Civic Health Index
On January 15, 2025, we released Vermont’s first Civic Health Index. This report looks at six domains of civic health across the state: Volunteerism and Donating, Political Engagement, Social and Community Context, Cultural Access and Engagement, Media Trust and Access, and Government Trust and Access. It also highlights results from the Vermont Youth Civic Health Survey.
Click here to read the Civic Health Index.
Click here to download a copy of the Executive Summary.
We’d love to hear from you! If you have read the report and/or watched a recording, please consider filling out this feedback form to share your thoughts with us.
Do you want to talk about the Civic Health Index in the classroom? Check out our Classroom Guide and Worksheets!
Recorded Community Conversations:
Brooks Memorial Library in Brattleboro – Launch Event!
Panelists include Christopher Kaufman Ilstrup (Executive Director at Vermont Humanities), Hilary Francis (Brattleboro Town Clerk), and Liz McCullough (Brattleboro Selectboard Member).
South Burlington Public Library
Panelists include Christina Barsky, PhD (Associate Professor and Director of Master of Public Administration Program at the University of Vermont), Lauren-Glenn Davitian (CCTV Center for Media and Democracy), Christopher Kaufman Ilstrup (Executive Director at Vermont Humanities), and Pat LaClair (Program Director, UP for Learning).
The Athenaeum in St Johnsbury
Panelists include Ted Brady (Executive Director of Vermont League of Cities and Towns), Audrey Grant (Operations Director, NEK Organizing), Jane Kitchel (Former State Senator), and Michael Moser (Research Specialist at Center for Rural Studies at the University of Vermont).
Rutland Free Library
Panelists include Rich Clark (Professor of Political Science at Vermont State University Castleton), Kheya Ganguly (Director of Trauma Prevention and Resilience Development at Vermont Agency of Human Services), Devon Neary (Executive Director at Rutland Regional Planning Commission).
Aldrich Public Library in Barre
Panelists include Amanda Gustin (Director of Collections and Access at Vermont Historical Society and Barre City Council Member), Lindsey Halman (Executive Director at UP for Learning), Christopher Kaufman Ilstrup (Executive Director at Vermont Humanities), Caitlin Perrier (National Service Program Manager at SerVermont).
Civic Learning Week State House Reception
Featuring commentary from Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas, Cameron Hickey (CEO at National Conference on Citizenship), Phil Kolling (Executive Director at SerVermont), Christopher Kaufman Ilstrup (Executive Director at Vermont Humanities), Lindsey Halman (Executive Director at UP for Learning), and Michael Moser (Research Specialist at Center for Rural Studies at the University of Vermont).
If you are interested in hosting a conversation about civic health in your community, please email Robyn Palmer at robyn.palmer@vermont.gov.
Press:
Partners:
Special thanks to YMCA and Knight International for permission to utilize the Youth Civic Health Survey, Dan Nott whose illustrations have helped us engage and inspire civic conversations across Vermont, and Susan Clark (Slow Democracy) for her thoughtful feedback and editing.