Matter of Public is a learning and experimentation space for the next generation of civic thinkers and builders. We run events, create resources, and host honest conversations about how civic engagement is changing and who gets to shape it in a world increasingly shaped by technology.
Civic tech is at an inflection point. It no longer feels like a standalone sector focused narrowly on government modernization; instead, it has become more fluid and community-driven, woven into everyday civic life. At the same time, the relationship between government and citizens is being actively reshaped. Public trust is fraying, and for many young people, the idea of public service feels increasingly uncertain. Combined with the rise of AI and emerging technologies, this moment raises a central question: how does technology continue to serve people, and what does the future of civic engagement look like?
Matter of Public explores this through four core questions:
Civic tech has historically been associated with nonprofits and governments, but the definition has expanded to startups, social enterprises, and purpose-driven companies that are also trying to solve public problems. We engage in this broader ecosystem through the lens of “public entrepreneurship,” by hosting events and conversations that apply entrepreneurial thinking to public problems at scale.
Civic tech has spent a decade making government easier to access. The next decade has to be about making it worth accessing. The majority of civic tech tools reach the people who are already engaged, those who vote, attend meetings, and navigate institutions comfortably. The deeper challenge is not access, but trust in whether these institutions are meeting the expectations of the people they serve. Young people, who are less bound by inherited assumptions about institutions, are asking these questions honestly.
Young people stay engaged when they're making things, not just studying them from a distance. Policy classes describe how decisions are supposed to be made, but the reality of how institutions function is usually far messier. We support experiential learning by partnering with universities and hosting an incubator program for people to develop their own projects. The goal is to build a deeper understanding of how change actually happens inside institutions and communities.
Change is slow and often frustrating. Many young people recognize this, but lack spaces where that reality is discussed openly. Building the next generation of civic leaders means hosting dialogues where people can hear from others and develop honest perspectives on what works and what doesn’t. It is building the resilience needed for long-term civic work.