The Civic Circle

What The Civic Circle does

The Civic Circle is a Silver Spring, Maryland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational charity founded in 2018 by Eliza Newlin Carney that delivers arts-based civic education to young students, primarily Grades K-12 in Montgomery County. Its core product is the "Civics in Seven Steps" curriculum, which teaches seven civic skills (Listen, Learn, Choose, Join, Speak, Act, Lead) through music, songwriting, drama, poetry, dance, and visual arts, aligned with state and national Standards of Learning. Delivery channels include free after-school workshops at Title 1 schools, the "Vote for Me!" assembly show (a 45-minute performance for grades 3-5 reaching 250-500 students per show), civic arts residencies at community centers, summer camps, and community events including the inaugural Youth Democracy Fest launched in March 2025 at Montgomery College.

The underlying technology is content- and curriculum-driven rather than software-driven: a proprietary multimedia library of slide presentations, lesson plans, original songs (e.g., "The Citizen Tango"), music videos, and primary-source materials, supplemented by a roster of professional teaching artists and AmeriCorps-sponsored staff. The organization has no app, no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, and no digital platform product; distribution is direct via schools, community centers, and county recreation department partners.

The business model is donation- and grant-funded. Programs are offered free of charge to students at Title 1 schools in pursuit of an explicit equity-gap mission. Operating revenue is sourced from individual donations (with example tiers from $10 student supplies to $1,000 AmeriCorps sponsorship), event sponsorships, and grants from government entities (AmeriCorps, Maryland State Arts Council, Montgomery County) and private foundations (Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Newburger-Schwartz Family Foundation, Takoma Foundation, Maryland Humanities, DIVAS/Greater Washington Community Foundation). Headcount is 1-10 core employees plus a broader teaching artist roster, and financial figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

The Civic Circle

Legal name

The Civic Circle

Website

https://theciviccircle.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Civic Circle is a Silver Spring, Maryland 501(c)(3) nonprofit that teaches K-12 students in Montgomery County civic skills through music, songwriting, drama, poetry, and visual arts, delivering free after-school workshops, assembly shows, and community events through Title 1 schools and local partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic Education Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Studies & Civics Instruction (School-Delivered) (EDAJAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB), Civic Participation & Leadership Development (Voting, Advocacy, Community Leadership) (EDAAADAL)

Keywords

• Civic education programs
• Arts-based learning
• After-school enrichment
• Youth civic engagement
• Nonprofit education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Silver Spring

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, The Civic Circle relies primarily on donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors. Donation tiers range from $10 (student supplies) to $1,000 (AmeriCorps member sponsorship).
2. Government and Foundation Grants: Funding from government entities (AmeriCorps, Maryland State Arts Council, Montgomery County) and private foundations (Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Newburger-Schwartz Family Foundation, Takoma Foundation, Maryland Humanities).
3. Event Revenue and Sponsorships: Revenue from sponsored events like the Art of Democracy celebration, Youth Democracy Fest, and other community gatherings, with sponsors at various contribution levels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Civic Circle delivers arts-based civic education programs for K-12 students through after-school workshops, school assembly shows, civic arts residencies, and community events. Its structured "Civics in Seven Steps" curriculum teaches seven civic skills (Listen, Learn, Choose, Join, Speak, Act, Lead) using music, songwriting, drama, poetry, dance, and visual arts. Programs are offered free to Title 1 schools and aligned with state and national Standards of Learning. Supporting resources include a multimedia curriculum hub with lesson plans, original music videos, and an annual Youth Democracy Fest community event.

Product overview

The Civic Circle offers a suite of civic education programs centered on teaching seven 'steps to democracy' (Listen, Learn, Choose, Join, Speak, Act, Lead) through music and the arts. The core offerings include the After-School Enrichment Program, 'Vote for Me!' Assembly Shows, and After-School Workshops. Supporting these are the Multimedia Curriculum (including the Civics in Seven Steps curriculum with lesson plans and slides), Educational Videos, and streaming concerts. Annual events include the Youth Democracy Fest. Specialized programs include the Art for Change Club and Jobs for Change Career Club. The organization does not offer a technology product or software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vote for Me!: The Civic Circle's high-energy assembly show featuring original songs about the seven steps to democracy, designed for students in grades K-5.
• Youth Democracy Fest
• Jobs for Change
• Civics in Seven Steps

