Chapter 7. Encouraging Involvement in Community Work | Community Tool Box

 

So you want to involve more people in your club or organization? Why? Are a few people trying to do too much? Does your organization need new skills, perspectives, connections, or energy? Whatever the reason, it helps to have a plan.

Developing a plan for increasing participation will make your work more focused and manageable. This section will show you how.

What is a plan for increasing participation in community action?

Planning is a way to organize actions that can help you achieve a goal. In this case, your goal is increasing meaningful participation so your organization can better carry out its purposes. How? By identifying what kinds of participation are needed, who should be involved, what may make participation easier or harder, and how you will invite and support people along the way.

Developing a plan for increasing participation will cause you to ask yourself some fundamental questions. These questions are essential to just about any recruitment or engagement effort, and your answers will be the building blocks for your plan. They are:

• Why do you want or need more members or participants?
• How many people or organizations do you need?
• What kinds of skills, experiences, perspectives, or connections are needed?
• Who is going to identify and invite potential members or partners?
• Where might you connect with people and organizations who could be interested?
• When is a good time to invite new participation?
• How should you approach potential members or partners?
• What happens if you get a yes, a maybe, or a no?
• What barriers to participation may arise, and how can you address them?

Example:  An organization in need of increasing participation in community action

My neighborhood organization wants to clean up the area around an abandoned building in our neighborhood. We hope to improve the area and make it cleaner, safer, and more welcoming, but we don't yet know how to involve enough people. We are very busy and have never organized a project like this before.

Also, this may just be the beginning. We want to build enough community participation to support beautification projects in other parts of the city. Wouldn't that be amazing? But that would certainly take more people and resources than our organization can provide by itself. Maybe we should build a coalition or partnership. Then different organizations, residents, and volunteers could contribute their own strengths and resources. But how can we do that?

Here's the key point: Regardless of whether we are inviting individual community members or authorized representatives of partner organizations, it would help to have a plan to bring people together around a shared purpose. Answering the questions above will save us time in the long run and increase the chances of accomplishing the goals we set together.

Why should you develop a plan for increasing participation in community action?

• To make accomplishing your goals easier.
• To help you get from point A -- an organization or coalition that needs greater participation -- to point B -- one with enough people, partners, skills, and perspectives to carry out its work. Organizations and alliances will often need new participants, members, partners, and emerging leaders over time.
• To make your outreach more focused, inclusive, and effective. A plan helps identify the steps you will take, the people you hope to involve, and the barriers you may need to address.

Most of the time, organizers will have better results if they take time to plan how they will invite and support participation rather than simply jumping in. Planning can also help you avoid repeatedly approaching the same people, overlooking important community perspectives, or inviting people without having meaningful roles for them.

Writing things down is very important to the planning process because it gives everyone a shared record of what has been decided. It can also help you track responsibilities, timelines, outreach efforts, and what you learn along the way.

How do you develop a plan for increasing participation in community action?

Let's come back to the fundamental questions mentioned above and go through them one at a time.

Why do you want or need members?

It isn't enough simply to want more members for your organization. Think about why additional participation is needed. What work needs to be done? What voices or experiences are missing? What relationships or skills would strengthen the effort? Your organization may be inviting individual members, community participants, or representatives who have been authorized to participate on behalf of other organizations.

Your organization may need members of a partnership or coalition who:

• Bring connections with local government, school systems, faith communities, youth organizations, businesses, human service organizations, older adults, public safety agencies, parent and family groups, colleges and universities, neighborhood organizations, and other parts of the community.
• Can coordinate the efforts of participating organizations to achieve shared goals -- for example, a city-wide event in which several organizations take responsibility for different beautification projects.
• Can build support for goals that participating organizations and communities have identified as important.

Remember that an individual community member should not automatically be expected to speak for an entire racial, cultural, age, disability, neighborhood, or other group. People can contribute their own lived experience and perspective. When formal representation is needed, be clear about how representatives are selected, whom they are authorized to represent, and how they will stay connected with those constituencies.

Your organization may need individual members to:

• Help distribute information through flyers, email, social media, community networks, or other outreach
• Help with a specific project -- for example, helping to clean the area around an abandoned building
• Help organize activities and invite other people to participate
• Provide ongoing support, knowledge, relationships, or leadership
• Contribute in many other ways that fit their interests, strengths, and availability

You must have something in mind. Otherwise, you wouldn't have decided you need more participation to begin with. Think… Then write it down!

How many members do you need?

Once you have listed the reasons you are looking for new participation, you should have a better idea of how many individual participants, organizational partners, or other contributors you may need.

For example:  Starting a plan for increasing participation in community action

Let's think about the abandoned building example. How many people do we need to clean up the area? It's a big yard, and there is a lot of work to do. We'd like to get it done in one day, so our best estimate is that it will take at least 15 people, along with the right tools, supplies, and safety planning.

There are five active members of my organization, and a few other neighbors have offered to help if a project comes up. Well, now we have something.

So we know that we need to invite at least ten more people to participate in this project. Some may want to become long-term members, while others may only want to help with this particular activity. Both kinds of participation can be valuable.

Okay, now we know why we want greater participation, and we know roughly how many people we need. We're already starting to have a plan. Now let's think bigger and go back to the city-wide beautification effort.

Even if our organization has enough people for the first cleanup, a larger city-wide effort would probably need additional organizations, residents, and community partners. Different participants could coordinate different parts of the work and contribute resources, knowledge, relationships, or other strengths.

Even thinking big becomes more manageable when you break the plan into specific needs. What's next?

What kind of members do you need?

It usually isn't helpful to sort people into rigid categories, but it is useful to identify the skills, experiences, perspectives, relationships, and levels of involvement your organization needs.

Organizations need many different kinds of participation. This can be especially important when deciding whether your organization is building individual membership, inviting people into short-term projects, developing leadership, or forming a coalition with other organizations.

Some participants may be authorized to represent organizations. Others participate as individual community members and bring their own experiences and perspectives. Some people may take formal leadership roles, while others may prefer to contribute in less visible ways.

People also participate at different levels and at different times. Some may attend nearly every meeting; others may contribute to a particular project, provide occasional advice, or help when their schedule allows. Work, caregiving, transportation, health, school, cost, accessibility, and other circumstances may affect how much time someone can contribute. Different forms of participation can all be valuable.

People with strong relationships across a community can also help the organization connect with others, but don't treat one person as automatically representing everyone in a group. Build relationships with multiple community members and organizations and create ways for a range of perspectives to be heard.

Organizations will often be looking for participants with varied skills. Sometimes a project will also require particular knowledge, equipment, professional expertise, or other resources.

If there is a specific skill your organization needs, you may wish to invite individuals who have that skill or partner with organizations that can contribute it.

As you develop your plan, decide what kinds of participation and perspectives would strengthen the effort. Then it will be easier to focus your outreach.

Who is going to find and get them?

Who is available to help with outreach? If it is you alone, you certainly have your work cut out for you. Even with several people helping, increasing participation takes coordination. By now, you should know whom you hope to involve, what kinds of roles are available, and roughly how many people or organizations you need.

Determining who will identify and invite potential participants is essential to your planning. You and your helpers can coordinate the approaches you will use and decide who already has relationships with the people or organizations you hope to reach.

Don't be shy about delegating responsibility. Assign specific outreach tasks to different people rather than telling everyone simply to "go recruit members." Coordinated outreach saves time, reduces duplication, and helps prevent community members from receiving repeated requests from several people in the same organization.

Getting back to the cleanup example, we may have decided that some particular skills, tools, relationships, or other assets could help with the project and with the neighborhood organization more generally.

Divide up the outreach task. We know that we need some neighbors with yard tools, and access to a pickup truck or another way to transport materials would certainly be helpful.

Make sure you coordinate who is approaching whom. Tom, with the pickup truck, probably won't appreciate all five members of the group separately asking for the same help. You want to invite participation respectfully and show that your organization is organized.

So figure out who will contact whom, what they will ask, and what information they need to provide.

In the case of the city-wide beautification initiative, your organization may also wish to approach organizations that can contribute relevant skills or resources. For example, a hardware store, gardening association, art group, neighborhood association, environmental organization, or local business might be helpful.

Where are new members to be found?

Truthfully, everywhere. But now you can focus your outreach. Make a list of the places, organizations, networks, events, and communication channels where people with relevant interests, skills, experiences, or community connections are likely to be.

Example: You are looking to build a new clubhouse for neighborhood children, and nobody currently involved has much building experience. What skills would be useful? Construction, carpentry, design, safety, project management, and related skills may all be helpful.

Now that you have this information, use it. Find out where people with those skills or interests may be. Look at local business and community directories, professional and trade associations, labor organizations, neighborhood networks, community colleges or technical programs, local businesses, volunteer networks, websites, social media groups, and partner referrals. Think about other clubs, agencies, and organizations in your community that may have relevant experience.

Example: Let's think big again. Perhaps your organization started out wishing to build a clubhouse for a group of neighborhood children. Then, everyone became so enthusiastic about the project that your organization decided to form a coalition to promote youth club activities.

Now you may want to involve not only people with building skills but also youth and families, community organizations, labor organizations, service providers, schools, local businesses, and others with an interest in youth opportunities. Each may contribute something different to the effort.

Don't forget: You won't know who is interested in getting involved unless you invite them and create a meaningful way for them to participate.

So figure out whom your organization would like to involve. Then...

Make a list and write it down!

When is a good time to look for new members?

Any organization can benefit from creating ongoing opportunities for new people to become involved. Some times, however, are especially useful. Participation may be easier to build when there is a clear, timely project, issue, decision, or opportunity that gives people a concrete reason to get involved.

There are also many important times for an organization to invite new members or for a coalition to seek new partner organizations. Some of them include when you are:

• Taking on a new initiative
• Strengthening your organization's capacity, reach, representation, or influence in the community
• Starting a publicity or fund-raising campaign
• Replacing departing members or developing new leadership

If your organization does not have an immediate membership need, don't create an issue simply to recruit people. Instead, look for genuine projects, concerns, opportunities, or decisions that connect with your mission and that community members have reason to care about. Common areas of concern may include:

• Children and young people
• Fairness and opportunity
• Health and well-being
• Safety
• Jobs and economic opportunity

Are any of these issues related to your project? What other concerns or opportunities have community members identified?

For your plan, decide when you will begin actively inviting new participation. Developing a timeline can be helpful -- set realistic goals and responsibilities.

You may also need to know how soon new participants or partners are needed. You might have a major event, project, fundraiser, or public decision coming up that requires additional help. In that case, create a timeline that gives people enough time to understand the opportunity, decide whether they want to participate, and prepare for their role.

For example, our group would like to involve 30 additional people before putting on our annual dance in January. It is September now. We'll begin outreach immediately and aim to have at least 15 people involved by mid-October. We'll also review whether our goals are realistic and whether new participants are finding meaningful ways to stay involved. Our group met together and created the following timeline:

September	October	November	December
Develop a participation and outreach plan	Review outreach and participation goals and identify any communities or organizations that are still missing.	Meet with participants and representatives of partner organizations	Continue inviting participation where useful and prepare people for the January event
Begin inviting individual participants and potential coalition partners. Aim to have at least 15 people involved by mid-October.	Meet with new participants, explain roles, listen to their ideas, and address barriers to participation	Continue meeting, supporting participation, and inviting additional help where needed. Remember, our goal is meaningful participation, not simply reaching a number.
If we are having trouble, ask community members what barriers they are encountering and review our approach.	Continue outreach and follow-up with people who have expressed interest

 

Remember to develop your plan before you start doing the work. You don't want to spend time switching randomly from tactic to tactic or inviting people into roles that aren't clear. Organize your outreach, track what you're learning, and adjust the plan when community feedback or changing circumstances show that something needs to change.

How should you approach potential members?

Ahh, the approach. Your group may feel very strongly about its project -- in this case, cleaning up a neglected area -- but people outside the group may not immediately understand why they should take part. A respectful invitation should explain the purpose, what participation involves, and why the project may matter to the person or community.

It's crucial to design an approach carefully. Look at this example:

"Hey, do you want to come out Sunday to pick up trash and scrub graffiti off walls with some people you barely know?"

That may not give someone enough reason or information to participate. Maybe this one is a little better:

"A group of neighbors is getting together Sunday to clean up the area around the old building on our block. We'd like to make the space cleaner and more welcoming, and we're having a potluck afterward. We're looking for people who can help for any amount of time. Would you be interested?"

When you know the person you're inviting, you can explain the opportunity in a way that connects naturally with their interests or experience. That doesn't mean manipulating the message; it means helping people understand where their interests and the project's goals genuinely overlap.

Be clear about what participation involves and what people may find meaningful about it. They may value improving their neighborhood, meeting neighbors, learning new skills, contributing expertise, supporting a cause they care about, or simply helping with a concrete task. Don't promise benefits that aren't realistic, and don't assume everyone is motivated by the same thing.

Coalitions that wish to involve partner organizations should be careful to give them compelling reasons to join. Explain the shared purpose, expected responsibilities, decision-making process, and what each organization can contribute or gain from working together. Organizations are less likely to participate in an effort that appears disorganized, tokenizing, or unclear about how their involvement will matter.

What to do if you get a yes, a maybe, or a no.

Suppose you get a yes. Great! Make sure the new participant or partner knows what the next step is, what is expected, when and where activities will take place, whom to contact with questions, and what support or accommodations are available. Then make sure they have a meaningful opportunity to contribute rather than simply adding their name to a membership list.

A maybe can mean many things. The person or organization may be interested but need more information, may have scheduling or resource concerns, or may prefer a different kind of involvement. Ask whether there is anything they need in order to decide, and whether they would like you to follow up later. If they do, respect the timing and method they prefer.

A no is also useful information. Thank the person for considering the invitation and respect the answer. Don't pressure them to explain or continue asking after a clear refusal. If they specifically indicate that the timing is the problem or invite you to contact them about future opportunities, you can do so later.

Whatever someone says, be prepared to respond respectfully. The goal is not simply to secure a yes; it is to build relationships and create participation that people freely choose and can sustain.

Obstacles

Anticipate barriers that may occur. Participation can be affected by work schedules, caregiving responsibilities, transportation, cost, language, disability access, safety concerns, previous negative experiences, lack of trust, unclear roles, meeting times, technology access, or simply not having enough time. Instead of assuming people lack commitment, ask what is making participation difficult and address barriers where you reasonably can. A strong participation plan doesn't simply recruit people; it creates conditions that make meaningful involvement possible.

Tool 1: Tools for Working Groups

The Tools for Working Groups is a generalized resource from the Collective Impact Forum. It is a practical toolkit designed to support working groups as they form and organize, set strategic direction, develop implementation plans, and identify and track measurement indicators. 

Key tools:

• Working Group Member Responsibilities
• Meeting Planning and Execution Steps
• Meeting Agenda and Notes Template
• Meeting Debrief Template
• Co-chairs' Roles and Planning Template
• Action Planning Template
• Instructions for Developing Indicators

___You understand that a plan is a way to organize actions that will hopefully lead to the fulfillment of a goal by providing direction and an approach to follow

You understand why you should develop a plan:

___To make your life easier

___To help you map out how to get from point A to point B

___To make your search for new members more efficient and effective

___You know why you want or need members

___You know how many members you need

___You know what kind of members you need

___You know who is going to find the new members

___You know where to find the new members

___You know when it is a good time to look for new members

___You know how to approach new members

___You know what to do if you get a yes, a maybe, or a no

___You know how to get around common obstacles

Example: Questions to consider when recruiting members

Once I took on the challenge of starting a student organization. I had several goals to accomplish, so I asked myself the important questions:

Why do I want or need members?

I knew I needed members because it is hard for an organization to exist without members. Second, the university had specific membership requirements for a club to be recognized and eligible for funding.

How many members do I need?

In this case it wasn't necessary for me to decide how many members I needed, because the university told me the answer to that question was ten.

What kind of members do I need?

Easy, I needed students interested in what my club was about.

Who is going to find and get them?

Since the student organization was my own idea, I realized that I would be responsible for recruiting the members--at least the first "core" members (the people who would become leaders with me). Once there were a few of us, we could all try to recruit others.

Where are new members to be found?

