2026 Civic Canopy Summit
May 21-22, 2026 | University of Colorado - Colorado Springs (UCCS)
Reviving Democracy, Reclaiming Civics
Democracy isn’t dead, but it needs some loving. We hear increasingly that people do not feel heard by our government and that our democracy is failing. Some people tune out while others are fighting to the point of burnout. We must find ways to share the load, but just calling for more civic responsibility isn’t cutting it. Caring for our community should be something we want to do, not something we have to do. Unlike the marketplace (that’s run on money) or the political sphere (run on power), the currency of the civic space is love. During this year’s summit, we’ll transform public meetings dominated by yelling, finger-pointing, and name-calling. Instead, we’ll reimagine our civic spaces into ones where all of us can decide on our future…together.
The good news is that it’s already happening. We see people harnessing local civic power in our work every day. They may not always call it “civics,” but as community members come together to feed, house, and care for people in the place they call home, we see:
- Coalitions defying scarcity by sharing resources
- Community members coming to the table with those they disagree with
- Local institutions handing over decision-making to community members
- Civic innovators piloting new ways of getting voices to the table
- And many, many more ways of voting every day
This gives us hope, and it’s time we share that hope. Over two days, we will build upon civic innovation emerging from local communities in Colorado. We will dream with those who have dared to imagine a different future for us. We will turn those dreams into action as we practice civic love and joy.
At the Civic Canopy, we are unwavering in our commitment to fostering inclusive communities that mirror the rich diversity of our state. The Canopy recognizes the systemic barriers that persistently marginalize and limit access to transformative experiences. This scholarship is designed to break down financial barriers and ensure that all individuals can participate in the enriching experience of the 2026 Canopy Summit. If the cost of transportation and lodging pose a challenge for you, for any reason, we invite you to complete this form and apply for this scholarship.
Para asistencia en la inscripción a la Cumbre, comuníquese con Daniela a [email protected].
Who should attend?
Unlike other conferences, the summit is a uniquely cross-sector event where people across government, education, nonprofits, businesses, and activism come together. You could be a grassroots organizer who works to register folks to vote and spur action for the environment, sitting next to a professor who studies how misinformation in social media spreads, while across the table is someone from a rural chamber of commerce who has been working alongside local nonprofits to solve childcare and housing issues for local employers.
Regardless of where you live across Colorado (or even beyond), where you’re employed, or what issues are closest to your heart, people come to the Canopy Summit to:
- Gain skills and tools to improve collaboration
- See innovative facilitation methods in action
- Gather examples of participatory decision-making
- Connect with other civic leaders
- Envision a Colorado where everyone can thrive
Who is The Civic Canopy?
The Civic Canopy is a community-based nonprofit focused on transforming the way we solve society’s big, sticky issues. We do this by engaging and connecting diverse groups of people seeking change in their community and equipping them with the tools to create meaningful and lasting impact. Project by project, we aim to create a new culture across Colorado that centers around elevating often unheard and underrepresented voices, designing spaces that foster understanding and trust, and mobilizing towards collective action that results in systemic change.