How Trust Is Built in Our Communities: What the 2024 Survey Taught Us
In a time when many Americans feel divided and uncertain about the future, the Trust for Civic Life wanted to understand how local communities can grow stronger and more connected. In 2024, they teamed up with researchers at Johns Hopkins University’s SNF Agora Institute and reached out to eight rural communities across the country. These communities—from Texas to Iowa to Mississippi—helped over 500 community leaders complete a survey about civic life, trust, belonging, and leadership.
The results offer hope. They also give us real ideas for how to strengthen our own communities. This essay breaks down the key findings from that survey and shares what they mean for the work we can do close to home.
1. Trust Starts Local
One of the biggest findings in the report is that people trust local institutions much more than national ones. Schools, churches, and local businesses ranked high in trust. Meanwhile, confidence in national news, Congress, or big corporations was very low. People in these communities trust the places they see every day—like the local school their kids attend or the neighborhood business they visit. This tells us something important: if we want to grow trust in our community, we should focus on strengthening our local relationships and institutions.
Lesson: Start by supporting local schools, businesses, and groups. These trusted places are where community-building happens best.
2. Every Community Is Different
The survey found that rural communities are not all the same. Each one has its own history, challenges, and values. For example, in Dubuque, Iowa, people showed high trust in the police. In Hinds County, Mississippi, people trusted teachers more than any other group—but had very little trust in banks due to past discrimination. This shows that what works in one place may not work in another. Outside groups can’t assume that all rural areas are alike. Solutions need to be created by the people who live there and know what their community needs.
Lesson: Listen to local voices. Trust and leadership grow stronger when solutions come from the community itself, not from the outside.
3. Doing Is Better Than Talking
Another powerful insight is this: taking action with others builds trust, belonging, and a sense of control. On the other hand, simply having conversations—even across differences—did not have the same impact. When neighbors work together on a cleanup project, start a food drive, or help a family in need, they build real connections. These actions remind people that they matter and that they can make a difference.
Lesson: Organize community service projects, neighborhood improvement days, or shared meals. The act of doing something together builds bonds faster and stronger than just talking about issues.
4. Informal Participation Counts
We often think of civic engagement as formal—joining a club, attending city council meetings, or leading an organization. But the survey found that informal actions, like helping a neighbor or organizing a block party, are just as powerful. In fact, 50% of survey respondents said they exchange favors with neighbors at least once a month. That’s more than double the national rate! These small acts added up to big feelings of trust and connection.
Lesson: Don’t overlook the power of informal efforts. Helping rake a neighbor’s leaves or setting up a free little library can build community just as much as joining a formal group.
5. Education Isn’t Required to Lead
Past research often claimed that civic leadership mostly comes from people with college degrees and higher incomes. But this survey found that wasn’t true in these rural areas. People without college degrees still felt empowered to lead. They reported similar levels of belonging, trust, and agency as their more educated peers. This tells us that leadership is about care and commitment, not credentials.
Lesson: Make sure everyone feels welcome to lead, no matter their background. Offer low-barrier ways for people to get involved and contribute their talents.
6. Politics Divides, But Community Unites
The survey also looked at how people responded to questions about politics. While most people were happy to talk about their community, they became wary when asked about political topics—especially if the questions seemed biased or divisive. Some respondents even reached out to say they didn’t trust those political questions. This shows us that while people may be turned off by politics, they still care deeply about their neighborhoods.
Lesson: Focus on shared goals instead of political divisions. If we talk about what’s good for the whole community, people are more likely to come together, even if they vote differently.
7. Civic Hubs Are Critical
The survey was only possible because of trusted local groups called “Civic Hubs.” These organizations already had strong relationships in their communities. They helped connect researchers to real people and honest stories. That’s important for all of us to remember. Local organizations are often better at building trust than outsiders. When we want to encourage civic participation, we should work through these already-trusted partners.
Lesson: Support neighborhood groups, local nonprofits, and trusted leaders who already have relationships in the community. They are key to bringing people together.
What Can We Do With These Lessons?
The Trust for Civic Life’s survey doesn’t just help researchers—it gives everyday people like us a roadmap for building stronger communities. Here are some steps we can take locally:
1. Plan Action Projects
Instead of just hosting conversations, plan projects that bring people together to solve a problem. It could be fixing a park bench, planting a garden, or organizing a meal for seniors.
2. Welcome Informal Leaders
Encourage people to take initiative, even if they’ve never held a title. Let a teenager lead a cleanup. Ask an elder to share their story. Leadership can happen anywhere.
3. Celebrate Local Trust
Lift up the institutions people already trust. Thank your teachers. Support small businesses. Highlight these positives in your neighborhood newsletter or social media page.
4. Avoid Polarizing Talk
Keep civic efforts focused on community life, not politics. Use language that invites everyone to be part of the solution.
5. Partner With Trusted Groups
If you’re planning an event or program, connect with groups that already have strong roots in the community. Don’t reinvent the wheel—work with those already rolling it.
Final Thought: A Hopeful Picture
Even though national headlines often focus on conflict and division, this survey reminds us of a deeper truth: people still believe in their communities. They want to feel connected. They want to make a difference.
Trust, belonging, and agency are not lost—they’re local. And the more we support action-based, community-led efforts, the more we can build a future that includes everyone.
Let’s start small, start local, and start together.
MORE INFORMATION
Take the Engaged Neighbor pledge and become part of a movement! The pledge outlines five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge at https://nomoregoodneighbors.com. Individuals who take the pledge do get special invitations to future events online and in person. Contact the blog author, David L. Burton via email at dburton541@yahoo.com or visit his website at http://engagedneighbor.com.
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