Since I was trying to find students at a university, I did not need to look very far. I found that putting up flyers that gave out my e-mail address proved to be very helpful.

When is a good time to look for new members?

I began looking for members soon after I decided to start the club. I decided to coordinate my efforts with an event that was happening at the university that spring.

How should I approach potential members?

I decided to put up flyers with my name, telephone number, e-mail address, information about the club, and an advertisement for the event that was going to take place.

What happens if I get a yes, maybe, or no?

I was ready with information to give anyone who answered "yes" or "maybe." Fortunately, I was blessed with "yes" several times. A few of the "yes" respondents later assumed leadership roles in the club.

What are some obstacles I may encounter?

I was ready for anything, but mainly the possibility that nobody would call or e-mail, and then I would have to take more aggressive recruiting measures. Fortunately, a few people e-mailed and called, and our group was born.

A PowerPoint presentation summarizing the major points in the section.

 

Groucho Marx once said, "I'd never join any organization that would invite me to be a member." Well, we'd want Groucho to know he was welcome to participate if the work mattered to him. That's because strong community efforts benefit from people with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, skills, and community connections. And that's what this section is about.

What does it mean to identify potential participants among diverse groups?

Who are the potential members or participants in your group or organization? The answer may be broader than you first think. Many people in your community could contribute something useful if the issue is relevant to them, the role is meaningful, and participation is reasonably accessible.

Of course, you probably don't want or need everyone in the community to join your organization. Different people may also prefer different kinds of involvement: long-term membership, a short-term project, occasional advice, representation from a partner organization, or another form of participation. The important thing is to keep your eyes open to all parts of the community rather than repeatedly turning to the same familiar circle.

This section will help explain why. Next, it will show you how to identify different sectors, networks, and perspectives within a community and then begin preparing a broad and diverse list of people and organizations that may have a meaningful connection to your work.

 

 

Why identify potential participants among diverse groups?

• Because involving people from different parts of the community can help your group better understand the community it hopes to serve or influence and can strengthen relationships and support.
• Because people with different experiences, knowledge, and perspectives may raise questions or possibilities that others have not considered, which can improve decisions.
• Because broader participation can bring additional skills, knowledge, lived experience, resources, and community relationships to the collective effort.
• Because the connections made in a diverse, multi-sector group can lead to new relationships and collaborations. Those relationships may spark community initiatives that might not otherwise have developed.

When do you identify potential participants?

Anytime. But it's an especially good time when you are:

• Starting a membership or participation effort
• Running a campaign or community initiative
• Wanting to broaden participation, relationships, or representation

Participation has no single season. It's useful to think regularly about who is involved, whose perspectives may be missing, and where new relationships could strengthen the work. The best time to start may be now.

How do you identify potential participants?

The basic process has two steps:

• Understand the different sectors, communities, networks, and perspectives connected with your community and issue
• Identify potential participants, partners, or contacts within those areas

Identifying people is only one part of the process. The next step is respectful outreach: explaining the purpose of the effort, listening to people's interests and concerns, and inviting them to participate in ways that are meaningful and realistic for them. Not everyone you identify will want to join, and that's okay. Strategies for reaching out to potential participants are covered in the next sections of this chapter, Writing Letters to Potential Members and Making Personal Contact with Potential Members.

What are the different sectors of a community?

Communities are made up of many overlapping institutions, organizations, networks, neighborhoods, identity groups, informal relationships, and individuals. One useful planning method is to think about these as different sectors of community life. These categories are not rigid, and many people and organizations belong to more than one.

Think of sectors as pieces of the pie. Here's one way to slice them.

Social institutions

These are major institutions and systems that influence community life. Depending on the community, they may include:

• Schools and educational institutions, including public schools, private schools, colleges, universities, vocational and technical programs, and other learning organizations
• Faith communities and religious organizations, including churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, interfaith groups, and other communities organized around faith or spiritual life
• Businesses and employers, including local businesses, major employers, worker-owned businesses, business associations, and chambers of commerce
• Media and information networks, including local newspapers, radio and television stations, digital news outlets, community newsletters, nonprofit media, and other trusted sources of community information
• Government -- including town, city, county, tribal, regional, or other relevant government agencies and public bodies

These are several important sectors, but not the only ones. Should some or all of them be involved in your group? That depends on your purpose. Ask what perspectives, responsibilities, knowledge, and resources are relevant to the issue rather than assuming that institutional status alone should guarantee a place at the table. There may also be other institutions important in your community. Add them to the list.

Other common organizations

Many communities also include smaller organizations, networks, and associations that may be important to your work. Examples include:

• Clinics and community health organizations
• Childcare and early childhood organizations
• Cultural, ethnic, immigrant, and community associations
• Hobby and interest groups
• Hospitals and health systems
• Housing authorities, tenant organizations, and housing groups
• Libraries
• Neighborhood groups and resident associations
• Parent, caregiver, and school organizations
• Professional associations
• Professional, technical, and vocational schools
• Recreational and sports groups
• Religious and spiritual groups
• Service organizations and civic associations
• Social service and human service organizations
• Veterans organizations
• Disability organizations and accessibility advocates
• Youth-led organizations and student groups
• Labor organizations and worker associations

Specialized groups

There may also be specialized organizations or informal networks in or near your community that have knowledge, experience, or connections related to your cause. Which ones matter will depend on your group's purpose.

For example, suppose that:

Your group is interested in:	Then useful groups or partners might include:
Adolescent recreation	Parks and recreation departments Youth organizations and youth leaders Coaches and sports organizations Schools and after-school programs Local health clubs and gyms
Wildlife conservation	Conservation commissions and environmental organizations School and university biology or environmental science programs Hunting, fishing, outdoor recreation, and conservation groups Outdoor stores and recreation businesses Tribal, land-management, or other groups with relevant environmental knowledge
Mental health	Community mental health centers Mental health and behavioral health organizations Provider and professional associations Peer-led, family, advocacy, and support organizations People with relevant lived experience who choose to participate

 Some specialized groups may not be very visible in your community or may operate informally. Ask community members and trusted partners where people with relevant interests or experience connect. Finding the right groups may take time, but it can broaden your understanding of the community and strengthen your effort.

Individual community members

Finally, there may be individual community members you know -- or whom others can introduce you to -- who are interested in what you are doing and may want to participate. They may bring lived experience, local knowledge, relationships, skills, or perspectives that aren't captured by organizational categories.

Remember that people don't need to hold a title or formally represent an organization to make a valuable contribution. At the same time, no one person should automatically be treated as representing an entire demographic group, neighborhood, or community.

These are useful starting points for thinking about the different parts of a community. But eventually, you need to move from broad categories to specific organizations, networks, and people. So how do you identify them?

How can I find these names?

You probably already know some people and organizations connected with the issue. Those relationships are valuable, and you don't need to start from scratch. Once you've exhausted the contacts you already know, communities offer many additional sources of information.

The sources that make sense for you will depend on the purpose of your group, the size and structure of your community, and the time and resources you have available. Here are some possibilities:

• Online and community directories. Search local government directories, chambers of commerce, nonprofit directories, professional associations, organizational websites, community-resource databases, neighborhood websites, and other reliable sources. Browsing categories related to your issue can also trigger ideas about organizations or professions you had not considered.
• Local community guides and resource directories. Libraries, local governments, neighborhood associations, community foundations, universities, and civic organizations may maintain current guides to local organizations, services, and institutions.
• Human-service and community-resource networks. United Ways, 211 services, local health departments, community foundations, coalitions, and other coordinating organizations may maintain directories of local services and organizations. Some communities also offer specialized or multilingual directories.
• Libraries. Public librarians and other library staff often know a great deal about local organizations, public records, community events, databases, and other information sources. Libraries can also help you locate reliable information without assuming that every useful contact can be found through a general internet search.
• Community events and meetings. Public meetings, neighborhood events, fairs, conferences, workshops, cultural events, and other gatherings can help you learn which people and organizations are already active around an issue.
• Social media and community communication networks. Local online groups, organizational pages, newsletters, listservs, and other community forums may help identify active organizations and publicly visible community leaders. Use public information thoughtfully and don't assume that someone's online activity means they want to be contacted privately.

There are also specialized public or professional directories that may help identify organizations or appropriate public contacts.

• Public information about elected officials, public boards, agencies, and other government contacts
• Publicly listed parent, family, school, or youth organizations rather than private information about individual families
• Neighborhood associations, tenant groups, homeowner associations, and other publicly listed community organizations
• Professional directories and licensing-board information for occupations such as physical therapists, electricians, architects, health professionals, or other specialists when their expertise is relevant

Use personal information responsibly. A list being legally available or technically public doesn't automatically mean every use of it will feel appropriate to the people named. When possible, contact people through organizational or professional channels, ask for introductions, or invite organizations to share your opportunity with their own members rather than collecting unnecessary personal information.

Local journalism can also be useful because it helps you understand what is happening in the community now. Newspapers, news websites, community newsletters, local radio and television, and other reliable outlets may identify new organizations, public events, leadership changes, neighborhood efforts, businesses, public meetings, or people working on issues related to yours.

Local news can also help you understand the context around potential participants -- what projects they are involved in, what issues they have discussed publicly, and what community developments may affect your work. Use that information to learn about the community, not to make unsupported assumptions about what someone believes or whether they will join you.

There are plenty of possible sources. Before leaving this section, let's mention two especially important ones:

• Ask partner organizations to make introductions or share your invitation. Rather than borrowing or trading personal contact lists, ask trusted partners whether they can introduce you to appropriate people or distribute information through their own networks.
• Ask friends, colleagues, participants, and community partners. You can ask, "Who has experience with this issue?" "Whose perspective are we missing?" "What organization should we talk with?" or "Who would be a good person to ask about this?" Sometimes they may also be willing to make an introduction.

Making Your Contact List

Once you have identified useful sources, begin assembling a working contact list. Record only the information you reasonably need for outreach -- for example, the person's or organization's name, role, organizational contact information, why the contact may be relevant, who already has a relationship with them, and any appropriate notes about outreach.

The task may sound simple, but doing it thoughtfully takes time. Set aside enough time to make the list accurate, useful, and respectful. Here are some tips:

• Be broad at first. Consider more possibilities than you will ultimately contact. You can narrow the list later based on relevance and the needs of the effort.
• Cast a wide net. Don't prejudge an organization simply because it isn't an obvious partner. Ask whether there may be a genuine connection between its interests and your work and give people an opportunity to decide for themselves.
• Get details as needed. Sometimes you may know the organization but not the appropriate contact person. Record the organization first, then use its website, public directory, general office, or a trusted introduction to identify the right person.
• Use a system appropriate to the size and sensitivity of your list. A shared spreadsheet, contact-management system, database, or another secure organizational tool can help you sort contacts, assign outreach, record follow-up, and keep information current. Limit access to people who actually need it and avoid storing unnecessary personal information.
• Follow community news and networks. Pay attention to local journalism, newsletters, public meetings, community calendars, organizational announcements, and other sources that can help you identify new organizations, leaders, partnerships, and emerging issues. Save useful links or notes rather than relying only on paper clippings.
• Prioritize your outreach thoughtfully. Consider which perspectives are missing, which relationships are especially relevant, what skills or knowledge the group needs, which communities are most affected by the issue, and where participation could meaningfully improve the work.

You may find it useful to organize contacts into outreach stages -- for example, people to contact first, people to contact later, and possibilities that require more information. Avoid ranking people simply by prestige or by how much you "want" them. The priority should reflect the needs of the work, the importance of affected-community participation, existing relationships, and the likelihood that the invitation is relevant to them.

Keep in mind that names, positions, organizations, and contact information change. Review your list regularly and remove information you no longer need. Building a useful contact list will take time, but a thoughtful list can make outreach much more organized.

Your contact list should support relationship-building, not become a general-purpose database for any future use. If you collected someone's information for participation outreach, don't automatically add that person to fundraising, marketing, or other communication lists they would not reasonably expect. Respect requests not to be contacted and follow any applicable organizational policies or legal requirements.

Next Steps

Of course, a list is just a list. The people and organizations on it may know little or nothing about your effort, and identifying them doesn't mean they will or should become members.

The next step is relationship-building. Reach out thoughtfully, explain why you believe the issue may be relevant to them, listen to their interests and concerns, and be clear about what participation could involve. Some people may want to become active members; others may participate in a specific project, offer advice, connect you with someone else, or decide not to become involved at all.

Good outreach requires thought and planning, but it also requires respect for people's choices. The goal is not simply to turn names on a list into members. It is to create meaningful opportunities for participation and to build relationships that can strengthen both the organization and the community. The next two sections, Writing Letters to Potential Members and Making Personal Contact with Potential Members, discuss how to begin that process.

___You are clear why you are looking for new members now

___You are sure this a good time to look for new members

___You can you identify potential participants in all of the possible sectors mentioned in this section

___You have checked the yellow pages, town guides, WWW, and other sources mentioned in this section

___You have asked your colleagues and friends

___You have listed three new names

___You have prioritized your list

Example #1: In Decatur and Beyond, It All Starts with a Conversation

“Addressing diversity issues in your community can be difficult and complex.  Many look to Decatur, Georgia as an example of inclusion, diversity & citizen engagement.  The city routinely  engages many different sectors of the community in addressing challenges, ranging from affordable housing to race equity issues to community police relations – going beyond the traditional public comment or public hearing to true and ongoing dialogue with many different sectors of the community.  It all started with a conversation – a conversation that has economic, racial, age, gender and religiously diverse representation, and that is reflective of the composition of the community itself.”

Jon Abercrombie, Senior Associate for Everyday Democracy, says, “we all recognize the need to keep dialogues active, inclusive, racially and economically diverse, and driven toward action and progressive change.”

Everyday Democracy is a local group that provides opportunities to unite people together to talk about current issues using what they call a “study circle.” These conversations have been able to “address a serious funding and sustainability issue” in the public schools. Additionally, they have created more conversations on topics like “improving affordable housing, building trusting relationships while addressing racial equity with police…and working on a plan to remove a confederate memorial on the public square.”

Decatur has seen tremendous success in asking the local community members to aid in finding solutions to their local problems. They have seen over 1,000 residents come together in various forms to present their ideas and solutions in how to make their community better. 

 

Example #2: H.E.A.T. Report Solutions: NBC Community Development Corporation - Wyandotte County, Kansas

 

A PowerPoint presentation summarizing the major points in the section.

• Why is it important to contact potential members?

• What are the methods for contacting potential members?

• What method should you use to contact potential members?

It's now time for you to reach out to potential members or participants -- to put your contact list into action (for how to develop a contact list, see Identifying Potential Members in all Sectors of the Community). You should now be able to take the names and organizations you have thoughtfully identified from different parts of the community and begin making actual contacts.

Are you ready? You may be as ready as you're ever going to be. We're just about to start. But first, a little background.

Why is it important to contact potential participants?

It's important to contact potential participants because people usually won't know that an opportunity exists unless someone tells them about it. Some people may find your organization on their own, but many will need an invitation, information about what participation involves, and a clear way to decide whether they want to become involved.

Actually, there are two separate questions here. One deals with the method of your contact. That is, what form or approach should you use to reach potential participants? The other deals with the content of your contact. What should you tell them about your organization, the opportunity, and the role you're inviting them to consider? Let's take up these two questions in turn.

What are the methods for contacting potential members?

There are many methods to choose from. Some common ones include:

• Meeting face-to-face
• Calling by phone
• Sending a letter
• Sending an email
• Sending a text message or using another messaging platform when the person has agreed to communicate that way
• Meeting by video call
• Sharing an invitation, fact sheet, flyer, brochure, webpage, or online form

You don't have to treat these as competing choices. Often, the best approach combines several methods -- for example, a brief email followed by a scheduled conversation, or a personal introduction followed by written information.

What method should you use to contact potential members?

Each method has advantages and limitations. There is no single method that is always best. The right choice depends on the relationship you already have with the person, what you're asking them to do, how much discussion is needed, accessibility, timing, available resources, and how the person prefers to communicate.

Face-to-face contact

A face-to-face conversation can be especially useful when the invitation is important, complex, or likely to benefit from discussion. In-person meetings can make it easier to build a relationship, ask and answer questions, and understand concerns that may not come through in a short written message.

