Purpose

The purpose of the Davenport Institute is to help solve California's public problems by promoting citizens' participation in governance. We work with city governments, special districts, regional governance associations, and non-profit organizations to both support and promote legitimate civic involvement.

"The mission of the Davenport Institute couldn't be more timely. The civic engagement process and the introduction into the civic arena of 'deliberative democracy' is essential at this time in California. The gap between service expectations by the public and the public sector's inability to deliver those services needs to be bridged."

- Dennis Donohue, Mayor of Salinas