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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Glossary
- This is a compendium of key terms and concepts discussed throughout Healthier Democracies documents.
NEWS & BLOGS
HEALTHIER DEMOCRACIES ADVISORY BOARD
Jeni Arndt, Mayor of Fort Collins, Colorado
Rosie Berger, Former Wyoming State Representative (R)
David Blount, Mississippi State Senator (D)
Tanisha Briley, City Manager, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Tom Carroll, Village Manager, Silverton, Ohio
Misty Mason Freeman, Director of the Legislative Policy and Research Office, Oregon State Legislature
Maria Hadden, 49th Ward Alderwoman, City of Chicago
Stacy Householder, Director, Leadership and International Programs, National Conference of State Legislators
Nigel Jacob, Co-Chair, Boston Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics
Manish Jani, IT Director and Deputy Director, Colorado Legislative Council
Valerie Lemmie, Director of Exploratory Research, Kettering Foundation
Doug Linkhart, President, National Civic League
Pete Peterson, Dean, School of Public Policy, Pepperdine University
Satya Rhodes-Conway, Mayor of Madison, Wisconsin
Claire Woodall-Vogg, Executive Director, City of Milwaukee Election Commission