Does this mean you should make face-to-face contact in every single case? Not necessarily. This is because:

• Personal contact, especially an in-person meeting, takes time. You may need to arrange a time, travel, prepare, and then meet. That may not be practical for every potential participant.
• In-person contact isn't always possible or preferred. A potential participant may have a busy schedule, live far away, have transportation or accessibility barriers, prefer remote communication, or simply not want a meeting.
• A meeting may not be necessary when the request is straightforward -- for example, asking whether someone wants to receive information, attend a single event, sign on as a supporter, or contribute in another limited way. Different forms and levels of participation can all be valuable.

Telephone contact

Phone calls can be quick and allow real-time conversation without requiring travel. You can explain the invitation, answer questions, and respond immediately to the other person's concerns. Voice can also communicate tone and emphasis that may be harder to interpret in a short written message.

But:

• It may be difficult to reach someone at a convenient time, especially if the call is unexpected. When appropriate, leave a brief voicemail or use email, text, or another agreed-upon channel to ask when they would prefer to talk rather than repeatedly calling.
• When you do connect, the person may be busy or unable to give the conversation their full attention. Ask whether it's a good time to talk and offer to schedule another time if needed.
• A phone call may provide less visual and nonverbal information than an in-person or video conversation. For some people, however, that may be preferable or more accessible.

Contact by letter or email

Written communication has distinct advantages. A good invitation takes time to write, but it allows you to organize your message carefully and make sure important details are included. Once you have developed the basic information, parts of it can also be adapted for other potential participants. From the recipient's point of view, written information can be reviewed when convenient and saved for future reference.

Email can offer many of the same advantages as a letter while allowing quicker delivery, links to additional information, online registration, or other next steps. Printed letters may still be appropriate when the recipient prefers mail, when the communication is more formal, or when printed materials fit the community better.

On the other hand:

• Written communication may feel less personal than a conversation, particularly if it looks like a generic mass message.
• There is usually no immediate two-way dialogue.
• There is less opportunity to respond immediately to individual questions or concerns.
• Some messages will never be opened, read, or noticed, especially when people receive a large amount of mail or email.

So each contact method has positive and negative features. How do you decide? The answer depends on your situation and on the person you're inviting.

Factors in your decision

A conversation -- in person, by video, or by phone -- may be especially useful when:

• You have a relatively small number of people to contact and can give each invitation individual attention
• Several members of your organization can help with outreach
• You have the time available to hold conversations
• The role being discussed carries significant responsibility or requires careful explanation
• The person's experience, relationships, expertise, or connection to the issue is particularly relevant and you want to understand their perspective
• The person doesn't know you or your group well and may have questions before deciding whether to become involved

A phone or video conversation might be a good choice in these cases:

• An in-person meeting is inconvenient or unnecessary
• The person prefers phone or video communication
• You and the prospective member are already acquainted
• The request is relatively straightforward but may still benefit from discussion
• A real-time conversation would be useful and accessible for both people

Written contact such as email or a letter might be strongly considered:

• When you have a relatively large number of people to contact
• When only a small number of people are available to handle outreach
• When your group's time is limited
• When the opportunity can be explained clearly without requiring an immediate conversation
• When the prospective participant is already familiar with you or your group
• When you have an appropriate contact list or communication channel and people would reasonably expect to receive the invitation

Let's try a few examples to illustrate these principles, with some proposed recommendations:

Example	Recommendations
Your group wants local legislation passed. A city councilor has already expressed interest in the issue.	Because the issue may require discussion and the councilor has a direct role in the decision, request a scheduled conversation in the format they prefer -- in person, by phone, or by video.
You want 50 residents to attend a neighborhood meeting.	Use several appropriate community channels -- for example, neighborhood email lists, flyers, social media, partner organizations, text messages for people who have opted in, and personal invitations. Make the time, location, accessibility information, purpose, and ways to participate clear.
You want to add 200 supporters or donors over the next few months.	Use communication lists and outreach methods that are appropriate to the cause and respect people's privacy and communication preferences. A clear email or letter may introduce the opportunity, followed by other outreach when people express interest.
You want to create an Advisory Board for a local health clinic.	Because Advisory Board participation can involve substantial responsibility and important community perspectives, use personalized outreach and offer a conversation so potential members can ask questions about the role, expectations, decision-making, accessibility, and time commitment.

What about the specifics of your own situation now? What contact method would work best for the people you're hoping to reach?

Combining different methods

It is often useful to combine different methods of contact. For instance, you can:

• Send an email or letter, then offer a phone or video conversation
• Call, then set up a meeting
• Make a personal introduction, then send written information
• Send written information, then follow up if the person has expressed interest or a follow-up was part of the original invitation

You can add another stage when it is useful -- for example, a brief invitation, a conversation, and then written information summarizing the next steps. Don't assume, however, that more contacts are always better. Avoid repeatedly contacting someone who has declined, asked not to be contacted, or shown no indication that additional follow-up would be welcome.

In many cases, combining methods is a good idea. The health clinic advisory board example above is an excellent case in point. It is an important responsibility, so it may be worth sending a personalized invitation and then arranging a conversation. Afterward, you can provide written information summarizing the role, meeting schedule, expectations, and next steps.

The exact sequence will depend on the circumstances. The main point is that different methods can support one another. Use enough communication to make the invitation clear and accessible without overwhelming or pressuring the person you're trying to involve.

Adjusting your method to fit the situation

You don't have to use a single contact method for everyone. Different people have different communication preferences, schedules, accessibility needs, and relationships with your organization. Whenever possible, use the method that allows the person to engage comfortably and gives them the information they need to make a decision.

One person may prefer a scheduled meeting, another may want a phone or video call, and another may prefer email so they can review the information before responding. Don't assume a communication preference based only on someone's occupation, age, status, or other characteristic. If you don't know what works best, ask.

Taking advantage of chance

Sometimes you may unexpectedly encounter someone who could be interested in your organization -- at a community event, meeting, neighborhood gathering, or another setting. A brief and respectful conversation can sometimes open the door to future contact.

Use judgment. Someone who is spending personal time with family, attending a religious service, working, or clearly in a hurry may not want to discuss organizational participation. Rather than putting them on the spot, you can briefly mention the opportunity and ask whether it would be okay to send more information later.

Good community work means being open to unexpected opportunities while also respecting people's time, privacy, and right to decide when and how they want to engage.

In Summary

Meetings, phone and video calls, letters, email, text messaging, online forms, and other approaches can all be part of an overall participation strategy. Each method has strengths and limitations, and no one form of contact is best for every person or situation.

Choose your approach based on the purpose of the invitation, the relationship involved, the complexity of the role, accessibility, available time and resources, and the person's communication preferences. When useful, combine methods thoughtfully. Above all, make the invitation clear, respectful, and easy to respond to without pressure.

But once you've made your choice or choices, how do you carry them out? That's the topic of our next two sections!

Example 1: The Face-to-Face Interview

After many years of a hostile and unavailable superintendent of schools, the school board chose a new superintendent, Jim Brown. He was new to the area, but was experienced and enthusiastic about his new responsibilities. The Project Free Anti Drug Coalition which I directed had been around for a while and we wanted to connect with the new superintendent. I was excited about the possibilities for new programs and collaboration, but realized that, being new to the job, the superintendent would be very busy; and I didn't want to push the new superintendent too hard, too soon. After all, this was a potentially very important ally to the coalition. I sent a letter with a packet of information about Project Free and indicated that I would follow up with a phone call in two weeks. Two weeks passed, enough time for the superintendent to catch up with his mail and start to settle in to his new position. I called the superintendent, and briefly refreshed him about the coalition. We then scheduled an appointment to meet the following week and discuss coalition activities more formally. I now had a brief opportunity to learn about what coalition activities the superintendent may be supportive of, and which he may be less so. When the meeting occurred the next week, I was prepared to answer his questions and address his concerns, and, consequently, gain his support for present and future endeavors.

Example 2: Phone calls

A statewide healthy communities coalition meets on a monthly basis. It has had its first two or three meetings and the steering committee is not exactly committed or stable. I recognized the problem, and decided the problem could be corrected by getting some periodic guidance by an expert in planning and operations. Luckily, I knew of just the right person, a vice president of the largest medical center in the state. So, I made several attempts to set up an appointment for the expert to come and help us out. Twice the vice president was out of town on business trips, and the third time, an appointment was made, and then canceled at the last minute because the vice president had to attend a family dinner. Frustrated, but not ready to give up, I decided to schedule a telephone conference the next week. The vice president happily agreed, and the resulting guidance we received from the call helped us get our monthly meetings back on track.

Example 3: Letter Writing

In order to get a large number of people to show up at our first community meeting, our newly formed coalition, The Great Plains Heart Health Coalition, decided to conduct a letter writing campaign. After all, we only have a few members and so we didn't have the time or money to telephone hundreds of people, or personally visit potential recruits. The other coalition leaders and I spent a few days developing a letter that introduced the coalition, and invited everyone to attend the first meeting the following month. The letter was sent out, and a fair number of people to attend the meeting. After hearing the presentation, a number of attendees agreed to join the coalition. A couple of years later, the coalition decided to go statewide. Luckily, we had the old recruitment letter on file, and, with some minor revisions, we mailed the letter out again, with equal success.

If you are considering face-to-face contact, is it because:

___You want to reach a small number of people

___You have the available time

___The people you're recruiting are especially important

If you are considering phone contact, is it because:

___The prospective members are unavailable for meeting but are available by phone

___You already know the people

___The request is relatively simple

If you are considering a letter, is it because:

___You have a large number of people to recruit

___You're the only person available

___Your time is limited

___It's less important who you recruit

___You have an excellent mailing list

Writing your letter:

___Use design and content to get the reader's attention

___Personalize the letter

___State reason for writing at the beginning of the letter

___Give a good reason for becoming a member

___Request is clear, specific, limited, immediate, and doable

___Tell the person how to fulfill the request

___Thank the person

___Carefully proofread the letter

A PowerPoint presentation summarizing the major points in the section.

• What is writing to potential participants?

• Why should you write to a potential participant?

• When should you write to a potential participant?

• How should you write to a potential participant?

• How do you get the reader's attention?

• Should you use email or a printed letter?

What is writing to potential participants?

Personal communication can be valuable when you're inviting someone to become involved in your group or organization, but no single form of contact is best for every situation. A meeting, phone or video call, printed letter, email, or other written message may work well depending on the relationship, the request, accessibility, timing, and the person's communication preferences.

Written communication definitely has its place. A thoughtful letter or email gives you time to organize what you want to say, provides the recipient with information they can review when convenient, and can be saved or shared for later reference. Written outreach can also help you reach more people than would be practical through individual meetings alone.

So suppose you have decided to write to a potential participant. This section will show you how to make your message clear, respectful, and useful.

A message to a potential participant is a written communication inviting someone to consider becoming involved with your group, organization, coalition, project, or activity. It may range from a personalized printed letter to an email or another appropriate written format. The goal is to explain the opportunity, why you believe it may be relevant to the person, what participation could involve, and how they can respond if they're interested.

Why should you write to a potential participant?

As with other methods of contacting potential participants, you may write in order:

• To invite new members or participants to become involved in your group or organization
• To raise awareness of your group and the issues that are important to it
• To ask for specific assistance with a program, project, event, or activity
• To give potential participants a written overview of your organization that explains its purpose, identifies areas of shared interest, and describes possible ways to become involved

When should you write to a potential participant?

Written outreach can be useful anytime you're trying to increase participation, strengthen community relationships, raise awareness, or invite people to contribute to specific work. It may be especially useful:

• When you don't yet know the potential participant well and want to introduce yourself and your organization without putting the person on the spot
• When schedules make a phone, video, or face-to-face conversation difficult
• When you want to provide information that the person may want to review carefully or keep for later. You can also link to or include a fact sheet, brochure, webpage, or other resource when more detail is useful.

Written communication can also work well together with a personal conversation. You might write:

• When you want to request a meeting and believe some background information will help the person decide whether to meet
• When you want to follow up after a meeting with a thank-you, additional information, a summary of what was discussed, or confirmation of next steps

How should you write to a potential participant?

Before you begin, two important preliminary steps:

• You should have an appropriate list of potential participants and understand why each person or organization may have a meaningful connection to your work
• You should set aside enough time to write, review, and personalize the message appropriately

There are different kinds of writing situations:

• Sometimes you will be writing to a friend. Sometimes it will be to a colleague or acquaintance. Sometimes you will be writing to someone you have never met.
• In some cases, the written message may be your main contact with the person. In others, it will be connected to a meeting or conversation and may be sent before or afterward.

Depending on the situation, the content, style, length, and tone of your message will vary. Naturally, you may write differently to a close colleague than to a public official or organizational leader whom you have never met.

But all of these situations have one important factor in common: you should give the recipient enough clear and accurate information to decide whether the opportunity is relevant to them and whether they want to become involved. Your message may be persuasive, but it should not pressure the person or assume that they owe your organization their participation.

Most of us have written messages asking someone to consider doing something. You can make those messages more effective by following some simple guidelines.

How do you get the reader's attention?

People receive many messages and may only have limited time to decide what deserves their attention. Your goal isn't simply to "grab" attention. It is to make it immediately clear who is contacting the person, why you're writing, and why the message may be relevant to them.

Design

Keep the design clear, professional, and easy to read. For a printed letter, appropriate organizational letterhead or a recognizable logo can help identify the sender. For email, use a clear sender name and subject line. In either format, use readable type, reasonable spacing, strong contrast, and a simple layout. Avoid unnecessary decoration that competes with the message itself.

Accessibility matters as well. Use readable text sizes, plain formatting, meaningful link text, and sufficient contrast. If the recipient has communicated a preferred language, format, or accommodation, use it when possible.

Content

Your opening matters. Readers should quickly understand why you are contacting them and why you believe the opportunity may be relevant. You don't need an exaggerated or dramatic opening; a direct and specific first sentence is often stronger.

Personalize the message.

• If a mutual contact suggested that you reach out, and that person is comfortable being named, mention the connection accurately. For example, "Jordan Lee suggested I contact you because of your work with neighborhood youth programs."
• Use the person's correct name, title, and preferred form of address when you know them. Avoid generic greetings when you have accurate information available.
• Identify yourself clearly. For a printed letter, sign your name. For email, include an appropriate organizational signature with useful contact information.
• When appropriate, add a short personalized sentence explaining why you thought of this particular person or organization. Make sure the reason is genuine rather than adding artificial personalization simply to make a mass message appear individual.
• Use a delivery method appropriate to the recipient and the relationship. A personally addressed printed letter may be useful in some situations, while email may be faster and more convenient in others.

The goal is to communicate that you have a real reason for contacting this person, not simply that their name happened to appear on a list.

Give the reason you are writing right at the beginning.

Get to the point. Tell the reader who you are, why you're reaching out, and what you're inviting them to consider. Readers shouldn't have to work through several paragraphs before understanding the purpose of the message.

Your reason might be to invite someone to attend a meeting, participate in a project, consider joining a coalition, provide expertise, represent an organization when authorized to do so, volunteer, or support the effort in another way. State the purpose clearly near the beginning.

Give your reader relevant reasons to consider participating.

Explain why you believe the opportunity may matter to the recipient. Don't assume you know exactly what motivates them. Instead, connect the invitation to information you actually have about their work, interests, experiences, organization, or community relationships.

Depending on the situation, relevant reasons might include:

• The opportunity to work on an issue that the person or organization has already identified as important
• The opportunity to contribute knowledge, skills, lived experience, or other resources to work that may benefit the community
• The opportunity to build relationships with other people or organizations working on related issues
• The opportunity to learn about partnerships, resources, or funding possibilities relevant to the organization's work
• The opportunity to learn about developments, resources, or perspectives relevant to the person's field
• The opportunity to stay informed about issues and activities in the community
• The opportunity to meet and collaborate with other community members
• The opportunity to build relevant skills, experience, or professional relationships when those are genuinely part of the role
• The opportunity to contribute meaningfully to a cause or community effort that matters to them
• The opportunity to participate in a welcoming group and, when appropriate, enjoy the social side of working with others

Which of these reasons matter will vary from person to person. Don't list every possible benefit. Focus on the few that actually relate to the recipient and to the opportunity you're offering.

