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Getting involved, helping out, and speaking up are the cornerstones of America, but research shows a decline in civic participation, increasing social isolation, and, with the exception of encouraging spikes among youth, only incremental gains in volunteering in the past few years.

What's missing?  What will it take for Americans to deepen their participation and believe they can make a difference? 

In this section, we attempt to answer those questions from a number of perspectives, including our own paper -- Citizens at the Center: A New Approach to Civic Engagement -- which offers a model that steers clear of top-down solutions and puts citizens in control. Read the paper, listen to audio clips, and tell us what you think.

We also asked branding strategist Raphael Bemporad to share his thoughts on the "branding" of citizenship.  How do people perceive the concept, and does the brand need an overhaul?  To examine what's working, we asked leaders in corporate, educational, and faith-based service to help us name "16 Institutions to Watch" in civic engagement.  It's an impressive list.  

Technology affects all parts of our lives, and author Allison Fine says nonprofits that don't take advantage of new tools and methods to achieve social change may soon become extinct.  Read an interview and excerpts from her book Momentum: Igniting Social Change in the Connected Age.

Don't just read about civic engagement -- get involved!  Here are six simple ways.