AMERICORPS OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND EVALUATION 

The Current Population Survey 

Civic Engagement and Volunteering 

Supplement Dataset 

July 2023 

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Overview of the Current Population Survey Civic 

Engagement and Volunteering supplement (CEV) 

• How did the CEV come to be? 

• How does the CEV take the pulse of our nation’s civic health 

every two years? 

• How does CEV data support evidence-based decision 

making and our understanding of civic engagement and 

volunteering trends across the country and over time? 

• How can you access CEV data and topline findings at 

data.americorps.gov? 

• What’s in store for the CEV moving forward?

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How does AmeriCorps define civic engagement? 

The constellation of activities individuals engage in to make a 

difference in their communities. 

Civic engagement includes participation within and beyond 

electoral politics at all geographic levels. Volunteerism is a 

prominent example of civic engagement, but it also includes 

activities like attending public meetings, belonging to 

organizations, and neighbors doing favors for each other. 

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The Current Population Survey (CPS) 

Image: Workforce GPS 

Image: New York Times 

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Image: Wall Street Journal 
 

 

Brief history of the CPS Civic Engagement and 

Volunteering supplement (CEV) 

2002-2015 Current Population Survey (CPS) Volunteering 

Supplement fielded annually 

2008-2013 CPS Civic Engagement Supplement fielded annually* 

2014 National Academies of Science report recommends 

merging these surveys 

2017 Launch of biennial CPS Civic Engagement and 

Volunteering Supplement (CEV) 

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Produced and published at US taxpayer expense.

Constructs and measures in the CEV 

Economic Engagement 

• Values-based buying or boycotting 

• Views on whether one’s workplace or work

contributes to the community 

• Views on whether one’s work is a source of

pride or satisfaction 

Engaging with Neighbors 

• Talking with neighbors 

• Informally helping neighbors 

• Discussing social issues and taking collective 

action with neighbors 

Political Engagement 

• Voting in local elections 

• Attending public meetings 

• Contacting elected officials 

Engaging with Friends, Family, 

and Social Issues 

• Talking with friends and family 

• Learning about social issues through the news 

• Discussing social issues with friends and family 

• Posting about social issues on social media 

Organizational Engagement 

• Joining organizations 

• Formally volunteering through organizations 

• Donating to charity 

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• Donating to political campaigns or organizations 
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Q: What measures are available in the CEV? 

A: The table below summarizes all constructs that have been included in the CEY since 2017 along 

with the year each variable is available. 

Construct Question(s) Wording Variable In 2017 In 2019 In 2021 

Name(s) CEV CEV CEV 

Formal volunteering In the past 12 months, did you spend any PES16 Yes Yes Yes 

time volunteering for any organization or 

association? 

Some people don't think of activities they PES16A 

do infrequently or for children's schools or 

youth organizations as volunteer activities. 

In the past 12 months, have you done any 

of these types of activities? 

Recode of volunteer status based on PES l 6 PRSUPVOL 

and PES16A 

Type(s) of In the past 12 months, did you volunteer PES 16B 1-9 Yes No No 

organization( s) for a(n) [fill organization type] 

formally ... civic, political, professional, or 

volunteered for international organization? 

... educational or youth service 

organization? 

... environmental or animal care 

organization? 

... hospital or other health organization? 

... public safety organization? 

... religious organization? 

... social or community service 

organization? 

... sport, hobby, cultural, or arts 

organization? 

... other organization? 

How often did you volunteer? PES16D Yes Yes Yes 
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The largest 12 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in 2021 were: 

New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Washington DC, 

Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Phoenix, Boston, and the Bay Area (CA) 

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AmeriCorps.gov/VolunteeringInAmerica 
AmeriCorps CEO Michael Smith on our Volunteering and 

Civic Life in America research 

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AmeriCorps.gov/evidence-exchange 

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M A R K O V N E T W O R K M O D E L I N G 

Markov networks show strong relationships between frequent social interaction and 

civic action. 
data.americorps.gov 

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THANK YOU 

To subscribe to the AmeriCorps Office of Research and 

Evaluation newsletter, please go to 

https://americorps.gov/about/our-impact 

For questions about the CEV, please contact 

AmeriCorpsCEV@cns.gov 

Produced and published at US taxpayer expense. 

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Additional resources mentioned in the presentation 

• AmeriCorps Open Data https://data.americorps.gov/ 

• AmeriCorps Volunteering and Civic Life in America research 

https://americorps.gov/about/our-impact/volunteering-civic-life 

• AmeriCorps Office of Research and Evaluation Research Grants program 

https://www.americorps.gov/grantees-sponsors/research-evaluation/grantee- profiles 

• 2014 National Academies of Sciences report 

https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/18831/civic-engagement-and-social- cohesion-measuring-dimensions-of-social-capital 

• 2023 U.S. Census Bureau “America Counts” story featuring the 2021 CEV 

https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2023/01/volunteering-and-civic-life-in- america.html#:~:text=Nearly%2051%25%20of%20the%20U.S.,in%20America%20rese 

arch%20released%20today 

• 2023 interview with AmeriCorps CEO Michael Smith on Mobile, AL Fox10 News 

https://www.fox10tv.com/2023/01/25/volunteering-trends-us-with-americorps/ 

• 2014 AmeriCorps Employment Study https://americorps.gov/evidence- exchange/Volunteering-as-a-Pathway-to-Employment%3A-Does-Volunteering- Increase-Odds-of-Finding-a-Job-for-the-Out-of-Work%3F 

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