In your message, you can include a few sentences about your organization and the issue it is addressing. Avoid overwhelming the reader with background information. If more detail is necessary, link to or include a webpage, fact sheet, brochure, report, or other resource that the person can review separately.

Make a request.

What are you asking the recipient to consider doing? Let them know clearly. Is it to attend a meeting? Participate in a specific project? Join a coalition? Volunteer for an activity? Meet with you to discuss the issue? Support the organization in another way?

Be thoughtful about what you are requesting. A useful request is usually:

• Clear. The recipient understands what you're inviting them to consider.
• Specific. The message describes the activity, role, or next step rather than simply asking the person to "get involved."
• Defined. When possible, explain the expected time commitment, responsibilities, duration, and other important expectations.
• Timely. Give the person a reasonable timeframe for responding and clearly identify any genuine deadline.
• Realistic and accessible. Consider the time, transportation, cost, scheduling, language, technology, disability access, child care, or other factors that may affect whether the person can participate. Explain available support or accommodations when appropriate.

Examples:

Instead of: "Become a member of our organization."

Try: "You're invited to our community meeting next Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. to learn about the project and decide whether you'd like to become involved."

Instead of: "Help us in our campaign."

Try: "We're looking for volunteers who can help with community outreach during the week before Election Day. If you're interested, we can send you the available roles and time commitments."

Instead of: "Distribute flyers around town."

Try: "If you'd like to help with outreach, we're looking for volunteers who can distribute flyers in their neighborhood or at approved community locations. You can choose an area and amount that works for you."

Be clear about how the recipient can respond.

What is the next step? Make it easy to understand and complete.

• If you're asking someone to complete a form, provide the form or a clear link to it and explain what information is required.
• If you're inviting someone to a meeting, make the date, time, location or online-access information, accessibility information, and purpose easy to find.
• If there's a genuine deadline, state the day and date clearly.
• Include appropriate organizational contact information, such as an email address, phone number, website, registration link, or the name of the person who can answer questions.

Express your appreciation.

Thank the recipient for taking the time to consider the invitation. Don't assume that they will agree to participate or thank them in advance for support they haven't promised. A simple, sincere expression of appreciation is enough.

People generally appreciate having their time, experience, and contributions recognized. If they do become involved, continue that appreciation after they join rather than treating the thank-you as merely a recruitment technique.

Proofread your message.

Spelling, grammatical, factual, or formatting errors can make your message harder to understand and may reduce confidence in your organization. Check names, titles, dates, meeting information, phone numbers, addresses, email addresses, links, and any factual claims. When possible, have another person review important outreach before you send it.

Review it, then send it through the appropriate channel.

These guidelines don't have to appear in an exact order, and every message doesn't need every element. Your communication should fit the person, relationship, and request. The same general principles -- clarity, respect, relevance, honesty, and a clear next step -- can also strengthen face-to-face, phone, and video conversations.

But for now, let's see how these writing principles might work in practice by showing several examples. See Examples.

Should you use email or a printed letter?

Both can be useful. Choose the format that fits the recipient, the purpose, and the circumstances rather than assuming one is always better.

Email may be useful because:

• It can be delivered quickly and can make it easy for the recipient to respond when convenient.
• It generally costs little to send and can include links to webpages, registration forms, calendars, reports, or other resources.
• It can be searched, saved, forwarded, and revisited later.

Email also has limitations:

• Some formal invitations or relationships may be better served by a printed letter or by combining a formal letter with email.
• Some people don't use email regularly or may prefer another communication channel.
• People receive large amounts of email, so messages can be overlooked, filtered, or deleted. A clear sender name and subject line can help the recipient understand what the message is about.

A printed letter may be appropriate when a formal invitation is important, when the recipient prefers physical mail, when the material needs to be retained or presented in a formal setting, or when digital access is limited. Email may be more appropriate when speed, links, scheduling, or easy replies matter.

You can also combine methods. For example, you might email a formal letter as an attachment, mail an invitation and later send a brief email reminder, or send an email and offer a phone or video conversation for anyone who wants to discuss the opportunity.

Whatever format you choose, make sure your communication is relevant, accessible, respectful of the recipient's preferences and privacy, and easy to respond to. The goal isn't simply to make your message "stand out." It's to give the recipient a clear and genuine invitation to decide whether and how they want to participate.

Why are you writing a letter?

___To recruit

___To raise awareness

___To ask for specific assistance

___Other

To be covered in the letter:

___You have tried to get the reader's attention in design and content

___You have personalized the letter

___The reason for writing is stated at the beginning of the letter

___You have given the reader a good reason for becoming a member

___Your request is clear, specific, limited, immediate and doable

___You have you told the person how to fulfill the request

___You thanked them

___You have carefully proofread the letter

Example: Letter to a potential member

 

Ripley Volunteer Center

For further information
call Jim Miller at
706-456-9900
July 2, 2008

 

Dear Sandra,

The Ripley Volunteer Center is looking for volunteers! Lending a hand not only fosters community well-being, but is sure to be a rewarding experience. We are seeking a variety of individuals – we’re looking for all ages, professions, and interests. We can find volunteer placements that will suit your skills and fit into your busy schedule.

Many community service organizations require volunteer assistance over the summer months and on into the fall. There are many ways you can lend a hand. Here are a few of the programs currently looking for volunteers:

The Metropolitan Heart Foundation requires volunteers to assist in their community awareness committee on preventive medicine. Activities would include visiting schools and contacting organizations to give information on heart film programs.

An experienced baker is needed to make cookies, cakes, pastries and other baked goods for the residents of a psychiatric boarding home. The hours are flexible, and bus fare and expenses will be provided.

Volunteers, age 15 and over, are needed to work in a residential center for handicapped teenagers, one day or evening per week. Opportunities include assisting staff in program planning, establishing small group or one-to-one relationships, and leading recreation and community awareness activities.

These are just a few of the opportunities available to help make a difference. Drop by or give us a call and let us know how you can help. Thank you for taking the time to consider these exciting opportunities. Your future help will be greatly appreciated, and, like many current volunteers, you will find the volunteer experience to be a rewarding one.

For further information on available volunteer opportunities, contact The Volunteer Center at 456-1122, 8-5, Monday-Friday.

 

Sincerely,

Jim Miller, Volunteer Recruitment Director

A PowerPoint presentation summarizing the major points in the section.

• How to make a good impression

• What to do before the meetings

• What to do at the meetings

• Unscheduled meetings

• Making contact by phone

• Dealing with rejection

As we've noted previously, personal conversation can be a useful way to invite potential participants, especially when the opportunity involves significant responsibility or would benefit from discussion. A face-to-face meeting may work well in some situations, while a phone call, video meeting, email, letter, or another method may be more appropriate in others. Choose the approach based on the person, relationship, purpose, accessibility needs, and communication preferences.

But suppose you choose to set up a face-to-face meeting; the meeting time approaches, and there you are. What do you do? How should you use that meeting time productively? How can you help the other person understand the opportunity and decide whether participation makes sense for them?

How to make a good impression

Much of the answer is simple: be prepared, respectful, attentive, and dependable. People are likely to notice whether you arrive on time, understand the purpose of the meeting, listen to them, and communicate clearly.

Basic courtesy matters, but there isn't one universal formula for making a good impression. Eye contact, conversational style, physical distance, greetings, and clothing expectations can differ across people, cultures, disabilities, professions, and settings. Be respectful and authentic rather than trying to perform a particular style. Dress appropriately for the activity and setting, and make sure your behavior communicates that you value the other person's time.

Good preparation will matter more than any single social technique.

The focus of this section is practical guidance for meeting potential participants in person. Many of the same principles also apply to phone or video conversations and to some unscheduled community outreach. Door-to-door outreach and phone contact raise additional privacy, safety, and convenience considerations, which we'll discuss later in the section.

What to do before the meeting

Learn enough about the person or organization to make the conversation relevant. What is their role? What public work, interests, responsibilities, or community connections relate to the issue? Have they already expressed an opinion or interest in the topic? Use information that is appropriate for the context and avoid unnecessary personal profiling.

Think about the meeting ahead of time. Be clear about what you want to explain, what questions you want to ask, and what kind of participation you are inviting the person to consider. Also prepare for several possible outcomes. The person might be interested, want additional information, suggest a different role, have concerns, or decide that the opportunity isn't right for them.

Preparation can help you feel more confident, but the goal isn't to script the other person's response or guarantee a particular outcome. A good meeting gives both people enough information to decide what, if anything, should happen next.

What to do at the meeting

A Helpful Note: In this section, our focus is primarily on meeting people one at a time as individuals. But it's also possible to meet people in groups -- for example, by making a presentation at another organization, speaking at a public meeting, or inviting several potential participants to an information session. Many of the same principles apply.

Thank your prospective participant for being there and for taking the time to meet with you.

Do this sincerely. Their time is valuable, and they chose to spend some of it learning about your organization or project.

Appreciation should be genuine rather than a technique for producing a particular response. Thank the person because their time and attention deserve respect.

Begin with natural conversation when appropriate.

You don't necessarily have to jump immediately into your request. A little conversation can help people become comfortable and establish a human connection. Depending on the relationship and setting, you might briefly talk about a community event, your shared work, a mutual acquaintance, or something else that arises naturally.

Don't force small talk, search for topics simply because you expect agreement, or use personal information to manufacture similarity. Some people prefer to move directly to the purpose of the meeting, and that's fine.

Let the other person help set the pace. Pay attention to what they say and to whether they seem ready to move into the main conversation. Don't assume that a particular gesture or lack of eye contact necessarily means the same thing for everyone.

Also be aware of the time set aside for the meeting. Respect the agreed-upon schedule and make sure you reach the main reason for meeting without unnecessarily prolonging the conversation.

State the purpose of the meeting from your point of view.

Tell the prospective participant what your role is, why you made contact, and what you'd like to discuss. Be direct, honest, and concise.

Present the key points in summary form and leave room for dialogue. You can bring or share fact sheets, brochures, webpages, reports, or other supporting materials when they will help the person understand the issue. Don't overwhelm them with information they don't need.

State what you are inviting the person to consider.

Be explicit.

Do you want the potential participant:

• To come to one of your meetings?
• To serve on a board or advisory board?
• To undertake a specific task, independently or with a working group?
• To make a financial contribution?
• To donate a service, resource, or other in-kind support?
• To introduce you to another person or organization that may be interested, when they are comfortable doing so?
• To become involved in some combination of these ways?
• Something else?

If there is one specific thing you're inviting them to consider, say so directly. If there are several genuine possibilities, explain them and ask whether any fit the person's interests, availability, or role. Don't offer a long list simply to keep negotiating until the person agrees to something.

Explain why the opportunity may be relevant to the person.

Why did you think of this particular person or organization? What shared issue, responsibility, experience, or interest connects them with the work? Be ready to explain that connection honestly.

Possible reasons someone might value participation include:

• Contributing to people or communities they care about
• Learning useful information
• Building relationships with people working on related issues
• Helping address a problem they consider important
• Having a meaningful voice in decisions that affect them or their organization
• Developing relevant skills, experience, or professional relationships when those are genuinely part of the opportunity
• Enjoying the social side of working with others
• Supporting work that may also benefit their organization, neighborhood, or community

Don't assume these are everyone's motivations. Ask what matters to the person and listen to the answer.

Listen to what your prospective participant has to say.

Give them space and time to respond. Ask what questions or concerns they have, and listen carefully.

People may have practical concerns about time, transportation, accessibility, child care, cost, scheduling, organizational responsibilities, or the work itself. Others may simply not be interested. Don't assume that hesitation hides a "true objection" that you need to uncover and overcome.

Answer questions accurately. If you don't know the answer, say so and offer to follow up. If a concern shows that the role isn't a good fit, that's useful information too.

Examples: Concerns and possible replies

The person may be concerned about time commitment:

"I don't know if I have the time to do this."
"That makes sense. The usual time commitment is about three hours a month. If that doesn't fit your schedule, there may be other ways to participate, but there's no pressure to decide now."

Or ability to commit to a certain length of time:

"A year from now, who knows where I'll be."
"That's understandable. The role is normally a one-year commitment, so if that doesn't work for you, we can talk about a shorter-term role or leave the door open for another time."

Or availability at the meeting time or day:

"Thursday afternoons are sometimes a bad time for me."
"Thanks for letting me know. We're reviewing our meeting schedule, so I'll make sure that concern is included."

Or ability or skill to do the job:

"I've never done anything like this before."
"That's okay. We provide orientation and support, and I can explain what the role involves so you can decide whether it feels comfortable."

Or the mission and purpose of your organization itself:

"I support a lot of what you do, but a few of your goals concern me."
"I'd be glad to hear which ones. I can explain our position and answer questions, and it's okay if we still don't agree on everything."

Concerns don't have to be treated as objections to defeat. They can help both sides understand whether participation is realistic and appropriate.

If someone is interested but unable to take on the role you initially described, you can mention another appropriate option when it seems useful. If the person clearly declines, respect that answer rather than continuing to negotiate for a smaller commitment.

Review what you have agreed on.

This helps make any agreements or next steps clear.

You might say, "Just to make sure I understood, you'll attend the November meeting and I'll send you the agenda beforehand. Does that sound right?" This gives the other person an opportunity to correct anything you misunderstood.

Bring the meeting to a natural conclusion and respect the time you agreed to use.

Let the prospective participant know what the next steps are going to be.

It might be, "I'll email you the information tomorrow," "I'll send you the registration link," or "Would you like me to contact you after the next meeting?"

Agree on the next step and, when possible, the person's preferred communication method. Don't surprise people with repeated calls, messages, or other follow-up they weren't expecting.

Thank the prospective participant.

Thank the person for their time and for any participation or follow-up they have agreed to. Provide any useful materials they requested.

If there is time, a little more conversation may end the meeting.

Let the meeting end naturally. A friendly closing can reinforce the relationship without needing to turn every last moment into another recruitment effort.

Follow up on what you said you were going to do from your end.

If you promised information, an introduction, a link, an accommodation, or another next step, provide it promptly. Reliability helps build trust.

Unscheduled meetings

The suggestions above apply especially to meetings that have been scheduled or arranged in advance. Sometimes, however, organizations also conduct door-to-door outreach, canvassing, tabling, or other community contact without individual appointments.

These situations require additional consideration because you are approaching people who may not be expecting the interaction. Respect for privacy, safety, time, and the person's right to decline is especially important.

Why might an organization use door-to-door outreach?

• You may want to provide information to households throughout a specific geographic area, such as a neighborhood affected by a proposed development or service change.
• You may be part of a larger community campaign in which volunteers are assigned different geographic areas.
• Your goal may be a specific one-time action, such as sharing information about a public meeting, asking eligible people to sign a petition, or inviting community members to participate in an event.
• You may want broad geographic outreach rather than a small number of longer individual meetings.

Door-to-door outreach can be useful, but it also places responsibility on the organization to protect both residents and outreach workers and to avoid intrusive or high-pressure practices.

Before

• Learn about the community. Understand the issue, geography, languages, accessibility needs, local organizations, and other relevant context. Learn enough to communicate respectfully without making assumptions about individual households.
• Define the outreach area and purpose. Decide whether you're contacting every household in a geographic area or using another appropriate method. Avoid profiling individual homes or residents by gender, race, disability, family status, homeownership, or other characteristics unless there is a legitimate and appropriate reason connected to the program and lawful outreach.
• Plan your route and safety procedures. Use current maps or navigation tools, make sure outreach workers know the area they're assigned, and establish a way for team members to stay in contact.
• Set realistic goals for how much outreach can be completed without rushing people or sacrificing safety.
• Consider advance notice when useful. A flyer, neighborhood announcement, email, social media post, or message through a local organization can let residents know that outreach workers may be visiting.
• Plan for common situations. What should workers do if no one answers, a child answers the door, a resident asks them to leave, someone wants additional information, or someone invites them inside? Establish safety and privacy expectations in advance. Workers generally should not enter a private residence unless the organization's policies and the circumstances clearly support doing so safely.
• Choose reasonable outreach times. Avoid times likely to be disruptive, such as very early morning or late at night, and follow applicable local rules and community expectations.
• Dress appropriately for the work. Clothing should fit the weather, safety needs, and organizational role. Identification such as a badge or organizational shirt may help residents understand who is at the door.

