FRANKLIN, Tennessee — One of the nation’s fastest‑growing cities — has once again earned national recognition for its civic spirit. On June 28, the National Civic League named Franklin one of ten 2026 All‑America Cities, honoring its work to strengthen trust, belonging, and community participation. The win marks Franklin’s second All‑America City designation in six years, and at the center of both efforts is Franklin Tomorrow, the city’s independent community‑visioning nonprofit.
I visited Franklin to film an episode of The Fulcrum's award-winning series The 50: Voices of a Nation, exploring how the city’s civic spirit and community leadership continue to shape its national story.
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Founded to engage residents, foster collaboration, and advocate for a shared community vision, Franklin Tomorrow has become a civic engine for the region. Its programs — from Breakfast with the Mayors to FrankTalks, Get Fit Franklin, and the Youth Advisory Council — create regular, accessible spaces for people to connect across neighborhoods, backgrounds, and viewpoints. In announcing Franklin’s award, National Civic League president Doug Linkhart praised the city’s commitment to year‑round engagement, noting that “engagement doesn’t stop after the polls close,” and highlighting Franklin Tomorrow’s role in expanding youth participation through the Healthy Democracy Project.
Franklin’s delegation to Denver included Mayor Ken Moore, Franklin Tomorrow CEO Mindy Tate, board members, and Youth Advisory Council representatives. Tate described the experience as transformative, saying, “This trip really awakened in me a deepening sense of civic pride in our community… the spirit exemplified by each city and enthusiasm for their work in building and strengthening civic trust was like nothing I have ever seen.” Youth leaders echoed that sentiment, explaining how the Healthy Democracy Project aims to connect major groups across Franklin to educate, inspire, and encourage civic involvement “in a healthy way.” Another student emphasized the importance of embracing disagreement, saying, “If you think your way is the only way and you shut other people out, there’s no room to grow. Debate creates the obstacles you need to solve — that’s how you make communities stronger.”
Franklin’s award presentation centered on “Building Civic Trust,” symbolized by a physical model constructed piece by piece by the delegation. The metaphor reflects Franklin Tomorrow’s long‑term approach: small, consistent acts of connection that accumulate into a stronger civic fabric. The organization’s mission — helping to keep Franklin special for future generations — now carries national validation. With new momentum behind youth engagement, Franklin Tomorrow is preparing to expand its programming, deepen partnerships, and continue shaping a city where civic life is not just an obligation, but a shared identity.
As Franklin grows, Franklin Tomorrow’s work remains rooted in a simple but powerful idea: a thriving hometown is built through participation. Whether through a monthly mayoral forum, a neighborhood volunteer project, or a youth‑led democracy initiative, the organization continues to model what inclusive civic leadership looks like. And now, with a second All‑America City award, Franklin stands as a national example of what happens when a community chooses connection over division — and invests in the people who will carry that vision forward.
Hugo Balta is the executive editor of The Fulcrum and the publisher of the Latino News Network.
