Healthier Democracies

Healthier Democracies, an innovative initiative by Public Agenda, works to strengthen American democracy by sharing best practices and innovations from around the world. The project identifies promising global case studies of community engagement—15 in total—and offers recommendations for American public officials. Supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the initiative lays out a path to equitable, deliberative and collaborative relationships between governments and the communities they serve. The views expressed here don't necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.

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Global Learning on Democratic Innovation Webinar Series

Findings, Resources, and More

Through the breadth of its 15 global case studies, the Healthier Democracies project has led to a broad range of analyses, reports, and resources. Click the buttons below for more information:

Introduction to Healthier Democracies

This document gives a broad overview of the scope, purpose and work of the project.

View the Introduction

Global Case Studies

The Healthier Democracies project studied public engagement systems from 15 locations around the world, and, accordingly, each study has its own report with key learnings and takeaways.

Visit the Case Studies Page

Lessons Learned

While each of the 15 case studies features its own individual report with in-depth findings and analysis, this document gives an overview of key takeaways from the project as a whole.

View Lessons Learned

The Participatory Governance Index

The Participatory Governance Index (PGI) is a ground-breaking new assessment tool designed to help public officials and government workers understand the many parts that contribute to a strong, functioning participatory engagement system. It also has an accompanying User Guide.

Visit the PGI Page

Glossary