During

At the doorstep, your first responsibility is to identify yourself clearly and give the resident enough information to decide whether they want to continue the conversation.

• Introduce yourself by name and identify your organization. If a mutual acquaintance genuinely suggested the contact and gave permission to be mentioned, you can say so.
• State briefly why you're there.
• Don't require a resident to provide their name unless it is actually needed. If they volunteer it or you need it for a particular request, handle the information appropriately.
• Ask whether they have a moment to talk. If they say no, thank them and leave. If they ask for another way to receive the information, provide one when possible.
• Explain the issue briefly and clearly. Ask what the resident already knows when that would help, rather than assuming their familiarity or viewpoint.
• Ask genuine questions. Listen to the person's views and concerns. Don't use a series of questions designed primarily to make them say "yes" before presenting your request.
• State the action you're inviting them to consider. It might be attending a meeting, signing a petition when eligible, completing a survey, volunteering, making a contribution, or another action. Make clear that the choice is theirs.
• Explain why the action may matter. Focus on the purpose and community impact rather than assuming what the individual personally stands to gain.
• Respond appropriately to the person's decision.
  • If someone has questions or is uncertain, answer what you can and provide additional information if they want it.
  • If the original request doesn't fit but the person expresses interest in another way of participating, you can discuss that option.
  • If someone says no or clearly wants the conversation to end, thank them and leave. Don't keep reducing the request or repeating your argument.
• Invite ideas when appropriate. Residents may know about concerns, resources, or community connections you haven't considered. Listen without assuming they should recruit other people for you.
• Thank the person. If further contact is needed, ask whether they would like to provide contact information and how they prefer to be reached. Don't collect phone numbers or other personal information simply because it may be useful later.
• Keep an appropriate record of the outreach. Record information necessary for the project -- for example, whether contact was made, whether follow-up was requested, and what action is needed. Avoid recording unnecessary personal details.
• Be friendly and respectful without being insincere. Outreach can be tiring, so work in reasonable shifts and support volunteers in taking breaks when needed.

These ideas can also apply to tabling, street outreach, canvassing, or other unscheduled community contact. Not every chance encounter should become a participation request. Use judgment, respect people's personal time, and ask permission before turning an informal interaction into an organizational conversation.

Making contact by phone

Phone contact can be useful when a real-time conversation would help but an in-person meeting isn't necessary or convenient. It may also be a good choice when the person prefers phone communication or when you already have an established relationship.

Why?

Phone calls can allow you to speak with more people without requiring travel, but speed shouldn't be the only consideration. The main question is whether a phone conversation is an appropriate, welcome, and effective way to communicate with the person.

When?

• Phone contact may be useful in many situations:
• When you're inviting someone to a specific event or short-term opportunity
• When you need to reach several people and a brief conversation is appropriate
• When your message is straightforward but may still benefit from questions and answers
• When you already know the person and phone communication is comfortable for both of you
• When a phone call is useful before or after another type of contact -- for example, to schedule a meeting or clarify next steps

How?

A few additional tips apply to phone outreach:

• Plan the main points you need to communicate, especially if the person isn't expecting your call. Introduce yourself and your organization promptly and ask whether it's a convenient time to talk.
• It can help to write a short outline or sample opening so that important information isn't forgotten. Use it as a guide rather than reading a rigid sales script.
• Speak clearly and naturally. You don't need to manufacture a particular "persuasive voice." Make sure the other person can hear and understand you, and pay attention to whether they seem comfortable continuing the conversation.
• Evaluate your outreach approach. Are people understanding the invitation? Are you contacting them through appropriate channels? Are common questions revealing information you should make clearer? Use those lessons to improve future communication rather than focusing only on how many people agree.

Be prepared for ordinary situations:

• The number may no longer be in service
• No one may answer
• You may not have current contact information
• You may reach voicemail
• The person may not be available
• The person may not want to speak at that time
• The person may ask you to call back another time
• The person may end the call quickly

If you reach voicemail, a brief message identifying yourself, your organization, the purpose of the call, and an appropriate way to respond is usually enough. Don't repeatedly call someone who hasn't asked for additional contact. When appropriate, use email, text, or another agreed-upon channel instead.

Keep the conversation as long as it remains useful and welcome. The goal isn't to keep someone on the line until they agree; it's to communicate clearly, answer questions, and let them make their own decision.

Dealing with rejection

Not everyone will want or be able to participate, and that is normal. People may decline because of time, priorities, disagreement, lack of interest, previous experiences, or many other reasons. A refusal does not necessarily mean that your outreach failed.

Respect the answer. Thank the person for considering the invitation, and don't take a refusal personally. If they specifically say that the timing is the problem or invite you to contact them about a future opportunity, you can follow up later. Otherwise, leave the relationship on good terms and move on.

You can still learn from patterns in your outreach. If many people mention the same barrier or concern, the organization may need to reconsider its meeting schedule, accessibility, role expectations, communication, or other aspects of participation.

In Summary

Making personal contact with potential participants can take time and skill. Good outreach requires preparation, clarity, listening, respect, and follow-through. Whether you're meeting someone face-to-face, talking by phone, or conducting community outreach, the purpose should be to give people a genuine opportunity to understand the work and decide whether and how they want to participate.

When people do choose to become involved, when they take meaningful roles, build relationships, develop leadership, and contribute to stronger community action, those results can be deeply rewarding. Strong participation grows from trust and meaningful opportunity, not simply from successful persuasion.

___You understand what it means to make personal contact with potential members

___You understand how to make a good impression

You understand what to do before the meeting:

___You did homework about your target person

___You thought about the meeting ahead of time

You understand what to do at the meeting:

___You know you should thank prospective members for being there

___You know you should start with small talk

___You know how to state the purpose of the meeting

___You know you should state the benefits of your request for your target person

___You know you should pause and listen to what your prospective member has to say

___You know when to start winding up the meeting

___You know you should state the follow-up steps

___You know how to end the meeting

___You know how to conduct door-to-door meetings

___You have done prior survey of your territory

___You planned a strategy

___You know what to do during the door-to-door meetings

___You are aware of the techniques involved with making contact by phone

A PowerPoint presentation summarizing the major points in the section.

Pennie Foster-Fishman, Michigan State University Community Psychology Professor Emeritus, delivers a keynote at the Saigh Symposium in St. Louis, Missouri. She speaks to the importance of gaining perspectives from community members – especially those being served.

 

Social or community problems, by their very definition, affect many people. Too often, however, people with formal authority, professional expertise, institutional resources, or political influence define both the problem and its possible solutions. People who are directly experiencing the issue may be left out of the processes of deciding what the problem really is, what contributes to it, what should change, and how success should be measured.

Why engage people affected by problems?

Let's say that you have a rock in your shoe. No one other than you can know exactly how that rock feels. Others may have read about rocks, seen rocks, or even had a similar experience with a pebble caught in a sandal. However, you have direct knowledge of this particular experience because you are the person living it.

The same concept applies to social and community problems. People who directly experience an issue often understand barriers, consequences, community strengths, and possible solutions in ways that are different from the perspectives of policymakers, researchers, service providers, or other professionals. Professional expertise and lived experience can both be valuable, but neither should automatically replace the other.

There are at least two important ways to engage people affected by a problem in addressing it. First, listen to them so that you better understand the causes of the problem, the barriers people encounter, the strengths and resources already present in the community, and their ideas for possible solutions. Second, create meaningful opportunities for people to participate in planning, decision-making, implementation, evaluation, advocacy, and leadership. Participation should be voluntary, and people should be able to choose the level and form of involvement that works for them. Listening is valuable even when someone does not want a formal role in the initiative.

How can people affected by the problem get engaged?

People can participate in many ways -- here are just a few:

• Participate in planning processes such as defining the problem, setting goals, developing strategies, or determining how progress will be measured
• Contribute money, supplies, connections, or other resources or help with fundraising when they choose to do so
• Volunteer in roles such as outreach, event support, communications, program activities, administration, or other work that fits their interests and availability
• Conduct or help shape research, collect community information, write or review grant proposals, develop communications, or document community experiences
• Attend public events such as community meetings, hearings, rallies, workshops, listening sessions, or fundraising events
• Serve on committees, working groups, advisory boards, or project teams
• Take leadership and decision-making roles in a community partnership
• Share lived experience, stories, or community knowledge when they choose to do so and when appropriate privacy and consent protections are in place
• Help evaluate whether programs, policies, or strategies are actually working for the people they are intended to benefit

When examining a problem, perspectives from many people and sectors of the community can be valuable. For instance, a parent of a pregnant adolescent may have different needs and ideas from those of the adolescent herself, even though adolescent pregnancy affects both of them. Neither perspective should automatically substitute for the other. Unfortunately, people who directly experience a problem are still sometimes excluded from decision-making or invited only into limited roles after important decisions have already been made.

Who should you ask to participate?

People affected by the issue may differ in many ways, including socioeconomic background, race, ethnicity, culture, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability status, geography, immigration experience, family circumstances, and other lived experiences. It is important to create opportunities for meaningful participation that reflect the diversity of those affected.

Some of the most important participants are people with direct experience of the issue. For example, if you are working on a youth suicide prevention initiative, young people should have meaningful opportunities to contribute to the effort. Depending on the purpose and safeguards in place, the initiative may also benefit from perspectives of family members, friends, survivors of suicide attempts, and others who have been directly affected.

Take intentional steps to involve people and communities whose perspectives are often overlooked or excluded from decision-making. This may include people experiencing economic hardship, people with disabilities, rural residents, immigrants and refugees, people who speak languages other than English, people who have experienced discrimination, or others who face barriers to participation.

Participation may be especially difficult when an issue involves trauma, stigma, safety concerns, legal risks, immigration concerns, health information, or other sensitive experiences. People should not have to publicly disclose personal experiences in order to have a voice. Offer multiple ways to participate, protect confidentiality where appropriate, and avoid asking people to repeatedly retell painful experiences simply to establish their credibility.

There are several ways to connect with people affected by an issue. These approaches can help whether you're inviting participation in listening sessions, committees, planning groups, organizing, advocacy, evaluation, or other forms of community action:

• Every community is different, so learn directly from community members about where people work, socialize, volunteer, receive services, shop, access information, learn, worship, gather, and connect with one another.
• People may already participate in agency boards, advisory committees, neighborhood councils, community organizations, advocacy networks, mutual-aid groups, social movements, cultural organizations, faith communities, or neighborhood improvement associations.
• Local government offices, libraries, community foundations, chambers of commerce, nonprofit organizations, health and human service agencies, neighborhood groups, faith communities, cultural organizations, schools, and other community partners may help you identify existing groups and networks. Don't rely only on large or well-established institutions; informal networks may also be important.
• Public meetings, forums, and community events can help you connect with people who aren't already involved in formal organizations. Hold activities at times and locations that are practical for the people you hope to involve, provide accessible and language-appropriate information, and use facilitation methods that give everyone a reasonable opportunity to participate. Large groups may require breakout sessions, small-group discussions, multiple facilitators, online participation, or other formats rather than relying on a single fixed group-size rule.
• Listening sessions are designed specifically to help community members describe the issues, priorities, strengths, and concerns that matter to them. A public forum or listening session can demonstrate that community perspectives matter, but only if organizers listen seriously, communicate what they learned, and explain how community input will affect decisions.

What are some potential obstacles to participation?

It is easy to blame low participation on apathy or lack of motivation, especially when you're frustrated. You may find yourself thinking that parents don't care about their family's health or that young people don't care about violence in their schools or neighborhoods. In reality, people often face practical, institutional, social, or historical barriers that make participation difficult.

Before asking why people aren't participating, examine whether the way your organization is structured makes participation realistic and worthwhile.

People who are new to a particular organization may also need orientation to its processes, terminology, decision-making structure, or meeting practices. This doesn't mean they lack the skills to participate. Longtime members may be just as unfamiliar with another community's communication style or experience. Make expectations clear for everyone, explain unfamiliar processes, and provide facilitation, mentoring, training, or other support when it would help people contribute effectively.

Before trying to engage people, ask yourself what obstacles may inhibit participation among those affected by the problem.

• Preconceptions and attitudes within your organization: Are you making assumptions such as, "Working parents are too busy to participate," "young people aren't interested," or "people in this neighborhood don't come to meetings"? Examine these beliefs. Ask people directly what would make participation possible rather than deciding in advance what they will or will not do.
• Inadequate community communication: People may simply be unaware of opportunities to participate or may not receive information through the channels you're using. Ask community partners how people prefer to receive information, and communicate through several appropriate channels when necessary.
• Unclear or unfamiliar processes: People may hesitate to participate if they don't know what will happen, what their role will be, who makes decisions, or whether their contribution will matter. Explain expectations, decision-making authority, time commitments, and available support clearly.
• History of exclusion or token participation: Some people may have been ignored in the past or included only after decisions were already made. If community members expect their input to be dismissed, asking them to participate again may reasonably be met with skepticism. Rebuilding trust requires more than another invitation; it requires demonstrating that their perspectives can actually influence the work.
• Leadership that is unwilling to share influence: Are leaders willing to change plans in response to community input? Are decisions already made before participation begins? Will community members have real influence or only advisory roles? Meaningful engagement requires clarity about what participants can actually affect.
• Systems that are difficult to navigate: Government, institutional, funding, and policy processes can be complicated and difficult to access. Provide clear information, interpretation, training, accompaniment, or other assistance so people don't have to become experts before they can participate.
• Lack of time: Work schedules, caregiving, school, health needs, and other responsibilities can limit participation. Offer different meeting times or participation formats when possible and avoid making activities longer than necessary.
• Lack of transportation: Choose locations that are familiar and reasonably accessible. When possible, provide transportation assistance, reimburse travel expenses, offer remote participation, or share clear information about public transportation and parking.
• Lack of child care or caregiving support: Child care costs and caregiving responsibilities can be significant barriers. When feasible, provide safe and appropriate child care, reimburse caregiving expenses, offer child-friendly participation options, or provide remote alternatives.
• Cost of participation: Transportation, parking, meals, unpaid time away from work, internet access, or other expenses may make participation difficult. Consider stipends, honoraria, reimbursement, meals, technology assistance, or other supports when resources allow, especially when asking community members to contribute substantial time or lived expertise.
• Language and accessibility barriers: Translation, interpretation, captions, accessible documents, sign-language interpretation, accessible meeting spaces, assistive technology compatibility, plain-language materials, and other accommodations may be necessary for meaningful participation.
• Safety, privacy, or stigma: Some people may risk discrimination, retaliation, unwanted disclosure, or emotional harm by participating publicly. Offer confidential or anonymous ways to contribute when appropriate and be clear about how personal information will be handled.
• Overcommitment: Don't build an initiative that depends on a few people continually doing more than is realistic. Share responsibilities, establish reasonable expectations, and recognize that people's availability may change.
• Group structure that makes participation difficult: Large meetings can work well for some purposes but may make discussion harder for others. Use breakout groups, small working teams, online participation, multiple facilitators, surveys, or other approaches so people have different ways to contribute.
• Poor coordination among existing groups: If several organizations are already working on the issue, look for ways to coordinate efforts and reduce unnecessary duplication without assuming that every organization should merge or give up its own priorities.
• History of unproductive meetings: People who have repeatedly attended meetings where nothing changed may reasonably question whether another meeting is worth their time. Explain what decisions are open, how input will be used, who is responsible for follow-up, and what participants can expect afterward.

Remember: Examine barriers with an open mind, ask people directly what gets in the way, and look for changes your organization can make rather than assuming the problem lies with the people who aren't participating.

How do you support community members in becoming and remaining engaged?

Learn from the people you hope to engage

People participate for different reasons and under different circumstances. Learn directly from community members about what matters to them, what makes participation worthwhile, what barriers they face, what forms of participation they prefer, and what would make the experience respectful and sustainable.

Understanding the physical, social, cultural, economic, and political environment can help your organization design better opportunities for participation. But don't rely only on imagining what another person's life must be like. Ask people about their experiences, listen to their answers, and involve them in designing the engagement process itself.

