Civics Academy is a free 8-week program that includes a self-paced online course and volunteer opportunities. Employees simultaneously increase crucial knowledge about U.S. history, civics, and citizenship while strengthening critical workplace skills such as problem solving, active listening, collaboration, teamwork, and critical thinking.
Through Civics Academy, employers can take meaningful steps to strengthen the infrastructure of American democracy at the local level, while investing in a more supportive, collaborative, and productive workforce.
Registration for Cohort Two is open now through October 9. Cohort Two runs 9 weeks to account for Thanksgiving.
2026 Cohort Dates:
- Cohort One: August 24-October 19
- Cohort Two: October 12-December 14
To learn more register for an information session here or reach out to the Civics@Work team here.
Americans’ confidence in their civic knowledge often exceeds reality. While 68% of adults say they could explain how the U.S. government works to someone from another country, 44% fail a basic civics test and 53% fail a basic economics test. This gap threatens informed participation in our democracy and weakens our ability to navigate complex civic and economic issues.
The effects are visible across the country. Eighty-four percent of Americans believe the nation is politically divided, and nearly half say those divisions affect their daily lives. Yet civic and economic literacy make a difference: 83% of Americans with high civic literacy and 85% with high economic literacy report feeling prepared to manage political disagreements constructively.
Civics Academy helps close this gap by using civic life as a practical training ground for building the durable skills employers need most: problem solving, critical thinking, active listening, collaboration, teamwork, and working effectively with people from different backgrounds and viewpoints.
Employers have a unique opportunity to lead. Americans place remarkable trust in business, with 92% viewing small businesses favorably and 79% believing business plays an important role in sustaining democracy. By investing in civics education, employers can strengthen workforce skills, foster civility and engagement, and help build more informed, connected, and resilient communities.
The online course reintroduces employees to the basics of civics, empowering them to learn more about how our government works and how they can meaningfully participate in civic life. Each module pairs relevant civics topics with complementary workplace skills, providing employees with an opportunity to understand the important relationship between their civic and workplace identities. Through six self-paced modules, participants explore:
- Foundations of Federalism: How Power is Shared in the United States
- Government in Action: Branches, Power, and Public Debate
- Citizenship: Rights, Responsibilities, and Participation
- Civic Engagement: Taking Action in Your Community
- Civil Discourse: Communicating Across Differences
- Navigating Your Local Civic Landscape
Designed for learners of all experience levels, the course equips employees with the knowledge and skills to become more informed and engaged citizens while strengthening essential workplace competencies such as: problem solving, active listening, collaboration, teamwork, and critical thinking. Participants can also earn verifiable digital badges that recognize their mastery of civics and durable workplace skills.
Civic Day of Action transforms learning into action by giving employees the opportunity to put their Civics Academy training into practice through hands-on community service. Whether volunteering as a team or individually, participants strengthen their communities while demonstrating the power of turning civic learning into meaningful action. Volunteer matching platforms help employees find opportunities that fit their skills, interests, and local needs.
In 2026, we are highlighting a unique election-year volunteer opportunity – Election Poll Workers! Each election year, communities report that recruiting enough election poll workers is a significant struggle. These volunteers are crucial to the integrity and success of our elections and provide a phenomenal way for your team to get involved in democracy at the local level. Learn more about becoming a poll worker by visiting the Election Assistance Commission webpage here.
The Civics Academy Championship is an optional experiential learning component of the Civics Academy. It is an online or in-person trivia competition that brings employees together to celebrate their hard work and foster some friendly competition.
This initiative is based on The Civic Trust’s National Civics Bee, a national competition where middle schoolers showcase their civics knowledge while competing for a chance to win monetary prizes. The Championship offers a few options for trivia themes including – General Civics, Constitution, and “Are You Smarter Than a Middle Schooler” which utilizes quiz questions from the National Civics Bee.
Want to see the impact of Civics Academy in practice? The Pilot Summary Report shares data, insights, and lessons learned from early participants, demonstrating how participating employees strengthened their civic knowledge, developed workplace-ready skills, and increased their confidence in engaging with civic issues.
We are still looking for partners and funders to support Civics Academy from 2026 onwards, including curriculum expansion and program reach. If you are interested in partnering with us, please reach out to The Civic Trust for additional information.
