Philadelphians have confidence that city government is responsive to their needs and accountable to constituent priorities.

Ideally, when residents see their participation in democratic processes influencing how government works, their desire to participate in those processes increases. Further, trust and confidence grow when people inside and outside of government work together to set policy and advance a shared agenda.

In Philadelphia, we have some work to do to achieve this ideal. In a citywide poll conducted in late 2022, 65% of Philadelphians rated the city as “on the wrong track.” [1]

In order to change perceptions for the better, we are focusing on how people inside and outside of city government work to improve how Philadelphians interact with and experience local government.

We recognize that there are many ways that organizations and communities can contribute to a more responsive local government in Philadelphia. Possible efforts that increase confidence in the responsiveness and accountability of city government may include projects that empower residents with the knowledge and skills they need to advocate for their neighborhoods; projects that enable city agencies to better engage residents and business owners in setting policy and making decisions; and projects that increase transparency and public awareness of what’s happening in local government. We are seeking to support projects and programs that organizations in Philadelphia believe will be most effective in making progress on the objective above.

We measure progress for this objective through a recurring survey to understand change over time. We are currently exploring opportunities to align this survey measure with other citywide surveys, such as Pew Charitable Trusts’ State of the City or Lenfest Institute’s Every Voice, Every Vote.

Notes:

1. "What Philly residents said about the biggest issues facing the city in a new poll," Philadelphia Inquirer, March 14, 2023