They said it: "CSC is a very unusual and exciting organization because it is helping civic innovators inspire, support, and learn from one another on a state-wide basis. This is an ambitious and much-needed role... By connecting local civic experiments, fostering new ones, and looking for new ways to connect citizen voices with state-level policymaking, CSC has taken a leading role in the field of democratic governance." - Matt Leighninger, Executive Director, Deliberative Democracy Consortium (Washington, DC) and author of, The Next Form of Democracy (2007), a national study of civic engagement.
Since our founding as a multi-partisan and non-profit organization in 2005, Common Sense California (CSC) has worked to engage the citizens of this state in the policy decisions that affect our everyday lives. It is our firm belief that in today's world of easy access to information, and easy connectivity to others, California's municipal and education leaders are seeking ways to involve the citizens in their communities in the important issues they confront. Done legitimately, the benefits to this new kind of leadership range from better, more creative policy solutions to better, more engaged citizens who are doing the hard work of self-governance.
Common Sense California works with city governments, school districts, and civic organizations in at least one of the following three ways:
Common Sense California has relationships with most of the major practitioners in the field of citizen engagement around the country. Through knowledge of the specific strengths of the various methodologies, we serve as a "matchmaker" between municipalities and these professional firms. Additionally, we also know that creative leaders around the state develop some of the best citizen engagement campaigns at the grassroots level. Common Sense California can connect these people with others who might be looking for a more "home-grown" solution to their particular policy challenge. It's for this reason that we developed the first interactive Civic Engagement Map, enabling you to see what kinds of projects are occurring around California.
CSC works both directly and indirectly to support citizen engagement projects financially. First, Common Sense California devotes a significant portion of its annual budget to grant-making. Through its "Common Sense Grant" program, CSC offers communities financial support up to $25,000.00 in order to carry out a legitimate engagement project. Through its relationships with community and statewide foundations, CSC has also brought outside funding to bear when it has been necessary.
Common Sense California believes that citizen engagement produces better policy solutions and better citizens. To this end, the leadership of CSC promotes the field of citizen engagement through speeches, op-eds, and other opportunities, like our "Deliberative Democracy in California" conference in 2007. If you would like our Executive Director or one of our Board Members to speak about citizen engagement in your community, just contact us.
