What Civic does

Civic (formerly Civic Enterprises) is a Washington, DC-based bipartisan ideas company founded in 2004 that produces evidence-based policy research, reports, and cross-sector coalitions on domestic, economic, and international policy issues. With a small team of 11–50 employees led by founder-CEO John Bridgeland (former White House Domestic Policy Council Director under President George W. Bush) and Principal Gary Edson (former Deputy National Security Advisor), Civic's core output is policy research, flagship reports (Building a Grad Nation, Ready to Engage, Hidden in Plain Sight), and convening initiatives including the GradNation Campaign, More Perfect, the COVID Collaborative, and Welcome.US. The firm serves federal, state, and local governments, K–12 education systems, nonprofits, and philanthropic foundations, with documented engagement across the White House, U.S. Department of Education, state governments (Maryland, Utah, Connecticut), and major foundations (Carnegie Corporation, Stand Together, Bezos Family Foundation, Ibis Group).

Civic does not sell commercial products or services. Its business model is grant- and donation-funded: philanthropic commitments underwrite major programs (over $56 million has been secured for More Perfect alone, including an $11.3 million Ibis Group pledge), while project-based advisory and convening work is performed for government and nonprofit clients. Distribution is partnership-driven — through America's Promise Alliance, the Service Year Alliance, the COVID Collaborative, and a network of 30+ presidential libraries — and thought leadership is amplified via op-eds, a Stanford Social Innovation Review Fall 2024 cover story, and speaking engagements at venues such as Harvard, Aspen Ideas Festival, and TEDx.

The company's platform architecture is non-technical: its competitive advantage rests on founder relationships, a multi-decade report library, and the ability to convene bipartisan stakeholders rather than proprietary technology, software, or data infrastructure. Key outcomes attributed to Civic's work include the U.S. high school graduation rate rising to 85.8% by 2019 (GradNation), 89% of CPB American Graduate communities showing graduation-rate gains, and over 14 million lives saved from malaria since 2000 through Malaria No More (Bridgeland as Vice Chairman).

Name

Civic

Legal name

Civic

Website

https://civicllc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Civic is a Washington, DC-based bipartisan policy firm that produces evidence-based research and convenes cross-sector coalitions on education, national service, civic learning, and democracy for governments, foundations, and nonprofits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Consulting and Public Policy Research

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Social Advocacy Organizations (81331), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Democracy, Voting Rights & Civic Participation Advocacy (BPAGAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Civil Society Strengthening & Civic Space (BPADAGAD), Education Policy, Research & Advocacy Organizations (Nonprofit) (BPAGADAN), Civic Education & Community Engagement (Voting, Local Government) (EDAAAFAC), Education Policy Advocacy & Lobbying Organizations (EDADADAB)

Keywords

• Policy research
• Bipartisan consulting
• Government affairs
• Civic engagement
• Education policy

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Civic is a bipartisan policy consulting and ideas company that produces research, reports, and large-scale initiatives on domestic, economic, and international policy issues. Its core deliverables include the GradNation campaign on high school graduation, the More Perfect democracy initiative, the COVID Collaborative, and recurring policy reports such as Building a Grad Nation and Ready to Engage. The firm convenes bipartisan coalitions of government officials, foundation leaders, and nonprofit executives to develop and advocate evidence-based policy solutions.

Product overview

Civic (formerly Civic Enterprises) is a bipartisan ideas company that produces policy research, reports, and initiatives rather than traditional software products. Its portfolio includes research publications on education policy, national service, civic engagement, and economic mobility. Key initiatives include the GradNation campaign focused on high school graduation rates, the More Perfect democracy initiative, and the COVID Collaborative. The company releases periodic reports such as Building a Grad Nation, Ready to Engage, and Hidden in Plain Sight through partnerships with academic institutions, foundations, and government agencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Policy Research and Reports Civic produces bipartisan policy research and reports on domestic, economic, and international policy issues including education, economic mobility, national service, civic engagement, and environmental policy, targeted at government agencies, foundations, and educational institutions.
• GradNation Campaign A national campaign focused on raising high school graduation rates, co-authored with America's Promise Alliance, Alliance for Excellent Education, and the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University, serving education systems, policymakers, and nonprofits.
• More Perfect A democracy-focused initiative aimed at strengthening civic learning, national service, trusted elections, and reliable information through five core democracy goals, partnering with 30+ presidential libraries and institutions.
• COVID Collaborative An initiative bringing together health, education, and economic experts with state and local leaders to coordinate pandemic responses and vaccine education efforts, including the $50 million Ad Council "It's Up to You" campaign.

