to design policy and share decision-making power. Cities around the world are experimenting with new forms of co-governance, from New York City’s participatory budgeting process to Paris’s adoption of a permanent Citizen Assembly. More than a one-off transaction or call for public input, successful models of co-governance empower everyday people to participate in the political process in an ongoing way. Co-governance has the potential to revitalize civic engagement, create more responsive and equitable structures for governing, and build channels for Black, Brown, rural, and tribal communities to impact policy-making.

Still, co-governance models are not without challenges. The hierarchical and ineffective nature of our current governing structure is difficult to transform. Effective collaboration between communities and politicians requires building lasting relationships that overcome deep distrust in government. So far, successful models of co-governance tend to be local and community-specific—making it critical that we share stories of success and brainstorm ways to scale.

Building on our first co-governance case studies from across the country published in 2021, New America’s Political Reform program recently launched a new series of case studies to spotlight innovative examples of co-governance initiatives occurring across rural and urban communities. The series highlights the work of community organizations including CivicLex (Lexington, Ky.), DelawareCares, Local Progress (based in 5 states), Puget Sound Sage (Seattle, Wash.), and Georgia STAND-UP, as well as case studies highlighting local governments in Petaluma, California and New York City.

Innovative forms of civic engagement and co-governance models are not a new phenomenon, but a continuation of strategies and tools to make democracy more participatory. Community organizers, advocates, neighborhood leaders, and local governments from across the country have been providing lessons for redistributing political power as they build effective collaboration between communities and politicians. This year’s case study series aims to elevate and learn from efforts on-the-ground to help communities across the country break down barriers to decision-making and restore trust in civic institutions.

This work is happening nationally and internationally—in cities, rural communities, tribal communities, suburbs, and exurban places. Everyday people exercise voice and expertise, applying hyper-local first-hand experience as they work alongside government to solve civic problems. Co-governance models give added form to this ecosystem of practices and interventions, highlighting how community members build civic power, gain political agency, and become experts in co-designing policies. Our series captures the importance of both public officials and local leaders working together on issues ranging from passing specific legislation to fostering constructive discussions. Most importantly, co-governance creates new pathways for new audiences to enter into policymaking, influencing its outcomes to be more relevant to and representative of the public.

Communities benefit from co-governance in the long-term, even if legislative wins and action stemming from discussion are not immediate. As community members become co-creators and lead advocates of policies, they also create new channels for other forms of civic engagement with government that stretch beyond policymaking and towards fundamental democratic reforms. Each of these case studies provides critical insights and lessons on innovative models to strengthen civic engagement and provide hope for the future of participatory democracy.

Participatory democracy is not solely about ensuring that community residents are given an opportunity to directly participate, but also about ensuring that their voices are heard, welcomed, and intertwined at every stage of the policymaking process. To that end, we are inspired by the words of john a. powell, an internationally recognized social justice advocate, “Belonging means more than just being seen. Belonging entails having a meaningful voice and the opportunity to participate in the design of social and cultural structures. Belonging means having the right to contribute to, and make demands on, society and political institutions.”