Overview
​

The Strategies for Civic Inclusion (SCI) Network brings together researchers, governments, and community organizations to design and test new ways to build civic inclusion for marginalized communities in Canada and beyond.

​

Working through experimental social science methods and data grounded in lived experience, SCI develops and evaluates practical interventions through randomized controlled trials with government and community partners to improve how people from equity-deserving groups interact with public institutions—strengthening trust in government and improving the effectiveness of civic programs.

 

Despite growing attention to these issues, efforts to address them have often been fragmented. Academic research and government practice rarely align, and community initiatives often lack the resources for rigorous evaluation. As a result, even promising programs have struggled to produce evidence that is both generalizable and actionable.

 

SCI was created to change that. By connecting 49 researchers and 34 partner organizations—including government agencies, NGOs, and universities—the Network provides a coordinated platform for collaboration across sectors. Together, we aim to generate real-time, evidence-based insights on what works to promote civic inclusion and to translate those insights into policy and practice.

​

Our goal is simple: to make it easier for everyone to participate fully in civic life.

​

​

Research themes

​

Civic exclusion stems from both supply-side and demand-side factors. On the supply side, governments and institutions can create or reinforce barriers through the ways policies are designed and services delivered. On the demand side, individuals may lack the information, trust, or resources needed to exercise their rights or engage fully in civic life.

 

SCI studies both dynamics to identify where exclusion arises and how evidence-based interventions can promote inclusion more effectively. We work with partners to design and test these interventions—often through randomized field experiments that measure real-world impact.

 

Our research focuses on two areas where exclusion is especially visible and policy-responsive: Participation and Entitlements.

​​

Participation examines how individuals engage with political and policy-making processes—including not only formal activities like voting, but also non-electoral forms of civic involvement.

 

Entitlements explores how individuals access government services for which they are eligible, identifying ways to reduce administrative and informational barriers.

​​​​​​