The City of Culver City, CA has commissioned the Center for New Democratic Processes (CNDP) to conduct the City’s first civic assembly to increase public participation in the budget process.
Civic Assembly Timeline Update Announcement
The City of Culver City announced an updated timeline for the Civic Assembly on April 22, 2026. That announcement can be found here.
The Civic Assembly will bring together thirty Culver City residents, who are randomly-selected and stratified via lottery, to reflect the demographic profile of Culver City. Together they will learn about, deliberate, and make recommendations in response to the question:
“How might the City of Culver City increase public participation in the budget process?”
Culver City residents aged 18+ who are invited to submit an expression of interest form to join the applicant pool for this one-of-a-kind opportunity to contribute to the future of public participation and the budget process in Culver City.
Note: the form will request a “Invitation Code” for those who received a postcard, so have that nearby if you received one.
If you do not have a postcard, just enter “NONE.”
Selected participants will receive an honorarium of $675 for joining this three-day ($30/hour for 22.5 hours total), in person event. Selected participants will also receive a transportation stipend. Caregiving support will also be available, on a case-by-case basis, upon submission of accompanying documentation.
Dates / Times & Location:
The first session of the Assembly event will convene in person over three days in May 2026 between 9:00-4:30 each day. Participants must be able to participate all three days.
Session 1
- Thursday, May 14, 2026
- Friday, May 15, 2026
- Saturday, May 16, 2026
Location: The Assembly will meet in Culver City (event venue to be shared with selected participants).
How Do I Apply?
Culver City residents aged 18+ who would like to join the applicant pool for the Assembly can submit an expression of interest form by clicking on the button below.
If you need assistance completing this form, please contact culvercity@cndp.us.
The form will also request the following demographic information: age cohort, educational attainment, employment status, homeowner / renter status, gender, party affiliation, and race. These demographic categories were approved by the City of Culver City City Council on January 12, 2026.
Respondents will also be asked to select their residential neighborhood, whether or not they are / have been employed by the City of Culver City or are / have ever been on an appointed or voluntary City Commission, Board, or Committee, as well as their household income range. These responses will not be included in the lottery selection process.
- You do not need experience with local government, public policy, or any familiarity with public finance or budgeting to apply – we are seeking individuals with a broad range of personal and professional experience.
- This project is not user or market research.
- Project organizers (CNDP) are not affiliated with any political party or advocacy campaign(s) or organizations.
Data Privacy: Individuals who submit a form will have their information pseudonymized and thirty participants will be randomly selected and stratified to include a broadly representative mix of residents in terms of age cohort, educational attainment, employment status, homeowner / renter status, gender, party affiliation, and race. Information submitted by respondents through this form will be collected, managed, and stored by CNDP and will not be shared with any third party. The City of Culver City will not collect, retain, or access respondent personal information collected by CNDP. Personal information shared with CNDP will remain confidential and not publicly disclosed. The aggregate demographic composition of the Civic Assembly participants will be included in the Participant Report but will not include any personally identifiable information.
Participant Selection
Individuals who submit an expression of interest form will be added to an applicant pool. A panel of thirty Assembly participants will be randomly selected and demographically stratified via lottery. Those selected via lottery will be invited to join the Assembly along with up to six alternate participants.
Project Background
On October 27, 2025, the City of Culver City, CA City Council approved a motion to authorize a civic assembly to develop strategies to increase public participation in the City’s budget process. On December 1, 2025, the City Council approved a professional services agreement with CNDP to design and implement the civic assembly following a competitive selection process.
Assembly participants will be tasked with learning, deliberating, and making recommendations about how the City of Culver City can increase public participation in the budget process. The City of Culver City City Council unanimously approved the Assembly remit (“How might the City of Culver City increase public participation in the budget process?”) on March 16, 2026. Results from the Civic Assembly will be presented to the City Council in June 2026 in order to be considered for the 2026-2027 Fiscal Year Budget and beyond.
Commissioning Sponsor & Funder
CNDP has been commissioned by the City of Culver City Council to develop and implement the Civic Assembly on Increasing Public Participation in the Budget Process.
FAQ’s
What is a Civic Assembly?
- A civic assembly brings together a randomly selected group of community members to learn about, deliberate about, and make recommendations about an issue that affects them.
When and where will the event take place?
- The first session of the Civic Assembly will take place in Culver City (location to be shared with selected participants) on the following dates between 9:00-4:30 each day:
- Thursday, May 14, 2026
- Friday, May 15, 2026
- Saturday, May 16, 2026
- The second session of the Civic Assembly will take place in Culver City in Summer 2026 (dates to be determined and announced later), per the announcement from the City on April 22, 2026.
Do participants have to participate in all three days of session 1 (May 14-16)?
- Yes, selected participants must participate all three days of session 1 of the Assembly event.
Who is eligible to participate in this project?
- Residents of Culver City, CA who are 18 years and older and are available to attend all three days of the event are eligible to participate in the project. Selected participants will need to fill out a W-9 to receive their honorarium.
If my/our household received an invitation postcard, can multiple people from the same household apply using our “Invitation Code”?
- Yes, multiple members of your household can submit an Expression of Interest form using your “Invitation Code” if your household received the postcard.
I don’t have a code or didn’t receive a postcard, can I submit an Expression of Interest form?
- Yes, just enter “NONE” in the appropriate field.
Do I need a high school degree or any formal experience with local government, public policy, or public finance / budgeting to participate?
- No, you do not need a high school degree or have any formal experience with local government, public policy, or public finance / budgeting to participate.
Who will be selected to participate in the assembly?
- Participants for the Civic Assembly will be Culver City residents stratified and randomly selected via lottery to include a broadly representative mix of people in terms of age cohort, educational attainment, employment status, homeowner / renter status, gender, party affiliation, and race.
Will participants be paid and how will they receive payment?
- Yes, individuals who are selected and who participate in all three days of session 1 will receive an honorarium ($675).
- Participants will be paid via check from CNDP after the conclusion of the event.
How do I volunteer?
- Culver City residents who are 18+ can submit the expression of interest form located here: APPLY!
How will I know if I’m selected to join the Assembly?
- Residents who are randomly selected via lottery will be contacted by CNDP to confirm their availability and participation in the Assembly. Only those individuals who are selected will be contacted.
Is this market or user research?
- No. This is a civic engagement project commissioned by the City of Culver City.
Is this project funded by or affiliated with a political party, advocacy campaign, or market research firm?
- No, CNDP is a nonpartisan, nonprofit civic engagement organization selected by the City of Culver City to conduct the Civic Assembly.
Who is funding this project?
- Funding for this project has been authorized by the City of Culver City City Council.
What will happen to my data if I complete an expression of interest form?
- Individuals who submit a form will have their information pseudonymized and thirty participants will be stratified and randomly selected to include a broadly representative mix of residents in terms of age cohort, educational attainment, employment status, homeowner / renter status, gender, party affiliation, and race.
- Information submitted by respondents through this form will be collected, managed, and stored by CNDP and will not be shared with any third party.
- Personal information shared with CNDP will remain confidential and not publicly disclosed.
- The City of Culver City will not collect, retain, or access respondent personal information collected by CNDP.
- Individuals who submit an expression of interest form but are not selected for the Assembly will have their information deleted by CNDP no later than September 1, 2026.
- The aggregate demographic composition of the Civic Assembly participants will be included in the Participant Report but will not include any personally identifiable information.
For more:
If you are interested in learning more about this project or are considering a public engagement initiative in your community, contact hello@cndp.us to explore partnership possibilities.