Building Civic Literacy for a Healthier Democracy
We equip students, educators, and communities with the tools to understand civic institutions, evaluate information critically, and engage responsibly in public life.
Critical Thinking
Developing the skills to analyze information objectively, evaluate evidence, and form reasoned judgments on complex issues.
Media Awareness
Understanding how media influences perceptions and learning to identify bias, misinformation, and credible sources.
Civic Engagement
Empowering individuals to participate meaningfully in democratic life through informed action and community involvement.
Immigration Policy & Human Rights
An in-depth analysis of UN human rights conventions, U.S. immigration history from 1882 to today, and the real-world forces driving migration — including climate change, modern slavery, and transnationalism.
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Our Mission and What We Do
We believe a healthy democracy depends on an informed public. Our nonprofit works to expand civic literacy and media education, giving individuals the knowledge and skills they need to understand institutions, assess information critically, and participate meaningfully in civic life.
Through educational resources and public-facing programs, we help communities build the foundation for thoughtful civic engagement in an evolving media landscape.
Why Civic & Media Literacy Matter
The stability of a democracy depends on having citizens who know how to push for good policy and have the ability to sort through propaganda. Civic literacy helps people understand institutions, citizen rights and responsibilities, and how public decisions are made. Media literacy enables individuals to evaluate information, recognize bias and misinformation, and engage with diverse perspectives. Together, these skills are vital in an era of rapid information flow and complex civic life. Strengthening civic and media literacy promotes informed participation, respectful discourse, and trust in democratic processes. Individuals with historical background knowledge also have higher levels of civic and media literacy.
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Who We Serve
We serve educators, students, community organizations, and members of the public who are committed to strengthening civic understanding and media literacy. Our resources support classroom instruction, community-based learning, and individual engagement, and are designed to be accessible, nonpartisan, and adaptable across diverse educational and civic contexts.
History Education Scholars
We feature the work of leading experts like Sam Wineburg, whose research at Stanford has revolutionized how students learn to think historically and navigate digital misinformation.
Sam Wineburg
Emeritus Professor, Stanford
"Historical thinking is not a natural process... it goes against the grain of how we ordinarily think."
View Full ProfileFeatured Work
Investigative Journalists
Jane Mayer, Ryan Grim, and more
Critiques of Textbooks
How textbooks shape — and misshape — history
Controversial History
Exploring complex figures and events
The Pinochet File
Lesson plans for World History & Geography
The Neolithic Revolution
World History — From hunter-gatherers to agriculture
Grants & Funding
Finding support for civic education
Immigration Policy
Human rights & U.S. immigration history
Spotting Power: Reframing Media Literacy
Your Democracy & Education journal article — embedded PDF + full text
Merchants of Doubt: Free Speech or Free Markets?
How tobacco, oil, and cold warriors manufactured doubt to kill regulation
Dark Money & the Koch Network
How a fortune built with Nazis and Soviets reshaped American politics
The Iraq War & WMDs
How the failure to find WMDs changed American credibility forever
Diana Hess: Controversy in the Classroom
Why democratic education depends on discussing what divides us
Jeremy Stoddard: Media Education for Democracy
Why media education is essential — not optional — for democratic citizenship
Wayne Journell: Teaching Politics in Schools
How to teach about politics without indoctrinating students
Documentaries
Citizenfour, Fog of War, Dark Money & more
Media Literacy & Democracy
A free press is essential to civic literacy — and so is understanding who tries to undermine it. We feature investigative journalists who uncover systems of power, and document bad faith actors who spread misinformation and erode trust in democratic institutions.
Jane Mayer
Staff Writer, The New Yorker
Investigative journalist behind Dark Money — uncovering how the Koch brothers and billionaire networks reshaped American politics. Finalist for the National Book Award.
Bob Woodward
Associate Editor, The Washington Post
Broke the Watergate scandal with Carl Bernstein. Author of 21 best-selling books on presidential power — from Nixon to Biden. Pulitzer Prize winner.
Daniel Ellsberg
RAND Corp — The Pentagon Papers
Leaked the Pentagon Papers, exposing decades of government deception about the Vietnam War. Transformed whistleblowing and press freedom.
Carl Bernstein
Investigative Reporter, The Washington Post
Alongside Woodward, broke Watergate. Their reporting brought down a presidency and changed journalism forever. Author and television commentator.
Ken Klippenstein
Independent Journalist (formerly The Intercept)
D.C.-based investigative reporter known for FOIA battles against DOJ, DHS, and ICE. Exposed national security secrets and surveillance programs at The Intercept.
Grants & Funding
We track grant opportunities that align with our mission. Here are a few we're exploring — or that you could help us apply for.
American History & Civics National Activities
U.S. Department of Education
National activities program supporting innovative civics teaching, learning, and professional development serving low...
Mellon Foundation Grant for Public Knowledge
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Supports projects that expand the reach of humanities education. Our textbook critiques and civic literacy work align...
NEH Landmarks of American History and Culture
National Endowment for the Humanities
Supports workshops for K-12 educators to study key historical sites. Perfect for our controversial history curriculum...
Know a grant we should apply for? Let us know.
We provide easy to use lesson plans that help teachers create lessons that improve critical thinking.
Get in Touch
Have a question, want to collaborate, or know a grant we should apply for? We'd love to hear from you.
Phone
801-349-7168