Renewing Philanthropy With the Civil Society Project

For the past decade, the Civil Society Project (CSP) has been focusing on providing encouragement and support for renewing the spirit of philanthropy, service, volunteerism, community, and character that helped to build America and make it the greatest nation on Earth.

CSP is a non-profit organization that provides practical tools―including a website containing books, essays, journal articles, and media clippings―for people to use in revitalizing civil society.

Beginning nearly two decades ago, the CSP widely contributed to the bipartisan debate about how to renew the civic purpose of America, and how it could be renewed through academics, civic leaders, policy experts, and elected officials.

Numerous essays and books by the CSP and Don Eberly, one of CSP's strongest advocates, were contributed to the debate, along with much public commentary.

Eberly worked alongside other organizations focused on civic revitalization, such as the Council on Civil Society, the President's Summit on Volunteerism, the National Commission on Civic Renewal, the George Gallup, Jr., International Institute, and the American Assembly.

Eberly's work has often been recognized and applauded by institutions including the Communitarian Network and the Brookings Institute, and many colleges have adopted materials from CSP to include them as part of their curriculum dealing with civil society.

In the early 2000s, America being challenged anew by the threat of violent conflicts and ethnic divisions, international affairs were catapulted to the head of the country's political agenda. American institutions are in vital and unique position to promote the world models of progress for the development of democracy, civic pride, and economic institutions.

The CSP's stated mission is "to promote the renewal of voluntary social institutions and social ethics, through broad-based public initiatives and educational programs." From the beginning of American society, citizens around the country have served the public in various ways through voluntary organizations and private initiatives.

CSP's initiative focuses on making valuable information available to an audience the world over, so that the growing movement of international civil society can draw on our own experience and history to gain inspiration. Don Eberly has been asked to speak at various international events discussing democratization, building institutions, and civil society.

The book Building a Community of Citizens: Civil Society in the 21st Century has been translated into the Arabic language and distributed throughout several large countries in the Middle East by the U.S. State Department.

The goals of the CSP are many―not only to renew volunteerism in social institutions, but also to encourage the advancement of democratic processes and civic habits, and to eventually encourage a civic renaissance throughout America and throughout the world.

America will be a continuing force in helping global aid movements to promote democracy, openness, philanthropy, the building of civic institutions, and enacting the rule of law.

It is the goal of the Civil Society Project to do all they can to encourage the acceleration of restoring communities, strengthen social institutions, and help the broader world culture, using core American values as a basis for change.