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Sustaining Public Engagement

This agency’s approach is an example of a sustained orientation to public engagement. In other words, the agency has made a commitment to a longer-term, “co-produced” public engagement, developed by the local agency in collaboration with the community. This typically involves developing and adopting a set of principles that commits the agency to effective and inclusive public engagement.

It also tends to involve local agency staff having specific responsibilities for implementing this commitment, including (when available resources make it possible) a specific staff office or position primarily responsible for overseeing the public engagement efforts

Resources and case stories to support local agencies move from one-time efforts to a sustaining capacity for public engagement approaches and strategies. 

      A New Strategy for Sustaining Public Engagement? 

      Over the past year, a Working Group on Legal Frameworks for Public Participation has produced a model local ordinance for public participation as a tool for local agencies to use in committing to inclusive and authentic public participation in local agency decision-making processes.  

      The ordinance is the subject of a session at the International Municipal Lawyers Association session yesterday in San Francisco and will soon be published by the National Civic League as part of a larger package of articles and essays.

      Public Participation Ordinance

      Sustaining Public Engagement – Best Practices and Resources

      Publications, best practices, reports and other resources to help counties and cities sustain public engagement in local governance over time.