What Citizen University does

Citizen University is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2013 by Eric Liu (CEO) and Nick Hanauer. Its stated mission is to build a culture of powerful, responsible citizenship in the United States by teaching citizenship as the combination of civic power (the capacity to have others act in public life) and civic character (acting in service of the common good). The organization develops and distributes civic curriculum, facilitation frameworks, and structured gathering formats rather than proprietary technology products; its core IP is intellectual rather than technical, anchored in Eric Liu's published works and articulated frameworks such as the Power + Character Curriculum and the Laws of Power.

Citizen University delivers its offering through a portfolio of programs and tools. Core programs include Live Like A Citizen (LLAC), which brings programming into local communities; Power + Character Educator Training, which equips facilitators; the National Civic Collaboratory, a network of civic leaders; the Youth Collaboratory, which trains high school students; the Alumni Network; and the Civic Saturday Fellowship. Supporting tools include the Power + Character Curriculum, Civic Saturdays (gatherings featuring civic sermons, music, poetry, and reflection), the Power Walk Field Guide, and the Sworn-Again American Oath. Distribution runs through Civic Saturday Fellows, public libraries, educational institutions, and virtual/Zoom gatherings across the United States. Recognized partners include Encore.org/Co-Generate, NC Campus Engagement, Braver Angels, Welcome.US, the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, Living Room Conversations, the Better Arguments Project, the Op-Ed Project, and the Dinner Party.

The organization's revenue model is donations and charitable contributions, typical of a 501(c)(3). It does not publicly disclose financial figures, and its programs are offered free or at low cost to participants. Customer segments span general public/individual citizens (primary), high school youth (primary), higher education professionals, Civic Saturday Fellows, and public libraries. The organization employs 1-10 staff, operates from a Seattle headquarters (300 Lenora St PMB 1391, EIN 46-4270721), and publishes content under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Its marketing relies on thought leadership through Eric Liu's author platform and TED talks, content marketing, email newsletters, organic social, and earned media including award recognition (NYT New & Noteworthy, Washington State Book Award, Silver Nautilus Book Award, and inclusion on Justin Trudeau's recommended reading list).

Name

Citizen University

Legal name

Citizen University

Website

https://citizenuniversity.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Citizen University is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 by Eric Liu and Nick Hanauer that develops civic curriculum and community programs, training a national network of Civic Saturday Fellows to teach U.S. citizens the practice of powerful, responsible citizenship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic Education

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Civic, Citizenship & Community Engagement Education (EDAAAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Civic Participation & Leadership Development (Voting, Advocacy, Community Leadership) (EDAAADAL), Civic Education & Community Engagement (Voting, Local Government) (EDAAAFAC), Community & Adult Education (Municipal/Community Schools) (EDAAAEAB)

Keywords

• Civic education programs
• Citizenship training
• Community leadership development
• Civic engagement resources
• Nonprofit civic learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Citizen University relies primarily on donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate partners. The organization solicits contributions through its website and at program events.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Citizen University develops and delivers civic education programs, curricula, and fellowships that build the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of active citizenship. Its core offerings include Civic Saturdays (community-based civic gatherings), the Power + Character Curriculum, Live Like A Citizen online learning, educator training, and the Civic Saturday Fellowship, all aimed at helping individuals and communities practice responsible citizenship.

Product overview

Citizen University is a civic education non-profit organization offering a portfolio of programs, tools, and resources centered on building a culture of powerful, responsible citizenship. The core offering consists of several flagship programs: Live Like A Citizen (LLAC) brings programming to communities nationwide; the Youth Collaboratory teaches high school students civic power through Power Projects; Power + Character Educator Training equips facilitators with the Power + Character framework; and the National Civic Collaboratory connects civic leaders across the country. Supporting these programs are practical tools including the Power + Character Curriculum (the teaching framework based on the formula: citizenship = power + character), Civic Saturdays (community gatherings with civic sermons), the Power Walk Field Guide, and the Sworn-Again American Oath pledge. The Alumni Network connects graduates for ongoing civic engagement. The organization does not offer a technology platform or SaaS product, but rather delivers in-person and virtual programming focused on civic skill-building and cultural change.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Like A Citizen (LLAC) Open, free online learning experience that teaches individuals how to practice citizenship in everyday life. Aimed at adult individual citizens seeking structured civic education.
• Civic Saturdays Community-based civic gathering format — a public ritual of civic practice modeled on faith-based gatherings. Delivered locally by Civic Saturday Fellows in cities nationwide.
• Power + Character Educator Training Training program that prepares K-12 and youth educators to teach Citizen University's Power + Character Curriculum. Aimed at teachers, curriculum directors, and youth program staff.
• Power + Character Curriculum The signature curricular framework of Citizen University, pairing civic power (how systems work and how to exercise influence) with civic character (identity, responsibility, and practice). Used by educators, Fellows, and participants across programs.
• Civic Saturday Fellowship Fellowship program that recruits and trains community leaders, organizers, and educators to host Civic Saturday gatherings in their own cities. Operates as a train-the-trainer model with Alumni Network support.
• National Civic Collaboratory National convening that brings Civic Saturday Fellows and civic practitioners together to learn, share practices, and advance the field of civic education.
• Youth Collaboratory Convening and program track designed for high school and college-age youth participants, extending Citizen University's Power + Character work to younger audiences.
• Power Walk Field Guide

