Listen to this articleCivic Action Network is a nonpartisan company that allows American constituents to actively participate in democracy without disrupting their day to day lives. Civic Action Network summarizes legislation for their users and calls Congress on their behalf, taking the time commitment out of the equation. We sat down with CAN’s team: Luis Vega, Nicolás Matiz, Daniel Rodríguez and Catalina Laverde.
Q: Could you provide our readers with a brief introduction to Civic Action Network?
A: Keeping up with legislation is not easy, it requires constant research to fully grasp the repercussions of each bill. Once you form an opinion on a bill, calling congressional offices can take multiple attempts and often individual calls are required for every separate issue. That can make civic engagement a time consuming task and it’s the reason why most constituents are not as involved. Our goal is to inform individuals in a nonpartisan manner and allow them to reach their congressional Representatives in a way that is efficient and sustainable for both parties.
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Q: What is unique about Civic Action Network and how does it stand out?
A: For starters, we are the only available service nationwide that actually delivers real calls to Congress. It’s not a fax, or an email, or a voicemail. We call on behalf of our users, relentlessly, until the phone is picked up and the constituent’s message is successfully delivered. Civic Action Network also emails each user nonpartisan bill summaries, which, in our current and divided political climate, can be a very difficult to find.
Q: You’ve recently launched Civi, a service that calls congress; could you tell us something more?
A: We understand that not everyone has the time and flexibility to be actively engaged in democracy. It’s unrealistic to expect every single constituent to be able to call their representatives daily, be involved in political events, and constantly read about new legislation coming out of Congress. That’s why we launched Civi, a real person who calls Congress on behalf of constituents.
Civic Action Network sends three weekly emails to members. Each email contains an easy to read, nonpartisan summary of a trending bill in Congress. At the end of each summary, the user has the option to vote in favor, against, or pass the legislation, as well as adding an optional message to be delivered. Civi immediately gets notified and begins calling the constituents’ Representatives, compiles a report, and reports back to the user once the message has been conveyed.
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Q: Can platforms like Civi help engage demographics / people that are usually disconnected from politics?
A: We certainly believe so. Most of the times, people who are disengaged are just unaware of what’s happening in Congress. Not only that, there can be a language barrier between some demographics as well. Our vision is to inform individuals and empower them to become civically engaged. We also plan to launch a spanish version of our services to better link the divide between certain demographics and their Representatives in Congress.
Q: Could you tell us more about your pricing?
A: When a new user joins, they get 5 calls for free and immediately begins to receive our nonpartisan bill summaries at no cost. After these 5 calls are used, we offer an affordable plan that allows constituents to become civically active for less than the price of a latte. Our plans begin at $4.99 a month and will deliver 6 calls, $9.99 a month will get you 13 delivered calls, and $14.99 will deliver 21 calls on your behalf.
Q: What are your plans?
A: Our dream is to see an engaged and truly represented America. Currently, civic engagement is astonishingly low. Civic Action Network wants to increase the number of citizens that participate in democracy and make it a habit for them rather than just a burst of activism.
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