By definition, comprehensive plans are complex, long-range, and broad in scope. The planning and engagement processes for these plans often take over two years to complete. This can make it difficult to establish and maintain meaningful engagement with community members throughout the process. Using CitizenLab’s user-friendly and accessible online engagement...
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Participatory budgeting — or, in plain English, involving community members in the allocation of public funds —is a powerful tool for cities to empower communities and co-create more pleasant, accessible, and equitable cities. All the benefits of community engagement in one process Participatory budgeting is the unsung hero of community...
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Trust is a two-way street. To convince your community that your engagement efforts and digital community engagement platform are trustworthy, they need to feel heard and included. In our experience, it takes time to build trust, but there are several good practices to help you get started. To build trust,...
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There are a lot of participation methods to choose from once you decide to run a community engagement initiative. Ranging from in-depth offline deliberation to direct online voting, it can be overwhelming to decide which method to begin with. In online (or digital) participation, there are six common methods and...
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We hear it often: you want to reach more of your community, and go beyond the same 10 loudest voices in the room. You want your process to be more inclusive so that everyone has the tools necessary to fully participate. However, some groups are harder to reach than others....
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Setting up a community engagement platform is no small feat. It requires defining clear goals, juggling deadlines, and coordinating with multiple stakeholders, some of which are outside of the government. Efficient internal organization is therefore key to the success of your community engagement efforts, and yet it remains one of...
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The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a $350 billion funding plan aiming at supporting post-COVID-19 recovery, is often dubbed a once-in-a-generation opportunity for state and local governments. While the main premise may be to solve current issues, there is also hope that this ambitious plan can make communities more resilient...
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