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached more than 500 students with 155 sessions of programming in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor operational supporter providing essential funding for programs. Has supported executive leadership transition and ongoing programming including elementary school workshops.
• AmeriCorps / Transform Mid-AtlanticcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEssential people power through sponsoring AmeriCorps VISTA and Maryland Corps team members including Erykah Joseph as Program Development Specialist and AmeriCorps VISTA team member.
• Maryland State Arts CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGenerous operational and program support for Youth Democracy Fest and other civic arts programming in the region.
• Montgomery Housing PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost for summer civic arts residencies at Odessa Shannon Middle School and after-school workshops in Wheaton. Supports food and hunger relief service-learning activities.
• Excel Beyond the Bell (Montgomery County Recreation Department)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for after-school programming through Montgomery County Recreation Department's Excel Beyond the Bell program, making elementary school workshops possible.
• Community CHEERcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for civic arts summer camp, 'Jobs for Change' career club for middle and high school students, and 'Art for Change' club at Long Branch Community Center.
• Liberty's PromisesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivic education partner focused on high school students; hosted workshops for Youth Democracy Fest preparation at John F. Kennedy High School and Blair High School.
• Story TapestriessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts education organization that made poet Regie Cabico available for civic poetry workshops leading up to Youth Democracy Fest.
• Action Youth MediasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth media organization producing videos and providing youth videographers for Youth Democracy Fest. Produced video of inaugural Youth Democracy Fest 2025.
• Mikva ChallengesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivic engagement organization whose students present speeches at Youth Democracy Fest.
• Arts on the BlocksecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted Voices of Hope celebration at their headquarters in downtown Silver Spring. Supportive partner in arts programming.
• Maryland HumanitiessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHumanities council providing support for civic arts programs and organizational operations.
• Newburger-Schwartz Family FoundationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation supporter for Youth Democracy Fest and seventh anniversary Art of Democracy celebration.
• Carpe Diem ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts organization with which teaching artist Munit Mesfin serves. Partner for Youth Democracy Fest performances and 'Ukes on the Move' collaboration.
• HeadCountsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonpartisan group working with musicians to promote democracy participation. Partnered for Bingo Benefit event at Denizens Brewing Co.
• Montgomery CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue provider (Cultural Arts Center) and collaborative partner. ACES Ambassador Leadership Program students participate in civic conversations and Youth Democracy Fest. Sponsored Art of Democracy celebration.
• Montgomery County GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty support for Youth Democracy Fest and general programming through various departments.
• MOM's Organic MarketminorOthersIn-kind donor for Youth Democracy Fest.
• People's BookminorOthersIn-kind donor for Youth Democracy Fest.
• No Regrets PizzaminorOthersIn-kind donor for Youth Democracy Fest.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Generation Citizen: Generation Citizen brings civics education directly into schools through action-based curricula for middle and high school students. Comparable to The Civic Circle's after-school workshop model and youth civic engagement focus.
• Kids Voting USA: Kids Voting USA operates K-12 voter education and mock election programs in schools nationwide. Directly comparable to The Civic Circle's voting-focused ('Choose') curriculum content and school-based delivery model.
• The News Literacy Project: The News Literacy Project teaches students how to discern credible news, closely aligned with The Civic Circle's 'Learn' civic skill (news literacy games). Both deliver free curriculum to schools with equity-focused distribution.
• iCivics: iCivics is the leading national nonprofit providing free civics curriculum and games to K-12 students, founded by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. It is the most directly comparable peer to The Civic Circle in terms of mission (K-12 civics education) and free-distribution model.
• Close Up Foundation: Close Up Foundation provides civics education programs, Washington D.C. experiential trips, and classroom curricula for middle and high school students. Overlaps with The Civic Circle's civics curriculum and youth civic engagement offerings.
• Mikva Challenge: Mikva Challenge provides civic engagement programming for youth in Chicago and other cities, including schools and community settings. Directly comparable mission and school-based delivery model, and is in fact an active programming partner of The Civic Circle.
• Street Law: Street Law delivers practical civics and law-related education in schools worldwide. Shares the school-delivered civics curriculum focus with The Civic Circle, and is represented on The Civic Circle's board.

Emerging players

• DoSomething.org: DoSomething.org mobilizes young people around social action campaigns, including civic and voting-related initiatives. Partial overlap with The Civic Circle's 'Speak, Act, Lead' civic skills and youth volunteering mission.

Broad incumbents

• Learning for Justice: Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance, a Southern Poverty Law Center project) provides free K-12 social justice and civics curriculum. Overlaps with The Civic Circle's equity-focused, school-delivered civic education approach.
• Center for Civic Education: Center for Civic Education produces the widely adopted 'We the People' and 'Project Citizen' K-12 civics curricula. Comparable as a long-established standards-aligned civics curriculum provider, though at substantially greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/theciviccircle
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkLLH_wmlLXBy5JtLNOtB9A
• Facebookfacebook.com/CivicCircle
• Instagraminstagram.com/theciviccircle
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-civic-circle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 The Civic Circle