California is a state of engagement.
In recent years, state agencies and departments have become incubation laboratories for advancing innovative civic engagement, participatory policymaking, and inclusive community outreach. At a time when an overwhelming proportion of Americans feel disconnected from democratic life and deeply distrustful of public institutions, reimagining the relationship between government and community is especially critical. California is, in many ways, a testing ground for how government can more fully include residents in the policymaking process, improve trust, and increase connectedness.
In the Fall of 2025, the UC Berkeley Possibility Lab released a State of Engagement case study report that explores how California government is connecting with residents from diverse communities. In October 2025, the Lab also hosted the State of Engagement Summit, which bought together nearly 100 state government leaders who oversee civic engagement, participatory policymaking, and outreach in various agencies and departments. Attendees of the summit completed a post-event survey and one of the requests was to create a way for practitioners to more regularly and meaningfully connect. Thus, the State of Engagement Fellowship was born and launched in 2026.
State of engagement 2025 recap
Nearly 100 state government leaders and practitioners came together in Sacramento to reimagine how California connects with its communities at the first-ever State of Engagement Summit.
Hosted by The Possibility Lab @ucpossibility , in partnership with the @cagovernor ’s Senior Advisor for Civic Engagement & Social Innovation and the State of Engagement Planning Committee, the Summit was all about sharing what’s working — and where there’s room for innovation — in public engagement.
From participatory policymaking to innovative outreach and collaboration strategies, state teams are finding new ways to make government more transparent, inclusive, and people-centered.
Watch the recap to see how public servants across California are leading the way toward a more connected, community-driven state government.
About the State of Engagement Fellowship
The Possibility Lab’s State of Engagement Fellowship is bringing together a cohort of 17 mid-to-senior-level leaders from across California state who oversee civic engagement, participatory policymaking, and community outreach.
The fellowship is designed to foster peer learning, surface innovative practices, and strengthen public engagement across state government. The Fellowship will run from May 2026 through May 2027.
Fellows Will Receive
- Support from Possibility Lab faculty, research staff, and graduate student researchers
- Opportunities to share and receive feedback on current and planned public engagement activities and works in progress
- The option to serve as a guest lecturer in a UC Berkeley graduate or undergraduate course (optional)
- Access to a wide range of conferences, symposia, and other events hosted at UC Berkeley
- A scheduled 1:1 advising session with Possibility Lab research and program staff (optional)
activities for interested Fellows (Optional)
- Meet with leading researchers from across the UC system who can advise and collaborate on relevant research and/or practical interventions in state government
- Serve as a guest lecturer in a UC Berkeley graduate or undergraduate course
- Participate in a public speaker series on campus
- Attend trainings on topics of interest identified by fellows during the program
- Schedule 1:1 advising sessions with Possibility Lab research and program staff
During their 1-year commitment, Fellows are expected to
- Attend the in-person kickoff meeting on the UC Berkeley campus in May
- Participate in quarterly online workshops with their fellowship cohort
- Engage with Possibility Lab staff to design and implement an engagement project in their own work
- With support from UC Possibility Lab staff, author at least one blog post or reflection on the Possibility Lab website
FELLOWS
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Fellow's organizations
