American cities increased their use of civic engagement tools during the Great Recession, but did not fully embrace citizen involvement in decision-making

As the Great Recession hit, American cities professional organizations and foundations increased efforts to promote civic engagement activities. Through analysis of 2006, 2009, and 2012 survey results, Marcia Godwin finds that cities increased their use of civic engagement tools, especially those involving technology, but reduced strategic planning efforts and the use of citizen surveys. Coming out of the Great Recession, managers in the most affected cities were the most supportive of civic engagement. While managers generally support civic engagement, this support does not widely extend to giving citizens the authority to make decisions.