Recognize strengths

Every person brings a combination of talents, skills, knowledge, relationships, cultural experience, lived experience, beliefs, and values. Recognize these strengths rather than viewing people only through the problems they have experienced. Make room for individuals to identify the ways they would like to contribute and the skills they would like to develop.

Communities also have strengths, networks, leadership, organizations, traditions, and ways of solving problems that may already support collective action. Learn how people in the community organize, communicate, provide mutual support, make decisions, and get things done. Avoid assuming that a cultural or demographic group has one organizing style or that civic participation is unfamiliar to it.

Recognize different reasons for participation

Individuals have different reasons for becoming involved. Rather than assuming everyone has the same basic motivations, ask what makes participation meaningful to them.

People may value opportunities to:

• Contribute to an issue or community they care about
• Know that their knowledge, work, or lived experience is genuinely useful
• Have meaningful influence over decisions that affect them
• Gain information, skills, connections, or experience
• Build relationships and a sense of community
• Have their work and contributions acknowledged in ways that are meaningful to them

Build reciprocal relationships

Community engagement works best when relationships are not one-sided. Don't approach a community only when you need members, testimony, data, volunteers, or support. Learn about other concerns that matter to the people and organizations you're working with and look for genuine opportunities to collaborate, share information, offer resources, or support related work when doing so fits your mission and capacity.

Reciprocity should not be treated as a trade -- "support us now so we'll support you later." The goal is to build trustworthy relationships and recognize that community issues often overlap.

Recognize that groups are made up of individuals

People who share a neighborhood, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, age, gender identity, profession, income level, or other characteristic may still have very different experiences and views. Don't expect one person to represent an entire community. Create opportunities for a range of people to participate and recognize each person's perspective as their own unless they have been formally selected to represent an organization or constituency.

Invite people personally when appropriate

Personal invitations can help people understand why you believe their participation would be valuable and give them an opportunity to ask questions. You can invite people directly, ask trusted community partners to share an opportunity, or make information available through broader outreach.

A personal invitation should still leave room for the person to decline. Don't pressure employers, teachers, service providers, or others to recruit people who may feel obligated to participate because of the power relationship involved.

Match roles with interests, skills, experience, and development goals

Ask people what they enjoy doing, what experience they bring, what they would like to learn, and what kind of responsibility they want. Someone who enjoys public speaking may want to speak at meetings, while someone else may prefer research, writing, outreach, logistics, data analysis, facilitation, design, or another role. Don't assign roles based simply on whether someone seems outgoing, quiet, young, old, professional, or inexperienced.

Make participants feel welcome by listening to them and taking them seriously

When new participants arrive for their first meeting or activity, welcome them, explain how the group works, and make sure they know how to participate. Ask for their perspectives, but don't put someone on the spot as a spokesperson for a larger group. Give people meaningful opportunities to contribute rather than only minor tasks.

Active listening can help people understand one another, especially when experiences or opinions differ. Useful practices include asking clarifying questions, summarizing what you heard, allowing people to finish their thoughts, and checking that you understood correctly.

Seven Tips for Active Listening

1. Give the speaker your attention. Minimize distractions when possible and use forms of attention that are comfortable and appropriate for both people. Don't assume that eye contact is required for someone to be listening or engaged.
2. Pay attention to words, tone, context, and what the person explicitly tells you about how they feel. Nonverbal communication can provide context, but don't assume that a particular gesture, expression, or tone has one fixed meaning across people or cultures.
3. Be genuinely interested in what the other person is saying. Treat their experience as information worth understanding, not simply as something to respond to.
4. Restate or summarize important points when helpful. You might say, "It sounds like the biggest concern is..." and ask whether you've understood correctly.
5. Ask clarifying questions when you need more information instead of assuming what the person meant.
6. Be aware of your own reactions, assumptions, and strong opinions. During disagreement, avoid interrupting or preparing your response while the other person is still speaking.
7. Respond honestly after you have listened. Active listening doesn't require pretending to agree; it creates room for respectful two-way communication.

Show appreciation for each person's contributions

Let people know that their time, knowledge, work, and participation matter. Appreciation can take many forms: a direct thank-you, appropriate compensation or reimbursement, acknowledgement in a report, opportunities for leadership, a note of appreciation, a community celebration, or public recognition when the person wants it. Ask people how they prefer to be recognized rather than assuming that everyone wants certificates, publicity, or public attention.

Know yourself

It is equally important to understand yourself because your assumptions, priorities, communication style, role, and authority shape the engagement process. Ask yourself:

• What motivates me?
• Why am I participating?
• What do I want to achieve?
• What assumptions am I making about other people or communities?
• How willing am I to share information, influence, credit, and decision-making?
• What commitments can I realistically make and follow through on?

Remain organized

People are more likely to remain involved when they understand what is happening, what their responsibilities are, how decisions are made, and what comes next. Good organization also reduces the burden placed on community members who are contributing their time. Keep agendas, schedules, responsibilities, contact information, and follow-up clear, and make sure organizational systems are accessible to the people expected to use them.

Define and clarify the plans, goals, and purposes of the group early on

People should understand what the group is trying to accomplish and which decisions are genuinely open to their influence. Develop clear plans and realistic goals, but be prepared to revise them as community perspectives and new information emerge.

It is also useful to develop a practical timeline. If people see no progress -- or if the work moves so quickly that they cannot participate meaningfully -- they may lose confidence in the process. A timeline can help everyone understand what has been completed, what remains to be done, and when important decisions will occur.

Establish good communication within the group and among different groups

Community groups are more likely to share information, coordinate resources, and avoid unnecessary duplication when communication is consistent and accessible. Keep participants informed about decisions, progress, changes, and opportunities to provide input. Use more than one communication method when necessary so that important information does not depend on a single platform.

Use meeting time wisely

People value their time. Participation may compete with paid work, caregiving, school, transportation, health needs, family responsibilities, or rest. Meetings should have a clear purpose, useful agenda, appropriate facilitation, and a predictable end time whenever possible. Not every decision or update requires a meeting; email, shared documents, short calls, surveys, or other methods may sometimes work better.

Example:

Yuka's organizational meetings for volunteers at a local domestic violence hotline were thorough, but they tended to run long. Yuka believed it was important to cover every agenda item at the monthly meetings, and volunteers were expected to attend. More and more volunteers were dropping out, and Yuka didn't know why.

One day, Yuka ran into a former volunteer and asked what had made participation difficult. The volunteer explained that the unpredictable meeting length made child care expensive and difficult to arrange.

Yuka realized that the meeting structure itself was creating a barrier. She improved facilitation, established predictable meeting times, reconsidered which meetings truly required attendance, and arranged child-care support for volunteers who needed it. The changes made participation more realistic for caregivers and improved volunteer retention.

Above all, create a respectful and realistic environment

Hope and enthusiasm can help sustain community work, but participants should not be expected to remain positive when they have legitimate concerns or frustrations. Make room for disagreement, uncertainty, and criticism. A healthy group acknowledges challenges, learns from mistakes, celebrates progress, and gives people realistic reasons to believe that their participation matters.

In Summary

People directly affected by a community problem bring knowledge, experience, relationships, and perspectives that cannot be replaced by professional expertise alone. Meaningful engagement means more than inviting people to attend meetings or help carry out plans that others have already made. It means creating genuine opportunities to shape how problems are defined, how strategies are developed, how decisions are made, and how success is evaluated.

Organizations can support participation by listening carefully, sharing decision-making where possible, reducing practical and institutional barriers, respecting different levels of involvement, compensating or reimbursing community expertise when appropriate, creating accessible participation options, and following through on what they hear. The goal is not simply to "get people engaged." It is to build a process in which people affected by the issue can influence the work in ways that are meaningful, voluntary, and respectful.

Tool 1: Engaging People with Lived Experience Toolkit

The Engaging People with Lived Experience Toolkit was created by the People with Lived Experience Workgroup and Community Champions from the 100 Million Healthier Lives initiative. This resource helps organizations work closely with people who have direct experience with important community issues. It offers practical ways to encourage collaboration, focusing on inclusive leadership, co-design, and mutual support. The toolkit guides organizations through six main steps, helping them value different perspectives and build strong teams that can create lasting change.

___You understand why it's important to get people affected by a problem engaged

___You understand that you can get people affected by a problem engaged by listening to them

___You understand that you can get people affected by a problem engaged by helping empower them to tackle the problems they confront

___You understand that those affected by the problem or issue may vary greatly in social class, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, religion, or culture

___You have familiarized yourself with your community

___You have a good idea about how people are already engaged in civic groups

___You have found out what exists in your community by contacting the mayor's office, the city manager, the chamber of commerce, engaged city officials, information and referral agencies, and leaders in non-profit agencies

___You have used public hearings and meetings to reach people who aren't engaged in any groups

___You have used listening sessions to invite people to be heard about the issues and problems that are important to them

___You understand some of the obstacles that prevent people affected by a problem from getting engaged

___You have asked yourself whether the following obstacles could possibly inhibit participation of those affected by the problem:

• Preconceptions and attitudes within your organization
• Inadequate community communication
• Limited experience
• History of being ignored
• Resistant leaders
• Sense of powerlessness
• Lack of time
• Lack of transportation
• Lack of child care
• Overcommitted leaders or citizens
• Too many engaged
• Poor organization of existing action groups
• History of unproductive meetings

___You have motivated citizens to become and remain engaged because you:

• Know your audience
• Recognize people's strengths
• Recognize people's needs
• Support the other interests of these groups
• Recognize that groups are made up of individuals
• Ask people individually for their participation
• Match individual talents, skills, knowledge, and experience with the group's needs
• Make participants feel welcome by listening to them and taking them seriously
• Developed good active listening skills
• Show appreciation for each person's contributions
• Know yourself, and understand what motivates you and why you are participating
• Remain organized
• Defined and clarified the plans, goals, and purposes of the group early on
• Establish good communication within the group and among different groups
• Use meeting time wisely
• Keep a positive attitude at all times

Example #1: What if the poor were part of city planning? - Smruti Jukur Johari

Almost a billion people worldwide live in informal communities and slums, often without basic infrastructure like clean water, toilets or adequate roads. Urban planner Smruti Jukur Johari breaks down myths about these communities and shares examples of simple, common-sense solutions that arise when governments and architects work together with the residents -- instead of around them.

Example #2: Interview with Phil Rabinowitz

Phil Rabinowitz is the chair of the public policy committee and a board member of the Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education (MCAE). He spoke with the Community Tool Box about his experiences in getting people affected by a problem engaged in its solution.

"The U.S. Department of Education had a team traveling to several cities around the country to collect testimony about the refunding of the Adult Education Act, which is the major federal source of money for adult literacy, English as a Second or Other Language (ESOL), and Adult Basic Education (ABE). When we at the MCAE heard they were coming to Boston, we decided to put on a proper show, especially since we'd heard that the turnout in other places had been pathetic--as few as 3 or 4 people testifying in some places. Since there were only about 8 stops, we felt these kinds of numbers were inexcusable.

"We fired up the communication network to alert programs around New England, and, in addition, I wrote up an information sheet for students. I aimed it at about 4th grade level so that most could read it, but tried to word it so that it didn't talk down to anyone. It explained what the meeting was about, how it would affect us in Massachusetts if the Act wasn't refunded, exactly how much of the state funding was dependent on federal spending, etc. One assumption behind this information sheet was that people couldn't be effective advocates unless they understood exactly what they were advocating for.

"The meeting was scheduled to last for a morning, with an optional afternoon session in case there were more people waiting. Two hundred showed up to testify, most of them students, and the students were by far the most articulate and powerful, talking about how their lives had changed as a result of the opportunity to learn to read or to speak English.

"People talked about feeling like less than nothing, and thinking they were the only ones in the world who couldn't read and write well, or who didn't have a high school diploma. They talked about their own kids turning their school performance around when they realized how serious their parents were about education. Some displayed transcripts of the college courses they had taken since graduating from an adult ed. program. Students came in buses from Maine and New Hampshire, leaving at three in the morning and not getting home till after midnight, because they wanted to tell their stories.

"The Department of Education people were blown away. They stayed two extra days so they could hear everyone who wanted to testify, and later wrote to the state administrator about how impressed they were with what they had seen and heard, and how much it had swayed their opinions. They were tremendously respectful to the students who testified and to those who came to support them, and some of the stories had them in tears. All in all, a terrific example of what can happen when you get participants engaged in advocacy.

"Another time, a group of students in my program who were on welfare were tremendously concerned about what Massachusetts welfare reform would do to their chances for completing the program and continuing with their education. The proposal called for welfare recipients to receive benefits for two years and then they'd be taken off, never to be put back on again. They would have to work 20 hours--either paid or volunteer--to stay on even for the two years, and there was no support for education or training.

"On their own initiative, the students met and drafted a list of questions about the reform regulations: Where was child care going to come from for those who did community service? Wouldn't it make more sense for the administration to support education and training if they wanted people to be self-supporting after they got off welfare? Why were welfare recipients themselves not engaged in the planning of reform? And so on.

"They took 100 copies of these questions to a public meeting and made a presentation to a group including a couple of state senators and the head of the Department of Transitional Assistance (a position that corresponds with the state commissioner of welfare in most states). Nothing much, except lots of local support, came of all this, but the group of women engaged went on to other things. The experience served to show them that they had a right to be listened to, and the feedback they got from others at the meeting confirmed that what they had to say was intelligent and necessary. I've never felt prouder of a group of people."

Example #3: Creating Healthy Neighborhoods through Member Engagement

A PowerPoint presentation summarizing the major points in the section.

• What do we mean by people with influence?

• Why involve people with influence?

• How do you identify and meet people with influence in a community?

• When do you involve people with influence?

• How do you involve people with influence?

Much of community work involves helping people understand issues, consider new ideas, participate in community decisions, volunteer their time, contribute resources, or adopt practices that support individual and community well-being. Influence can play an important part in that work. Influence may come from formal authority, trusted relationships, professional expertise, lived experience, community involvement, or a long record of service.

Every community has people whose ideas, decisions, relationships, or actions affect what happens. They may include elected officials, business and nonprofit leaders, faith leaders, educators, advocates, neighborhood leaders, young people, older adults, or other community members who have earned trust. Building respectful relationships with people who have different kinds of influence can strengthen a community initiative, but their involvement should complement -- not replace -- participation by people directly affected by the issue.

What do we mean by people with influence?

People with influence are individuals whose roles, expertise, relationships, or standing in the community give them opportunities to shape decisions, connect people and resources, share information, or help others understand an issue. Their influence may be formal, such as the authority of an elected official or agency director, or informal, such as the trust earned by a neighborhood organizer, youth leader, longtime volunteer, local business owner, or respected community elder.

Influence doesn't mean that one person can speak for an entire community. A trusted community member can share their own experience, knowledge, and what they hear through their relationships, but communities contain many different perspectives. When you need to understand what a particular community thinks or needs, involve multiple people and organizations rather than depending on one influential person to represent everyone.

Why involve people with influence?

So what are some advantages of involving people with relevant influence, knowledge, or community relationships?

• People with trusted community relationships may help you identify concerns, questions, and priorities that your organization has not yet considered.
• They may help you understand how different parts of the community could interpret or respond to an initiative, while recognizing that no one person can predict everyone's reaction.
• They may know community history, previous efforts, relationships, or conflicts that could affect the work.
• They may help introduce the initiative to people or organizations that would otherwise be difficult to reach and may encourage meaningful participation when they genuinely support the effort.
• Their participation may increase confidence in the initiative when community members know and trust them, especially when the relationship is transparent and they understand the work well enough to support it honestly.
• They may help address specific community problems by contributing knowledge, relationships, authority, or other resources.
• They may help create dialogue with people who have questions, concerns, or different perspectives about your initiative.
• They may have access to resources such as people, space, equipment, expertise, funding opportunities, communication channels, or meeting places that could support the work.

How do you identify and meet people with influence in a community?

