THE INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF CIVIC VALUES is a venerable activist group that seeks to strengthen civic engagement and get-out-the-vote campaigns as ways to revitalize grassroots democracy. ISCV has been a national leader in promoting civic education and civic values. Its many activities include the PhillyCorps jobs program that helps welfare recipients gain work experience provided by  a network of community organizations and human service agencies; and a build-com  listserv of activists nationwide sharing information on solving neighborhood problems.

THE PEOPLE'S LAW SCHOOL is a community outreach project of the Philadelphia Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division. The six-session program provides area adults basic, non-technical knowledge of areas of the law most likely to affect a person's life. Among them: labor and employment law, family law, municipal courts/small business claims, personal injury law, landlord/tenant law, real estate law, criminal law and immigration law.

THE WORLDS AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF PHILADELPHIA is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization "dedicated to creating an informed citizenry on matters of national and international significance. To do this it provides education, discourse, and information resources to audiences throughout the Greater Philadelphia region, including WAC individual and corporate members, students and teachers, and the general public." In addition to its well-known speaker events and conferences, it has international travel programs and briefings for members and teachers, and cosponsors the Bodine High School for International Affairs.

YIP (YOUNG INVOLVED PHILADELPHIA) aims to increase civic engagement among young Philadelphians and "facilitate reforms that help create a better Philadelphia" through education about civic affairs, social events and outings, volunteer opportunities, and advocacy. Its civic education program presents forums with a mix of public officials and activists to give diverse perspectives on current events, raise awareness and inspire action.

THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT has a faculty investigator in a National Science Foundation research project, "Universities as Sites of Democratic Education," that is part of an International Consortium program on Universities and Civic Responsibility.

THE MIDDLE EAST FORUM is a Philadelphia-based think tank that has drawn controversy for its Islamist Watch and Campus Watch, which counters what it considers biased information about Israel and the West. Campus Watch says it monitors and counters the often erroneous and biased teachings and writings of U.S. professors specializing in the Middle East, with the goal of improving the scholarly study of the region.

THE PHILADELPHIA EDUCATION FUND is an independent nonprofit that helps to improve the quality of public education for all children in the city of Philadelphia. Through many initiatives, including direct student services, professional development for teachers and administrators, public engagement, research, and policy recommendations, the Fund contributes significantly to ensuring that all children in the School District of Philadelphia can be successful in postsecondary education and beyond.

WEST PHILADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL utilizes a "trial by peers" disciplinary system that takes place in the school's courtroom. Through this initiative, the school hopes to reduce disciplinary problems and allow students the chance to be part of the disciplinary system.

WILLIAM BODINE HIGH SCHOOL FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS says it provides a global perspective for young people preparing to meet the challenges of higher education and leadership in the twenty-first century.

CITY YEAR GREATER PHILADELPHIA focuses on leading others into service, building community and providing an array of services to improve the lives of children. An innovative school for civic skills, City Year requires corps members to register to vote, learn to file tax forms, be certified in First Aid/CPR, and obtain library cards. Spending 40 hours a week in diverse teams of ten, corps members achieve computer literacy, practice public speaking and effective communication, conflict resolution, decision making, evaluation and teamwork.

THE YWCA empowers women and girls by offering a wide range of services and programs that enrich and transform their lives.