What You'll Learn
When people think of democracy, they often think of voting, elections, and politics. These are important structural elements of our rule of law. Without democracy’s civic roots, however, these elements quickly fall apart, like a body with strong bones but weak muscles. This course will outline the elements that make the civic sphere a powerful solution-building engine for our communities.
This course is designed for people working to solve issues in their community and have noticed the usual tools aren’t working. Including elements of both theory and practical application, this course will help you build shared language with your team about the why, what, and how of civic work. You’ll deepen your understanding of the currency, organizing system, and orientation of the civic sphere compared to the market or government. By unlocking the fundamentals of civic life, you’ll understand the relationship between collaboration and community change. Then you’ll be inspired as you consider democracy’s next evolutionary leap.
How our approach to problems impacts our ability to solve them
Learn how the political, economic, and civic spheres interact and what gets in the way when we try to solve local problems.
How communication in the civic sphere differs
Discover the types of communication required to produce solutions that improve the well-being of whole communities.
How history shifted from the sacred to secular canopy and what comes next
Listen to the story of how we have evolved from cultures dominated by a single worldview to pluralistic communities capable of holding multiple belief structures simultaneously.
What's Included in the Course
This course allows you to access the material at your own pace, online. Each module will provide you with an instructional video and tell you how long that module will take you to complete. Some modules include tasks or toolkits that encourage you to pause and apply your learning to a scenario you are currently working on. At the end of the modules, you’ll get access to the slides from the course. Then, we’ll ask you to submit your feedback on the course.
Workshop Modules
Meet Your Instructor
Bill Fulton
Executive Director
Bill founded the Civic Canopy in 2003 to help communities transform individual efforts into collective action. With more than 20 years of experience, he works alongside leaders, coalitions, and public agencies to navigate complexity, align diverse stakeholders, and build the conditions for sustained collaboration and results. His work integrates facilitation, systems thinking, and leadership development to strengthen civic infrastructure and support communities in addressing complex challenges. On the Canopy team, Bill focuses on building the network of civic hubs across the state, leading individual projects, and supporting the leadership and development of teammates. Bill holds a BA in History from Brown University, an MA in Education from the University of Colorado Denver, and a PhD in Religion and Social Change from the University of Denver and Iliff School of Theology.