Some people with relevant influence are easy to identify because of their formal roles -- elected officials, agency directors, school leaders, board members, or other people with decision-making responsibilities. Others may have influence because people trust them, turn to them for information, or rely on them to bring people together. Influence can also vary by issue. Someone who is highly influential in business development may have little influence on youth programs, while a student organizer or parent leader may be highly influential on an education issue.

Instead of separating community members into "players" and "bystanders," ask who has relevant knowledge, trusted relationships, decision-making responsibility, lived experience, or connections to the people most affected by the issue.

People who may help you understand where different forms of influence and leadership exist include, in no particular order:

• Directors and staff of human service and government agencies
• Legislative and public-policy staff
• Grassroots organizers and community advocates
• Faith and religious leaders
• Business, labor, economic-development, and civic leaders, including people active in chambers of commerce, service organizations, professional associations, and other community networks
• Community foundation, United Way, nonprofit, and philanthropic leaders and board members
• Older adult leaders, advocates, and community members
• Youth leaders and student organizers
• Neighborhood and resident leaders
• People with lived experience related to the issue

Relationships matter at every stage of this process, but personal contact is not the only way to build them. Participate in community meetings, events, advisory groups, professional networks, online forums, and other places where relevant people and organizations already connect. Ask trusted contacts, "Who else should we be talking with?" and "Whose perspective is missing?" These questions can help you identify people and communities that aren't already part of your usual network.

Once you've begun identifying people you may want to contact, look for an appropriate way to introduce yourself. A trusted mutual contact may be willing to make an introduction. Public officials and their staff often have established processes for requesting meetings or providing public comment. Community organizations may have public contact information, meetings, events, or office hours. Use the approach that fits the relationship and setting rather than assuming every contact requires a personal introduction.

When asking for an introduction, explain why you believe the conversation would be useful. Avoid exaggerating the person's importance simply to flatter them. A respectful, specific request is usually stronger: "Jordan suggested I speak with you because of your work on neighborhood transportation and your experience with the residents most affected by this issue."

Ultimately, involving people with influence depends on building credible relationships, providing accurate information, listening to their perspectives, and giving them enough information to decide whether and how they want to participate.

When do you involve people with influence?

This depends largely on the role you're inviting them to play, but when someone's knowledge, relationships, authority, or lived experience is important to the work, it is usually better to involve them early enough for their input to matter. People are more likely to contribute meaningfully when they are included in shaping the work rather than asked only to endorse decisions that have already been made.

If your initiative is already well underway, however, don't assume it's too late. People can still contribute useful knowledge, relationships, resources, advocacy, or other forms of support. Be honest about what has already been decided and what remains open to change.

Some particularly appropriate points to encourage involvement are:

Special events

Community forums, public meetings, fundraising events, awareness events, conferences, neighborhood activities, and visits with policymakers can all provide opportunities to involve people with relevant influence or expertise. Their role should be clear. They might speak, participate in a panel, make introductions, provide resources, attend as a community member, or help connect the event with other networks.

Don't assume someone's presence automatically communicates endorsement. If you publicly identify a participant as a supporter, spokesperson, sponsor, or organizational partner, make sure that description accurately reflects the role they agreed to play.

Critical points for your organization or issue

At times when a great deal is at stake, people with decision-making authority, trusted relationships, specialized knowledge, or access to resources may be particularly useful. They may communicate with policymakers, explain the issue to their networks, help solve organizational problems, identify resources, or contribute to a coordinated response.

Concentrated campaigns, either for public awareness of the issue, or for funds

People with trusted relationships may help extend accurate information to communities you have difficulty reaching, introduce you to additional partners, or explain why they personally believe the work is worth supporting. Their participation should be genuine and transparent rather than treated simply as a way to borrow their reputation.

How do you involve people with influence?

Consider which people with influence may be relevant to your work

Think about people who are already involved, people who have shown interest in your work, and people whose roles, experience, or community relationships could add perspectives or resources that are currently missing. Also consider people directly affected by the issue who may have influence within their own communities even if they do not hold formal titles.

One useful method is sometimes called the "snowball" technique: ask people you already know to suggest others you should consider talking with. Don't ask only, "Who has influence?" Also ask, "Who understands this issue?" "Who do people trust?" "Who is directly affected?" and "Who are we overlooking?"

Some people you may consider include:

• Local agency board members
• Public safety, legal-system, violence-prevention, or community-safety leaders when relevant to the issue
• Faith and religious leaders
• Local government officials, public-agency staff, and other policymakers
• School administrators, teachers, students, family and caregiver leaders, school board members, and other education partners, especially when your work involves young people or education
• People involved in civic engagement, campaigns, voting access, and public policy
• Directors, staff members, participants, and leaders of health and human service organizations
• Journalists, community media leaders, and other trusted information networks
• Local business owners, employers, labor leaders, economic-development organizations, and other people involved in the local economy
• Neighborhood leaders, tenant and resident leaders, cultural organizations, disability advocates, youth leaders, and others with trusted relationships in communities directly affected by the issue

Learn what matters to them and identify genuine areas of alignment

Find out what issues, responsibilities, and goals matter to the people or organizations you're considering involving. The simplest and usually most reliable way is to ask them. You can also learn from their publicly available work, previous community involvement, organizational mission, or public statements.

Avoid assuming that people who share a race, profession, religion, political affiliation, neighborhood, or other characteristic automatically share the same priorities. For example, if you are working to make a school curriculum more culturally inclusive, you might speak with students, families, educators, cultural organizations, civil-rights organizations, faith communities, and others who have experience with the issue. No one organization or leader should automatically be treated as speaking for an entire racial or cultural community.

Look for real connections between your goals and theirs. If those connections exist, explain them clearly. What shared problem are you trying to address? What responsibility or interest connects them to the issue? What role are you inviting them to consider? This is more useful than developing a "sales pitch" designed to make the person agree.

Another important strategy is to become a reliable source of information about your issue. Provide accurate information, acknowledge uncertainty when it exists, and make it easy for people to find evidence and community perspectives. Policymakers, organizational leaders, journalists, and others are more likely to maintain a relationship with people who provide useful and trustworthy information.

Community members also have the right to communicate directly with elected officials and other decision-makers. If public policy affects your issue, provide accurate information about meetings, hearings, public comment opportunities, contact information, and other lawful ways people can make their views known. Don't claim that a few supporters represent "what the voters want" unless you actually have evidence to support that conclusion.

Don't assume the interests of business owners, bankers, elected officials, educators, faith leaders, or other groups. Ask how the issue relates to their responsibilities, organization, employees, families, customers, members, or community, and listen to their answer.

Contact people with influence and invite their participation

This can be as simple as a phone call or email when you already know the person. In other situations, you might request a meeting, send a formal invitation, attend a public meeting or community event, or ask a mutual contact for an introduction. The method should fit the relationship and the importance of the request.

Be prepared to explain or answer questions about:

• How the person or organization could become involved
• What responsibilities, decision-making authority, time commitment, and level of involvement the role would include
• Why you believe the issue connects with the person's or organization's responsibilities, goals, experience, or community relationships
• When participation would begin and what the next steps would be if they are interested

Give people enough time and information to make an informed decision. Don't assume that starting immediately is always best or that hesitation means they need more persuasion.

Explain the many ways in which they can become involved

There are a number of ways people with different kinds of influence, expertise, or community relationships may support an organization or cause. For example:

• They can become members of your Board of Directors or an advisory board when their experience and responsibilities are appropriate to that role
• They can serve as spokespersons or public supporters when they genuinely understand and agree with the message they are being asked to communicate
• They can help raise funds or connect the organization with appropriate funding opportunities
• They can contribute professional expertise or in-kind services, such as legal, accounting, communications, technical, or planning assistance, when they choose to do so
• They can help build relationships with communities, organizations, or sectors where they already have trusted connections. Don't ask one individual to represent an entire racial, cultural, economic, disability, neighborhood, or other population; instead, involve multiple people and organizations and clarify when someone has been formally authorized to represent a particular group.
• They can communicate with local and state government about funding, policy, or other forms of support
• They can participate in or help organize events related to the issue when that role fits their interests and availability

Maintain their involvement

Strong relationships require more than a successful first invitation. Keep people informed, involve them meaningfully, follow through on commitments, respect their time, and show appreciation for what they contribute. Public recognition may be appropriate in some cases, but not everyone wants public attention, so ask before highlighting someone's involvement.

Here are some other general tips for building and maintaining support:

• Be helpful to others because strong community work depends on reciprocal relationships. Share useful information, make appropriate introductions, support partners when you can, and collaborate in ways that benefit the broader community rather than keeping track of favors to collect later.
• Give participants useful feedback about the effects of their involvement. Let them know what happened, what progress has been made, and where additional help may be useful.
• Show that the work is needed and that your organization is learning from evidence, community experience, and results. People who invest their time or resources generally want to understand whether the work is making a meaningful difference. Share both accomplishments and challenges honestly, and continue involving affected communities in evaluating what is working and what needs to change.

In Summary

People with formal authority, trusted relationships, expertise, lived experience, and community connections can all contribute to community change. Their involvement may open doors, provide knowledge, connect resources, strengthen communication, and help organizations navigate systems that affect their work.

But lasting community change rarely comes from influential people alone. It also depends on meaningful participation by people directly affected by the issue and on relationships across different parts of the community. By identifying different forms of influence, involving people early enough for their perspectives to matter, communicating honestly about the roles you are offering, and building reciprocal relationships, you can strengthen both the initiative and the community connections that sustain it.

___You can identify potential influential people in your community. Some examples are:

• Director of human service or government agency
• Legislative aides
• Grassroots activists
• Religious leaders
• Business or financial leaders
• People involved in service clubs
• Local law enforcement
• Religious leaders
• Local media representatives

___You want to get influential people involved because you have a special event coming up, this is a critical point for your organization, or you want their help with a concentrated campaign.

___You realize that it is never too soon or too late to get people involved.

___You have met the influential person(s) you want to get involved possibly through community contacts or with meetings.

___You have determined the interests of the people you want to get involved and how you can appeal to those interests.

___You have contacted and asked for their participation, explaining the following:

• How they can become involved
• The level of involvement they can expect
• Why they should be involved
• When they can expect to get started

___You have taken steps to maintain their involvement.

Example: Working Together to Promote Adult Literacy

An adult literacy program had several volunteers who worked for a firm that designed and published booklets on health and psychological topics designed for populations that might have low reading levels, such as welfare recipients and teens at risk.

Through those volunteers, the director of the program was asked to give a United Way presentation to employees of the publishing firm. Through this presentation, he met the firm's owners, a married couple who were both leaders of the local business community, and particularly oriented toward community service. As a result of the director's relationship with them, they became supporters of the literacy program in several ways, including donating phones and phone costs for an annual three-day fundraising phone-a-thon.

The relationship also yielded important benefits to the publishing firm, through their asking students in the literacy program to provide feedback on their booklets. This arrangement was a great learning opportunity for students; it was also a way for them to function as experts and to gain confidence while they provided truly valuable information to the publishing firm. This two-way relationship lasted for many years, and the publishing firm remained an ardent supporter of both the organization and literacy even after the owners themselves retired.

A PowerPoint presentation summarizing the major points in the section.

 

The Community Tool Box strongly supports participatory processes. That means creating meaningful opportunities for people and groups who are affected by, have responsibilities related to, or have a significant interest in a project, initiative, intervention, policy, or other effort to participate in ways appropriate to their roles. In many situations, broad participation can bring more ideas into the process, improve understanding of the community context, identify concerns earlier, strengthen relationships, and contribute to a more effective and equitable effort. To conduct a participatory process and gain these advantages, you need to identify stakeholders, understand how they are affected, consider what influence and responsibilities they have, and decide what level and form of participation is appropriate. The same questions are useful when building support for an effort that is already underway, even if the earlier process was not fully participatory.

What do we mean by stakeholders and their interests?

Stakeholders are people, groups, organizations, institutions, or communities that may be affected by an effort, may affect its development or outcome, or have a significant responsibility or interest related to it. Some are directly affected by what happens. Others may be indirectly affected, have formal decision-making authority, contribute expertise or resources, carry out the work, or have a strong academic, philosophical, civic, economic, or political interest in the issue.

One way to characterize stakeholders is by their relationship to the effort in question. These categories can overlap, and their usefulness depends on the situation.

• Primary stakeholders are people, groups, or communities that stand to be directly affected, positively or negatively, by an effort or by the actions of an agency, institution, or organization. Different primary stakeholders may experience the same effort differently. A rent-control policy, for example, may provide greater housing stability for some tenants while creating financial or operational concerns for some landlords.
• Secondary stakeholders are people or groups that may be indirectly affected by the effort or its results. A program to reduce domestic violence, for instance, could affect emergency departments, schools, law enforcement, courts, service providers, employers, families, and others whose work or lives intersect with the issue.
• Key stakeholders are stakeholders whose responsibilities, decisions, knowledge, relationships, resources, or participation may have a substantial effect on the effort. They may include people directly affected by the issue, staff who carry out the work, funders, elected or appointed officials, organizational leaders, community advocates, or others whose involvement is especially relevant to the effort.

A stakeholder's interest in an effort may come from being affected by it, being responsible for implementing or regulating it, having a personal or organizational commitment to the issue, or expecting particular benefits, costs, responsibilities, or changes. Interest can be strong even when someone has little formal decision-making authority, and people with similar roles or backgrounds may still have very different interests.

Stakeholders' interests can be many and varied. A few common areas include:

• Economics. An employment-training program may affect participants' job opportunities, employers' hiring practices, service providers' responsibilities, and public or private funding.
• Social conditions and relationships. An effort focused on discrimination, inclusion, public safety, neighborhood development, or another community concern may affect groups differently and may influence relationships among community members and institutions.
• Work. Changes in policy, programs, or organizational practice may change workloads, responsibilities, working conditions, training needs, or opportunities for employees.
• Time. Flexible work hours, caregiver support, parental leave, participation requirements, and similar policies may affect how people balance employment, caregiving, health, education, and other responsibilities.
• Environment. Conservation, climate, land-use, transportation, energy, and development decisions can affect residents, businesses, governments, landowners, workers, and future generations in different ways.
• Physical health. Health programs and policies may affect access to care, costs, working conditions, service delivery, and community health outcomes.
• Safety and security. Violence-prevention efforts, workplace-safety policies, emergency planning, traffic changes, policing strategies, and other initiatives may improve safety for some people while raising concerns for others about access, rights, enforcement, cost, or unintended consequences.
• Mental and behavioral health. Community-based services, crisis-response systems, prevention efforts, and other programs may affect people receiving services, families, providers, schools, employers, emergency systems, and the broader community.

Both the nature and intensity of stakeholder interests are important to understand.

Why identify and analyze stakeholders and their interests?

One of the most important reasons for identifying and understanding stakeholders is to make sure that people who are affected by or responsible for an effort are not overlooked. Stakeholder analysis can also help you decide what kind of participation, communication, decision-making role, or support may be appropriate for different stakeholders.

A participatory effort that includes a broad range of relevant stakeholders can have a number of advantages:

• It puts more ideas on the table than would be the case if development and implementation were confined to a single organization or a small group of people with similar experiences.
• It includes varied perspectives from the parts of the community affected, helping create a clearer picture of the community context, possible assets, barriers, tradeoffs, and unintended consequences.
• It can build shared understanding, trust, and ownership when stakeholders have meaningful roles in development, planning, implementation, evaluation, or decision-making rather than being asked only to endorse a completed plan.
• It can make the process fairer. People who may experience substantial effects from an effort should have meaningful opportunities to understand it and, where appropriate, influence decisions about it.
• It can identify concerns early. Stakeholders may see risks, barriers, conflicts, opportunities, or unintended consequences that planners have not considered.
• It can improve the way disagreement is handled. Bringing differing perspectives into the process early gives people an opportunity to clarify concerns, identify common ground, negotiate where possible, and understand unresolved differences before critical decisions are made.
• It can strengthen relationships and connections across groups. A participatory process may create relationships among people and organizations that otherwise have few opportunities to work together, increasing trust, reciprocity, and communication across community sectors.
• It can increase the credibility of your organization or process. Taking stakeholder concerns seriously, explaining decisions, and being transparent about what people can and cannot influence can strengthen trust.
• It can increase the likelihood that the effort is relevant and workable. Understanding the people, systems, responsibilities, and conditions affected by the effort can improve both design and implementation.

