About the Co-Governance Project

American democracy is in a state of crisis. Many of our core democratic institutions suffer from declining trust and legitimacy, undermined by pervasive concerns that government institutions are ineffective or unresponsive. Yet the 2020s are also a moment of diverse, creative and, above all, urgent efforts to revitalize and reinvent our democracy.

Across the country—in cities and rural communities, among grassroots organizers, marginalized communities, workers, technologists, and many other constituencies—there are innovative efforts underway to empower democratic participation: New digital tools are creating new opportunities for civic networks and collective action; a growing cohort of bureaucrats at all levels of government are working to include citizens in decision-making through co-governance models; and a new generation of forward-thinking community organizers are experimenting with fresh ideas for how to form more robust and agile civil institutions and organizational structures.

The Co-Governance Project at New America is keeping track of these efforts and identifying the best innovations in democratic revitalization by engaging activists, city officials, residents, philanthropists, nonprofits, and businesses to see what kinds of institutions, organizations, and policies promote the genuine empowerment of communities. In working directly with these actors, we learn from and support their efforts, and contribute where we can. We also bridge theory and practice by linking on-the-ground findings with public research on democratic reform, and making information on best practices widely accessible.