Citizen Help Center
Practical tools for dealing with government — records requests, grants, how-to guides, and ready-to-use templates. Free, public, no account needed.
These are nonpartisan, evidence-based tools with links to primary sources. Every letter, guide, and sample application can be copied and used freely — personalize the bracketed parts, cite your own facts, and send. Nothing here requires an account.
Records Requests
File federal FOIA and state open-records requests with copy-ready letters. Start with Federal, Missouri Sunshine Law, and Kansas Open Records Act — structured so more states can be added.
- FOIA request letter
- Missouri Sunshine Law
- Kansas Open Records Act
- Appeal letters
Grant Help
Search live federal opportunities on Grants.gov by keyword and official funding category, then study complete sample applications you can adapt.
- Live Grants.gov search
- Where else to look
- 22 sample applications
- Anatomy of a winning ask
How-To Guides
Step-by-step civic how-tos in the same sheet format as Best & Worst Practices — budgets, ethics filings, campaign finance, and open meetings.
- Municipal budgets
- Complaints & ethics
- Campaign finance lookup
- Open meetings
Templates & Letters
Copy-paste testimony, public comments, board applications, and letters to officials — with bracketed placeholders and a one-click copy button.
- Three-minute testimony
- Written public comment
- Board cover letters
- Letters to officials