Imagine if every college student devoted time and talent to democracy’s future!
The Civic Learning and Democracy Engagement Coalition (CLDE Coalition) was created by higher education and policy organizations in response to the serious challenges facing democracy at home and abroad.
There is a vibrant civic learning movement in U.S. higher education. But too often civic learning remains elective rather than inclusive. Working with civic-minded faculty, staff, and institutional leaders, the CLDE Coalition is accelerating the spread of college civic learning, providing evidence on “what works,” and building educational and policy leadership for the movement.
In the summer of 2025, the CLDE Coalition joined American University’s newly established Democracy Innovation Lab at the Sine Institute. The Lab includes, in addition to the CLDE Coalition, the nonpartisan Sine Institute of Policy and Politics and American University’s initiative to strengthen civic character through productive engagement in the classroom, on campus, and in the community, The Civic Life.
The coalition’s founding partners, American Association of Colleges and Universities, Campus Compact, College Promise, Complete College America, and State Higher Education Executive Officers, continue to work in active collaboration with the CLDE Coalition at American University.
Read More About CLDE’s Move to American University Here
Overview of the CLDE Coalition’s Current Work
CLDE Coalition News and Updates
September CLDE Coalition Newsletter — What Are the Civic and Democracy Learning Movement’s Principles for Excellence?
August CLDE Coalition Newsletter — State System Leadership for Civic Learning and Democracy Engagement
June CLDE Coalition Newsletter — On Pathways and Partnerships: Celebrating the 35th Anniversary of the Bonner Foundation
Every Student, Every Degree: College Civic Learning for Today’s Students and Tomorrow’s Democracy
An action agenda for higher education and resources for making college CLDE inclusive and high impact.
Civic Learning Outcomes
Civic learning for an engaged democracy results in significant benefits for students, the nation, and employers.
Scaling College Civic Learning
The CLDE Coalition is working with policy influencers and educators to make college civic learning inclusive and high impact.