“Don’t tell me what you value, show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.”
– President Joe Biden
Description
Emphasizing sustainable engagement, this POWER Play advocates for strategic investment in community infrastructure and capacity. It aims to create enduring platforms for community dialogue and decision-making in the long run.
Why it matters:
Long-term community engagement relies on a solid foundation of capacity and infrastructure. This approach ensures that engagement is not just a one-time effort but an ongoing practice. Having processes and infrastructure in place that allow for continuous conversations and feedback ensures that equitable decision-making happens beyond isolated occurrences or in times of crisis. Sustained engagement in this way creates a foundation for trust and meaningful relationships and allows for the ongoing adaptation of strategies to meet evolving community needs.
How to do this:
- Build and maintain physical spaces like community centers and digital platforms that enable regular community interaction. Ensure accessibility for all, including those with disabilities and limited internet access. Cities in Massachusetts have used Community Remarks as one e
- Here is an example of a digital platform used to create survey maps to collect informed, place-based comments to create a plan. Every community engagement strategy can benefit from an interactive survey map to gather feedback quickly and systematically.
- Provide training and development opportunities at no cost to enhance community and staff capabilities in engagement, leadership, and decision-making.
- See an example of a capacity-building session related to applying for ARPA funds here.
- Develop a strategic plan for community engagement that includes clear goals, timelines, and resource allocation. Regularly review and update the plan to ensure it remains relevant and responsive to community needs.
- Aim for transformative, ongoing engagement as opposed to transactional, where community members only respond to government requests such as requests for proposals (RFPs) and surveys.
- For example, during the height of the COVID pandemic, MA DPH began to outreach to indigenous populations and Tribal organizations in new and different ways. The feedback received was that the MA DPH needed to do a better job of regular and routine engagement. As a result, formal structures of ongoing engagement have been established and a new position created: Tribal and Indigenous Health Equity Strategist.
- Establish a long-term advisory group consisting of residents, representative of the diversity of the community. Compensate them for their participation, including their time, transportation, and caregiving needs.
- See examples of administrative and coordination support structures for committees here.
- Yield some decision-making power into community-led decision-making. Sharing power with residents builds stronger trust, resulting in more positive interactions, less friction, and ultimately better outcomes.
- Read this practical guide for facilitating social change through power sharing.
Example in practice:
In Worcester, MA, the Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester exemplified the power of capacity building by helping to level the playing field for community-based organizations, particularly those with limited experience in formal grant writing, for competitive ARPA applications. Recognizing the disparities in grant-writing expertise, the Coalition, in partnership with local funders, initiated free one-on-one coaching and technical assistance workshops to help organizations prepare their ARPA proposals. Experienced grant writers and foundation staff played a crucial role in drafting applications, providing constructive feedback and support, and sharing best practices. This personalized approach ensured that each group received the guidance they needed, accommodating their unique requirements and skill levels. These coaching sessions were offered in multiple languages and at times chosen by participants via a Calendly link.
