Checklist: Sustaining Civic Engagement for the Long Haul
Use this checklist to develop strategies for maintaining meaningful civic participation over time.
Developing Personal Resilience
Created a personal sustainability profile with my deeper motivations
Identified early warning signs that I’m approaching my limits
Noted how stress typically manifests for me physically and emotionally
Mapped my energy patterns—when I feel most and least energized
Developed specific physical self-care practices to prioritize
Created techniques for processing difficult emotions
Established clear boundaries between civic work and personal time
Identified relationships to nurture outside civic contexts
Listed activities that bring joy to regularly incorporate
Developed practices for maintaining historical and systemic perspective
Created a reflection practice to identify learning from difficult experiences
Building Sustainable Community Structures
Mapped key responsibilities and how they could be shared or rotated
Created a skills inventory identifying strengths across the group
Developed a succession plan for key roles
Established mentoring pairs or groups to support skill development
Created decision-making processes that distribute power
Assessed meeting efficiency and identified improvements
Developed specific ways to build connection alongside tasks
Created an accessibility checklist for meetings and communications
Established rhythms for different activities (meetings, updates, planning)
Developed guidelines for respecting people’s time and energy
Created a long-term sustainability plan for funding and support
Navigating Burnout and Maintaining Motivation
Developed a personal checklist of burnout warning signs
Created specific interventions for different warning signs
Established guidelines for when and how to step back temporarily
Prepared language for communicating needs and requesting support
Created a template for planning gradual, sustainable re-engagement
Developed realistic timelines for the type of change I seek
Established a system for identifying and celebrating small wins
Identified historical examples that provide perspective and inspiration
Created community rituals that strengthen collective identity
Developed prompts for reconnecting with fundamental purpose
Created approaches for addressing and repairing relationship tensions
Creating Meaningful Celebrations and Reflection
Established regular moments to recognize progress and achievements
Created systems for acknowledging diverse contributions
Developed ways to appreciate how work is done (values, process)
Planned activities that generate genuine joy and connection
Created rituals for marking significant milestones
Established regular intervals and prompts for reviewing experiences
Developed questions for analyzing what contributes to success
Created a framework for learning from failures without blame
Established a process for translating reflections into adapted approaches
Developed methods for documenting and sharing key learnings
Created approaches for collecting and preserving stories
Established processes for welcoming and orienting newcomers
Connecting to Long-Term Democratic Health
Evaluated how internal processes reflect democratic values
Identified democratic skills being developed through activities
Considered what cultural norms my work reinforces or challenges
Connected current efforts to historical movements or changes
Imagined potential impacts 10, 25, and 50 years forward
Identified opportunities to bridge between different generations
Reflected on the legacy I hope my work will create
Developed language that frames efforts in a longer time horizon
Identified sources of pragmatic hope based in actual experience
Documented examples of effective collective action
Crafted a personal commitment statement to democratic renewal
Sustainability Strategy Reflection
Evaluated whether my approach balances action with reflection and rest
Considered if I’ve created clear off-ramps and on-ramps for involvement
Assessed whether my systems are simple and sustainable
Reflected on how celebration and appreciation are integrated
Identified specific next steps to strengthen civic sustainability
Remember: Sustainable civic engagement isn’t about doing everything or being involved in every issue—it’s about finding your unique contribution and offering it in ways that can be maintained over years and decades. The most effective citizens aren’t those who burn brightest briefly, but those who can keep their flame alight through changing seasons and circumstances.