Civics PlaybookCenter for Civic Education
- Mission: Promoting an enlightened and responsible citizenry committed to democratic principles and actively engaged in the practice of democracy.
- Geographic Focus: National
- Audience: K-12 students and teachers, the public
- Budget: $8 million
- Focus Areas and Core Competencies:
- Constitutional and public policy curricular programs
- Immersive professional learning and support for teachers
- Free print and digital civics resources
Lasting Impact Through Experiential Civic Education
Impact: Center for Civic Education
The Center for Civic Education’s experiential curricular programs have transformed the lives of over 50 million students and 440,000 educators, making them informed and engaged leaders in their communities.
A Conversation with Donna Paoletti Phillips, President and CEO of the Center for Civic Education
Q: What is the mission/work of your organization? What problem(s) in civics education is your nonprofit working to solve?
Founded in 1965, the Center for Civic Education is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization with a mission of promoting an enlightened and responsible citizenry committed to democratic principles and actively engaged in the practice of democracy, serving K–12 students and educators and the general public.
The Center promotes a free and fair republic by teaching the principles and practice of democracy to millions of students and educators. Through experiential learning, high-quality materials, professional development, mentorship and ongoing research, we lead in delivering nonpartisan civic education that fosters lifelong engagement and strong communities.
Imagine a classroom where students don’t just read about our founding principles and constitutional history but experience them firsthand. Through inquiry-based instruction supported by proven professional learning, educators transform civic education into an active, real-world journey. This approach builds civil dialogue, analytical thinking and real-life problem-solving skills—fostering communities grounded in mutual respect and shared responsibility.
Since our founding, we’ve reached over 50 million students and 440,000 educators. We created and hosted the We the People National Finals—America’s premier civics competition for 38 years and running—and deliver our core programs in all 50 states and D.C. through a robust network of state partners.
Q: Does your organization have any upcoming programs or events planned in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the United States?
Just in time for America’s 250th, the Center is updating our widely used “We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution” Level 3 textbook to better meet the needs of today’s high school and adult learners.
Students in the “We the People” program will engage with a special simulated congressional hearing question inspired by the A250th. To support educators, we’re offering free professional learning webinars focused on scholarship and classroom resources and strategies related to the A250th
Our website will feature a dedicated America 250 hub with educational resources, including “60-Second Civics” podcast playlists (over 400,000 listens in 2024), Civil Dialogue modules, Civics Inquiries and more.
We’re also partnering with the National Constitution Center to host “Teaching250: Civics Renewal for America’s 250th and Beyond,” a national convening bringing top constitutional scholars, civic education organizations and teachers together to provide all educators with high-quality, standards-aligned, adaptable resources they can use in 2026 and beyond.
Q: How do you describe the big goals your organization is working to achieve? How do you measure impact?
Our evidence-based model builds civic knowledge, skills and dispositions while reducing teacher burden by facilitating pathways for students to connect their civic learning with their community and country. Prioritizing active learning over rigid instruction, we offer scalable, adaptable programs that restore trust in democracy amid rising disengagement.
Our goal is to grow the reach of our core programs by expanding into new communities and deepening impact in those we already serve. We pursue this through a scalable model that focuses on building strong, sustainable state and local ecosystems. By engaging educators, K–12 schools, higher education, civic associations, government and policymakers with national support, we strengthen programs in every state and ensure high-quality, long-term civic education in more schools and districts.
Decades of success show our programs are replicable. Rigorous studies and school feedback consistently confirm that students who engage in our hands-on civic education gain trust in government and become more engaged participants in democracy.
We measure impact through both qualitative and quantitative methods, but the true impact goes beyond data. Among the over 50 million beneficiaries are teachers and students whose lives have been transformed through deeper civic understanding and real-world practice. We focus not just on reach, but on the lasting knowledge, skills and civic dispositions students and teachers develop. As classrooms and schools implement our programs, they inspire wider community involvement, fostering stronger, more civically engaged communities.
Thousands of volunteers across our state networks and national events return year after year, a testament to the lasting value of our experiential civic education.
Q: What are some of the biggest challenges your organization has experienced working to accomplish its mission? How did your organization overcome those challenges?
Our biggest challenge is sustaining support for our state partners while expanding our impact and programs. With a strong nonpartisan reputation, the Center offers programs implemented in all 50 states and D.C. as a trusted source of civic and constitutional learning that meets standards and requirements in every state. Our programs build civic knowledge, skills and dispositions through deep constitutional learning via primary sources and authentic assessment to support informed, future engagement—regardless of political views.
Another ongoing challenge is ensuring elementary students receive high-quality civic education. To address this, we’ve developed professional learning and curriculum that teaches civics while reinforcing literacy goals. Evidence shows our programs improve teachers’ literacy practices and enhance students’ reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. We use this data to innovate and meet the growing demand for programs that support both literacy and civic learning in early education.
To ensure the success of our civic education approach, we’ve engaged a broad range of stakeholders and partners. The Center collaborates with 51 state civics, government and law programs, as well as state bar associations, universities and nonprofits. These partners bring essential expertise and resources, helping keep our programs effective, relevant and accessible from local to national levels.
Q: What are your organization’s biggest needs? How can philanthropists help your organization achieve its goals?
To remain responsive to civic education needs nationwide and scale our programs, increasing unrestricted funding would boost the Center’s agility. We deeply value the support that has funded our research, however, flexible funds let us expand community work with tailored approaches as opportunities arise. General support has enabled national events like the We the People Finals and Project Citizen Showcase, including scholarships for teams that might not otherwise participate.
Unrestricted funding also helps state partners grow programs, reaching more students and teachers, especially in rural areas, provides curricular resources to schools in need and makes capstone events more affordable for students who have earned a spot to compete.
Q: Beyond your organization, where should philanthropists who care about advancing civic knowledge and education invest their charitable dollars?
The Center sees educators as heroes of civic education, yet local budgets often limit their resources. We encourage philanthropists to give time, talent and treasure to help schools and other service organizations provide students with real-world civic learning experiences.
Partnering with programs that align with your local impact goals can greatly enhance your support in the community. These might include local bar associations that support civic education programs in your state (i.e., Indiana Bar Association), YMCA youth and government programs, re-entry programs, local Girl Scout and Boy Scout councils and state social studies and humanities councils.
Q: If you received an increase in funding, how would your organization expand its programming?
Funded program expansion would begin by investing in those who support the work locally. We will strengthen our national network of state partners to build high-quality, experiential civic learning rooted in the needs identified by local communities by creating more professional learning opportunities for teachers as well as local and state civics showcases and competitions for our flagship programs.
To amplify our impact, we’ll deepen partnerships with schools, governments and community organizations, tailoring programs to ensure they are relevant and effective. In addition to expanding our core programs at the state and local levels, we will increase student participation in our national competitions by removing financial barriers.
Contact Our Team
Contact the Roundtable’s Programs team to learn more about this investment opportunity.