A non-partisan 501(c)(4) social welfare organization advancing civic participation through coordination infrastructure, not political advocacy.
CityBloks operates in the maintenance layer of civic life—the domain of small, neglected needs that are observable, bounded, and solvable through coordination rather than policy, profit, or emergency response.
We provide digital infrastructure that enables communities to identify these needs, verify their resolution, preserve institutional memory, and learn from each other's experience.
Our work advances social welfare by reducing everyday civic friction, strengthening trust through visible follow-through, and creating pathways to responsible self-governance over time—without forcing premature formalization or centralizing control.
The CityBloks 501(c)(4) entity serves as a neutral network steward responsible for maintaining standards, not operating programs.
Bloks are bounded geographic communities registered within the network that operate autonomously within network standards.
Separate charitable organizations may provide education, research, and training related to civic participation.
We do not influence elections, endorse candidates, or take partisan positions. CityBloks is strictly non-partisan.
We do not lobby for policy changes or engage in legislative advocacy. We operate in the maintenance layer, not policy debates.
We are not a replacement for municipal government or emergency services. We complement existing institutions.
We do not engage in speculative or extractive economic activity. The participation rail never converts to money.
The Network Steward does not control local decision-making or operate programs. If the steward is busy, the system is broken.
We reject symbolic or premature governance. Governance mechanisms activate only when participation density exists.
Recognition comes from verified action, not spending. The participation rail and economic rail are permanently separated—this is non-negotiable.
We optimize for bounded, verifiable actions with observable outcomes. Large decisions emerge later as a consequence, not a starting point.
No governance mechanisms exist until participation density is real, tradeoffs emerge organically, and prioritization becomes necessary.
The Network Steward enforces standards but does not substitute its judgment for local preference or intervene in routine operations.
Communities learn from each other's patterns, not from top-down prescriptions. Solutions are adapted to local context, not imposed.
Local treasuries fund small civic actions that create genuine public benefit—not businesses, profit distribution, or private gain.