Quantifiable outcome

• National high school graduation rate increased from approximately 72% in 2000s to 85.8% by 2019
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• More PerfectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMore Perfect is a democracy-focused initiative co-founded and led by Civic's CEO John Bridgeland as Executive Chair. It focuses on five core democracy goals including Universal Civic Learning, bridging divides, national service expansion, trusted elections, and reliable information.
• GradNation CampaigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore convener of the GradNation campaign alongside America's Promise Alliance, Alliance for Excellent Education, and Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University. Focuses on increasing high school graduation rates.
• COVID CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded by John Bridgeland, the COVID Collaborative brings together governors, public health experts, and leaders across sectors to mobilize citizens during the pandemic. Worked on vaccine education campaigns with the Ad Council.
• Welcome.UScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative to support Afghan refugees co-chaired by John Bridgeland and Cecilia Muñoz, former Directors of the White House Domestic Policy Council. Mobilized Americans to welcome and support refugees.
• Malaria No MorecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn Bridgeland serves as Vice Chairman. The initiative has helped save over 14 million lives from malaria since 2000 through public-private partnerships.
• America's Promise AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partner in GradNation campaign and education initiatives. Led by John Gomperts, focused on youth development and education success.
• Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with Robert Balfanz in the GradNation campaign and Building a Grad Nation annual reports. Provides data analysis and research on graduation rates.
• CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Ready to Lead, Ready to Engage, and Respected reports exploring social and emotional learning in schools. Co-authored multiple research publications.
• Service Year AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn Bridgeland serves as Vice Chair alongside Chairman General Stanley McChrystal. Goal of 1 million young people in a year of national service within a generation.
• The Franklin Project at Aspen InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn Bridgeland co-chairs this initiative focused on making a year of national service a rite of passage for young Americans.
• Aspen Institute Future of Work InitiativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBruce Reed and John Bridgeland co-chair this initiative examining challenges facing the 21st century economy and future of work.
• Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on American Graduate initiative to address high school dropout challenge through public media. 89% of American Graduate communities saw graduation rate improvements.
• iCivicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in More Perfect's $56 million initiative to expand civic education programs across the U.S., co-founded by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
• Presidential Libraries (30+)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMore Perfect has partnered with over 30 presidential libraries and institutions to strengthen U.S. democracy through evidence-based programming exploring shared history.
• The Ad CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on national COVID-19 vaccine education campaign (It's Up to You) and other public service announcements. Led $50 million vaccination education effort.
• YouthBuildmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMore Perfect Leadership Series featured YouthBuild founder Dorothy Stoneman. YouthBuild helps opportunity youth in 280+ programs globally with education, job skills, and 50+ million hours of community service.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aspen Institute: Nonpartisan policy and leadership organization hosting multiple initiatives Civic engages with (Franklin Project, Future of Work). Operates similar thought-leadership and convening model across bipartisanship, education, and civic issues.
• America's Promise Alliance: Core partner of Civic in the GradNation campaign and youth development work. Operates as a convener and advocacy organization on graduation rates and youth outcomes, directly sharing Civic's education and youth-focused mission.
• Bipartisan Policy Center: Washington, DC-based policy organization explicitly organized around bipartisan solutions to major national issues. Shares Civic's positioning, DC location, and bipartisan policy model, and competes for similar foundation and grant funding.
• iCivics: Core partner in Civic's More Perfect initiative, focused on civic education. Co-recipient of the $56M+ civic learning funding pool with Civic and operates with similarly mission-driven, grant-funded model.
• Malaria No More: Public-private advocacy organization where John Bridgeland serves as Vice Chairman. Comparable advocacy-and-coalition model, attracting philanthropic and government funding for measurable global outcomes.
• Service Year Alliance: Organization where John Bridgeland serves as Vice Chair, focused on expanding national service opportunities. Operates with the same coalition-building playbook and target policymakers/state governments as Civic.

Emerging players

• National Constitution Center: Nonpartisan civic education institution focused on constitutional literacy and democratic engagement. Shares Civic's civic learning and democracy-strengthening mission through More Perfect.
• Issue One: Bipartisan political reform advocacy organization focused on democracy, voting, and governance reform. Directly overlaps with Civic's More Perfect goals on trusted elections and reliable information.

Broad incumbents

• Center for American Progress: Large DC-based policy organization that produces bipartisan-leaning policy research and reports. Comparable scale and influence but with more partisan-aligned positioning; competes for similar policymaker attention.
• Brookings Institution: Major DC-based think tank producing policy research on education, governance, and economics. Larger scale and broader scope, but overlaps with Civic on education policy and civic engagement topics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/civicenterprise
• Facebookfacebook.com/CivicEnterprises
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/civic-enterprises

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Civic