A National Civic Toolkit
Civic power, stacked and ready to use.
Nonpartisan tools, plain-language civics, and a dedicated assistant — built for anyone, anywhere, to hold local government accountable.
The Three Rules of Civic Management
Don't Fight the Players, Change the Rules
If a local official is ignoring you, look past their personality. Are they protected by a gerrymandered district or a closed primary? If so, your leverage isn’t convincing them; it’s pushing a ballot initiative to change how the game is played.
Follow the Checkbook
Never let an official tell you they "support your cause" without showing you the funding. A resolution is just words. Look for the appropriation in the operating budget or the line item in the Capital Improvement Plan. If the money isn’t there, the support isn’t real.
Expose the Backroom
Bureaucracy thrives in the dark. The moment you face a wall of silence, switch from asking politely to demanding transparency. Use public records requests, challenge redactions, and use the Administrative Procedure Act to drag their internal deliberations into the daylight.
Every state, every county
The Local Wiki has official records for county government in all 50 states and every city of 30,000 or more, plus listings of smaller cities, school districts, and special districts with their official websites. The Field Guide and assistant are available everywhere.
Local Wiki
Official, researched records for local government in every state — meeting times, contacts, agendas, and official websites.
Open Orgs
A vetted directory of the nonpartisan organizations already doing the work.
Civic Assistant
Ask a question in plain language and get pointed to the single best sourced answer.