COVID-19 forced us to evaluate how and when we share space, and nowhere was that more visible than on once-busy streets and sidewalks. Americans cut their driving in half, roads were closed to cars in order to create public spaces, and outdoor restaurants (or “streeteries”) popped up seemingly overnight. Local...
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Climate change affects all of our communities. Big or small, urban or rural, we’re all increasingly impacted by it. And while climate change may seem like an issue too large to tackle, many communities are proving that’s just not the case. In fact, in England’s Cheltenham a group is working...
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We find ourselves consistently impressed by the types of projects launched on our platform. In this inspirational series, we’ll spotlight some of the innovative ways governments and organizations around the world are activating and engaging their communities virtually. Let’s dive in! The City of Arlon rethinks parking spaces 🇧🇪 Parking...
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With a population of around 94,000, the Stirling Council area sits right in the heart of Scotland. When the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic sent shockwaves to communities around the world, Stirling Council found itself with a conundrum: how could they get valuable community input without in-person meetings? With plans...
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Public spaces should be equitably distributed, open to everyone, and inclusively designed. It’s no wonder that many urban planning processes now focus on placemaking, the people-centered approach to planning and design of public spaces. The inequities of community development were hard to ignore in 2020. Whether you lived close to...
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Online community engagement platforms provide local governments with a single hub to collect, share, and discuss resident feedback and ideas. But how can you reach those who aren’t online? For our latest webinar, we spoke with Milzy Carrasco, Director of Community Engagement for Lancaster, PA and Rebecca Woodbury, who runs...
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Traditional, top-down governance systems are increasingly challenged by more collective, consensus-oriented approaches. This means that we’re seeing more non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working actively in consortium with local governments or launching community engagement projects themselves to increase civic participation. This uptick in organizational involvement has resulted in the creation of several...
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