Quantifiable outcome

• Youth Collaboratory alumni have initiated projects including debate clubs, mental health awareness groups, medical conferences, gun violence awareness meetings, intergenerational book discussions, and climate summits
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Encore.org / Co-GeneratecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCitizen University partnered with Encore.org on Co-Generate, an online summit dedicated to bridging younger and older changemakers. This was a co-generational initiative where people create and learn in both directions across generations, not just intergenerational mixing.
• Living Room ConversationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced as a partner resource for practicing deep listening in citizenship education. The organization provides structured conversation formats for community dialogue.
• Better Arguments ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced as a partner resource for practicing better arguments in civic dialogue. Helps sharpen positions and engage in constructive disagreement.
• Braver AngelsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization bringing together people from left and right to meet and re-humanize each other. Monica Guzman, a leader at Braver Angels, is working on a book about the civic centrality of curiosity.
• Welcome.USminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEric Liu promotes Welcome.US as an organization where individuals can contribute time, talent, treasure, and airline miles to help Afghan refugees coming to the United States.
• Alliance for Gun ResponsibilityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEric Liu serves on the board of this organization and promotes it as an example of effective civic action and organizing for policy change.
• Libraries as BridgescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative led by Civic Saturday Fellow Shamichael Hallman inviting library professionals across the United States to share tools for making libraries more fully serve as civic spaces and bridges for their communities.
• The Dinner PartyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit founded by Lennon Flowers that gathers people in their twenties and thirties who have experienced the death of a loved one to share suffering and build community. Referenced as example of invitation and shared grief practices.
• NC Campus EngagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with NC Campus Engagement to deliver Citizen Redefined training to higher education professionals in North Carolina for use with college students.
• National Civic Collaboratory MemberscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Collaboratory participants connect with members of the National Civic Collaboratory including Kaz Brecher, founder of Curious Catalyst, for mentorship and resource sharing.
• Op-Ed ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced as example of teaching people from underrepresented backgrounds to write op-eds and form ideas. Katie Orenstein's organization is cited as a model for civic commitment.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• More in Common: More in Common works to reduce polarization and build cross-partisan connection through research and programming—operating in the same civic renewal space as Citizen University with comparable bridge-building theory of change.
• Living Room Conversations: Living Room Conversations provides structured small-group conversation formats for civic dialogue across differences, paralleling Citizen University's facilitation-based approach to civic skill-building and explicitly cited as a Citizen University partner.
• iCivics: iCivics is the leading civics curriculum provider for K-12 schools founded by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, addressing the same core mission of strengthening civic knowledge and participation as Citizen University's curriculum work.
• Generation Citizen: Generation Citizen runs youth civic action programs in high schools and colleges, closely paralleling Citizen University's Youth Collaboratory model of training young people to lead civic projects in their communities.
• Mikva Challenge: Mikva Challenge develops youth civic engagement programs in Chicago and nationwide, directly comparable to Citizen University's Youth Collaboratory in targeting high school students for civic action and leadership development.
• Braver Angels: Braver Angels brings together liberals and conservatives for structured dialogue to depolarize civic life—a directly comparable civic bridge organization with overlapping programmatic approach and shared partner relationships with Citizen University.
• Better Arguments Project: The Better Arguments Project teaches constructive disagreement skills for civic discourse—a directly adjacent civic dialogue initiative referenced as a Citizen University partner with overlapping methodology.

Emerging players

• BridgeUSA: BridgeUSA is a student-led organization building cross-partisan dialogue on college campuses, representing an emerging youth-focused peer that overlaps with Citizen University's Citizen Redefined higher education programming.

Broad incumbents

• National Conference on Citizenship: The National Conference on Citizenship is a chartered nonprofit tracking and promoting civic participation across the United States—a broader incumbent that overlaps with Citizen University's national civic renewal mission.
• Aspen Institute (Citizenship & American Identity Program): The Aspen Institute runs a Citizenship & American Identity Program addressing civic culture and renewal—operating as a larger, well-endowed incumbent in the same civic education space as Citizen University with broader scope but less community-delivery focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CitizenUniv
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/citizenuniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/CitizenUniversity
• Instagraminstagram.com/citizenuniversity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/citizenuniversity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Citizen University