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.
Coverage Is Growing
Local coverage in the Local Wiki is rolling out county by county — starting in Texas, with more states to follow. The Field Guide and assistant are already available everywhere, right now.
Local Wiki
Community-written pages on local government — meeting times, contacts, where records requests go.
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.