Civic starter kit

A beginner-friendly entry point.

You do not have to know everything. Pick one concern, find the official source, and do one small thing this weekend. Groundwork helps you get started.

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Build my Civic Action Map →

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Submit a resource or tell us what's missing →

  1. 01

    Start with one concern

    Pick one issue that actually affects you — housing, school, food, safety, voting. One is enough. You can come back for the next.

  2. 02

    Figure out which level matters

    Some issues are city, some county, some state, some federal. The Civic Action Map helps you guess which level to look at first.

  3. 03

    Learn the basic words

    You don't have to know every term. Groundwork uses plain language and shows the official term when it matters.

  4. 04

    Find the official source

    For voting and government services, we route you to the official site. For everything else, we surface verified resources.

  5. 05

    Look for local organizations

    Community groups often know things government sites do not. Use the resource directory and submit ones we missed.

  6. 06

    Choose one small action this weekend

    Read a one-pager. Check your registration. Email a council member. Show up for 20 minutes. Small is enough.

  7. 07

    Submit a resource or gap

    If you can't find something, that itself is useful information. Tell us and we'll prioritize coverage.

  8. 08

    Go deeper with Scout

    When you're ready for ongoing monitoring — watchlists, signals, deeper discovery — Scout is the next surface.

Register to vote →Find your polling place →Check your registration →Become a poll worker →

Go deeper · Scout

Want us to keep watching for what you should not miss?

Groundwork helps you find your starting point. Scout is the deeper discovery layer — monitoring, watchlists, and personalized signals.

Join the Scout waitlist