Who are potential stakeholders?

As discussed above, stakeholders may be primary, secondary, key, or some combination of these. The categories below provide a starting point, but each effort and community will have its own stakeholders.

Primary stakeholders

People and communities directly affected by the effort

These are people who may experience direct benefits, burdens, opportunities, restrictions, risks, responsibilities, or other changes because of an initiative, policy, program, or organizational action.

Some examples are:

• People connected by a relevant shared experience or circumstance, such as a racial or ethnic community, socioeconomic group, disability community, immigrant community, or residents of a particular type of housing
• Residents of a particular geographic area -- a neighborhood, town, tribal community, region, or rural area
• People experiencing or at increased risk for a particular condition or problem, such as homelessness, unemployment, diabetes, food insecurity, or barriers to education
• People who participate in or receive services through a particular organization or institution -- students at a school, people involved in a justice system, people receiving public assistance, patients, tenants, or program participants
• People whose behavior, circumstances, access, or choices are relevant to the effort, while recognizing that individual behavior is often shaped by environmental, economic, social, and structural conditions as well
• Policymakers, agencies, employers, institutions, or others whose decisions or practices are the focus of an advocacy effort

Secondary stakeholders

People and organizations connected with those directly affected

These may include individuals and organizations that live with, care for, work with, provide services to, or otherwise have close relationships with people directly affected by the effort.

• Parents, spouses, siblings, children, other family members, partners, friends, and caregivers
• Schools and their employees, including teachers, counselors, aides, administrators, and other staff
• Physicians, nurses, community health workers, and other health professionals
• Social workers, counselors, therapists, peer-support workers, and others who provide support
• Health and human service organizations and the staff who work directly with participants
• Community volunteers, mutual-aid groups, peer networks, and other people who contribute services or support

People whose jobs, responsibilities, or routines may be affected by the process or results

Some individuals and groups overlap with the categories above.

• Law enforcement, courts, regulatory agencies, emergency-response personnel, and other public systems whose responsibilities may change because of new policies or practices
• Teachers, health professionals, social service providers, and others who have legal or professional reporting, safety, or service responsibilities
• Landlords, tenants, property managers, and housing organizations affected by housing policies or regulations
• Contractors, developers, planners, environmental organizations, residents, and others affected by land-use or development decisions
• Employers, employees, labor organizations, and others affected by workplace requirements, employment programs, benefits, or safety initiatives
• Community members whose daily lives, jobs, travel, neighborhood conditions, services, or routines may be affected by an effort or policy change

Key stakeholders

Government officials and policymakers

These are people and institutions with formal responsibility for laws, regulations, public resources, permits, enforcement, or other decisions that may significantly affect an effort.

• Legislators and other elected representatives who introduce, debate, and vote on laws and public budgets
• Governors, mayors, council members, county officials, tribal leaders, and other executives or elected officials responsible for public administration
• Local board and commission members, such as boards of health, school boards, planning commissions, zoning boards, and similar public bodies
• Local, state, federal, tribal, or other government agencies responsible for regulation, funding, reporting, enforcement, or service delivery
• Advisers, analysts, commissions, research bodies, advocacy organizations, and others whose information or recommendations may influence public decisions even when they do not have formal decision-making authority

People and organizations with trusted relationships or broad communication reach

• News organizations, community media, and other information networks
• People whose professional or community roles may give them broad connections or credibility, such as faith leaders, physicians, educators, nonprofit leaders, business leaders, or institutional leaders
• Community leaders, organizers, advocates, residents, elders, youth leaders, and others who have developed trust through long-term relationships, service, organizing, or lived experience

People and organizations with a significant interest in the outcome

Some stakeholders may not be directly affected by an effort but may care strongly about its outcome because of their mission, values, responsibilities, research, economic interests, or community commitments.

• Businesses, employers, trade groups, labor organizations, and economic-development organizations whose interests may be affected by workforce, regulation, infrastructure, public health, safety, environmental, or other changes
• Advocates and advocacy organizations that support, oppose, or seek changes to the effort
• Community activists, organizers, and organizations with a philosophical, civic, cultural, or political interest in the issue
• Researchers, academics, evaluators, and professional organizations with relevant knowledge or interest
• Funders and potential funders whose resources, requirements, or priorities may affect whether and how an effort proceeds
• The broader community when an effort has widespread effects or requires broad public participation, trust, or support

When should you identify stakeholders and their interests?

Regardless of the purpose of your effort, stakeholder identification should usually begin early. Early identification helps you understand who may be affected, who has relevant responsibilities or knowledge, whose participation is important, and what concerns or barriers may need attention.

• If you want a participatory process, relevant stakeholders should be involved early enough for their participation to influence important decisions. Their knowledge of the community and their own experiences may help identify problems, strengths, barriers, and opportunities that others have missed.
• If your effort involves participatory action research, people affected by the research should have meaningful opportunities to contribute to assessment, research questions, methods, interpretation, planning, implementation, and evaluation where appropriate.
• If transparency is important, involve stakeholders before major decisions are finalized and be clear about what decisions remain open to influence.
• If changes will affect people differently, involve affected groups early so that impacts, tradeoffs, barriers, and possible alternatives can be identified before implementation.
• If the effort involves legal, regulatory, contractual, land-use, safety, privacy, or other formal responsibilities, identify affected stakeholders and relevant requirements early. This can improve planning and help prevent avoidable conflicts or failures to meet legal or procedural obligations.

In most cases, the earlier relevant stakeholders can be meaningfully involved, the more opportunity there is for their knowledge and concerns to shape the work.

How do you identify and analyze stakeholders and their interests?

The first step is identifying the stakeholders. The categories above provide a starting point, but the actual list will be different for each community and effort. Pay particular attention to people directly affected by the issue, including those who may have less formal authority or may not already participate in established organizations.

Once you've identified stakeholders, try to understand how they may be affected, what responsibilities or interests they have, what influence they hold, what concerns they want addressed, and what level of participation makes sense. Some stakeholders may support the effort, some may oppose it, some may have mixed views, and others may not yet have formed an opinion.

Stakeholder analysis, sometimes called stakeholder mapping, can help organize this information. The purpose should be to understand relationships, impacts, interests, responsibilities, and influence so that participation and communication can be planned appropriately -- not simply to sort people according to how useful they are to your preferred outcome.

Identifying stakeholders

In identifying stakeholders, think beyond the most obvious groups. Indirect effects can be easy to overlook. A new regulation, service, development, or transportation change may affect workers, suppliers, caregivers, nearby residents, people who rely on public transportation, people with disabilities, or others who are not the immediate focus of the policy.

There are several ways to identify stakeholders, and using more than one approach will often yield better results.

• Brainstorm. Bring together people with different relationships to the issue and generate categories and names. Include community members affected by the issue rather than relying only on staff, officials, or established organizational leaders.
• Ask people in the affected community. Find out who they believe should be involved, which groups or perspectives are missing, who holds relevant responsibilities, and who is trusted.
• Consult organizations that have worked on similar issues, serve the affected area, or have relevant experience.
• Ask stakeholders whom else you should talk with as you identify them. This can help reveal informal leaders, affected groups, and perspectives that weren't visible initially.
• Use open invitations when appropriate. Community meetings, organizational newsletters, websites, social media, email lists, public notices, partner organizations, faith communities, and word of mouth may help identify people who consider themselves affected or interested but who weren't included in your initial analysis.

Discovering and understanding stakeholder interests

Stakeholder interests may vary greatly. Even stakeholders from the same community, profession, organization, or demographic group may have different priorities or concerns. Don't assume that someone's category tells you what they believe.

• People directly affected by an effort may strongly support it, oppose it, feel uncertain, or hold mixed views. Their response may be shaped by previous experiences with institutions, trust, expected benefits or burdens, accessibility, stigma, cost, cultural fit, time, safety, or other factors. Ask people directly rather than guessing why they feel the way they do.
• Stakeholders may have economic concerns. These concerns can reflect livelihoods, organizational sustainability, household costs, property interests, employment, public budgets, long-term community development, or other legitimate considerations. Describe the interests involved without assuming people's motives.

A classic example is the tension between open-space preservation and a landowner's ability to sell land for development. For some farmers and rural residents, land may represent both a livelihood and a substantial share of their financial security. Conservation strategies therefore sometimes seek ways to protect open space while recognizing the economic value of development rights.

Conservation easements and other land-preservation arrangements are examples of approaches that may attempt to balance these interests. The specific legal and financial arrangements vary by location and circumstance.

• Economic interests may also support an effort. A community health project, for example, could affect employment, purchasing, construction, local services, workforce stability, and public spending as well as health outcomes.
• Businesses and employers may have different views of health, labor, safety, environmental, tax, or regulatory policies depending on their size, workforce, costs, industry, customers, values, and community relationships. Avoid assuming that an entire business sector will have one position.
• Organizations, agencies, and institutions may have financial or operational interests because an effort affects their funding, staffing, reporting requirements, workload, or long-term sustainability.
• Issues involving deeply held values -- such as reproductive health policy, LGBTQ+ rights, immigration, education, public safety, or other contested topics -- may generate strong support and opposition. Understanding these positions does not mean treating every disagreement as solvable, but it can help you communicate accurately and plan responsibly.
• Political and philosophical differences may shape views about the appropriate roles of government, nonprofits, businesses, families, and individuals in addressing community problems.
• Legislators and policymakers may consider public needs, evidence, legal responsibilities, budgets, constituent views, implementation requirements, political priorities, and other factors when deciding whether to support an effort.
• Staff members may experience significant changes in workload, procedures, training requirements, authority, or responsibilities when an effort is implemented. Their practical knowledge can be valuable in identifying problems and improving implementation.

Changes in laws, regulations, funding requirements, or organizational policies may affect professionals even when they aren't the primary focus of the change. Teachers, health professionals, police, social workers, counselors, and others may face new responsibilities or procedures. Include the people who will actually carry out those responsibilities when assessing feasibility and impact.

• Family and community values may also shape stakeholder interests. People can interpret the same policy as protecting safety and well-being or as interfering unnecessarily with personal or family decision-making. Understanding these differences requires listening to the stakeholders themselves rather than assuming what they believe.

Don't guess what stakeholder interests are when you can ask. Ask people what matters to them, how they expect the effort to affect them, what concerns they have, and what changes would make the process or outcome more workable. If some stakeholders don't want formal participation, respect that decision and consider whether there are other appropriate ways to understand their perspectives without treating another person as automatically speaking for them.

Stakeholder analysis/stakeholder mapping

Once you've identified stakeholders and begun understanding their interests, stakeholder mapping can help organize what you've learned. One common approach considers two dimensions: the degree to which a stakeholder is affected by or interested in the effort, and the degree of influence the stakeholder has over decisions or implementation.

	Lower interest or effect	Higher interest or effect
Higher influence	Higher influence / lower interest	Higher influence / higher interest
Lower influence	Lower influence / lower interest	Lower influence / higher interest

These dimensions are continuous rather than fixed categories. A stakeholder can fall anywhere along each dimension, and their position can change as an effort develops.

A map like this can help you think about different engagement needs, but it has important limitations. Formal influence is not the same as importance. People with little institutional power may experience the largest effects from an effort and may therefore require especially meaningful opportunities to participate. Similarly, someone with high formal authority may have little direct knowledge of the issue.

For that reason, many community efforts may benefit from considering more than two dimensions. In addition to influence and interest, ask:

• How strongly will this stakeholder be affected?
• What rights, responsibilities, or decision-making authority do they have?
• What knowledge or lived experience do they contribute?
• What barriers may limit their participation?
• What level of involvement is appropriate and desired?

Understanding influence

Influence can take several forms:

• An individual or institution may have formal legal or governmental authority.
• An administrator, board, funder, employer, regulator, or other institution may control resources, policies, or organizational decisions.
• Some people have broad community connections or are trusted because of their professional role, community service, advocacy, lived experience, or long-standing relationships.
• People or organizations with large networks may be able to share information or connect an effort with many others.
• People may also have influence because others respect their judgment, integrity, expertise, organizing ability, or commitment to the community.
• Economic influence may come from employment, investment, property ownership, purchasing, philanthropy, or control over other resources. Consider how this influence affects the process without treating it as automatically more important than the interests of people directly affected.

Influence and interest may be internal or external to an organization or community. Staff members who actually carry out an effort, for instance, may have substantial influence over whether it works even if they have little formal authority. Participants and community members may also influence legitimacy, implementation, and long-term sustainability.

Stakeholder engagement

Stakeholder analysis is useful only when it informs practice. In community work, it is often more helpful to think in terms of stakeholder engagement rather than stakeholder management. People are not resources to be moved into favorable positions. They have their own interests, rights, responsibilities, choices, and perspectives.

Engagement can include communication, consultation, shared planning, partnership, negotiation, collaborative decision-making, formal representation, or other forms of participation. The appropriate approach depends on how someone is affected, what responsibility or authority they hold, what they want their involvement to be, and what the purpose of the effort is.

A useful stakeholder map can help you identify where different kinds of engagement may be needed:

• Stakeholders with high influence and high interest may have major roles in decision-making, implementation, funding, regulation, advocacy, or public communication. Engage them closely, while making sure their influence does not crowd out people who are more directly affected but have less formal power.
• Stakeholders with high influence and lower interest may still affect the effort through policy, resources, regulation, institutional authority, or public communication. Provide accurate information, understand their responsibilities and concerns, and invite participation when there is a genuine connection to the work.
• Stakeholders with lower formal influence and high interest may include many people directly affected by the issue. They should not be treated as less important because they have less institutional power. Look for ways to remove participation barriers and create meaningful opportunities to influence decisions.
• Stakeholders with lower influence and lower current interest may need only general information, or they may become more relevant as the effort develops. Don't spend unnecessary resources trying to generate interest where there is little connection, but remain open to changes in how the effort affects them.

Opposition or skepticism should not automatically be treated as something to "convert" or neutralize. Try to understand the underlying concern. Some disagreements can be resolved through better information, design changes, negotiation, or shared problem-solving. Others may reflect genuine conflicts of interest or values that remain even after everyone understands the issue clearly.

When disagreement remains:

• Represent other stakeholders' positions accurately.
• Correct factual misunderstandings without attacking the people who hold them.
• Identify areas of agreement where they exist.
• Be transparent about decisions and tradeoffs.
• Use appropriate conflict-resolution, advocacy, negotiation, or public decision-making processes when necessary.

Stakeholder engagement in a participatory process

If the main purpose is participation, the goal is not to move everyone toward one preferred quadrant or position. The goal is to make sure relevant perspectives are present, differences can be discussed honestly, and people have an appropriate degree of influence over decisions that affect them.

People with less institutional power may face barriers that people with more power do not. These can include transportation, caregiving, inaccessible meeting spaces or materials, language barriers, unpaid time, unfamiliar terminology, limited access to technology, fear of retaliation, or a history of being ignored. Address those barriers directly rather than assuming people lack confidence, intelligence, education, or organizational ability.

Support might include:

• Clear orientation to the project and decision-making process
• Accessible meeting spaces and materials
• Interpretation, translation, captions, or other communication access
• Transportation or caregiving support
• Stipends, honoraria, or reimbursement when appropriate
• Flexible meeting times and remote participation options
• Technical assistance, mentoring, or training when participants request or benefit from it
• Clear explanations of how community input will affect decisions

People with substantial formal influence also need to understand participatory processes. They may be accustomed to making decisions within institutions and may need to share authority, listen to community knowledge, and accept that meaningful participation can change the original plan.

Personal stories can help others understand how an issue affects people's lives, but stories should never be treated simply as tools for persuading powerful stakeholders. People should choose whether and how their experiences are shared, understand the intended audience and purpose, and have appropriate privacy and consent protections.

Keeping stakeholders involved over time generally depends on:

• Treating people with respect
• Providing clear information and appropriate support
• Offering meaningful roles that match people's interests, skills, responsibilities, and desired level of participation
• Recognizing contributions in ways participants value and providing compensation or reimbursement when appropriate
• Including stakeholders in decision-making where their role calls for it
• Involving people early enough for their knowledge and perspectives to influence conception, planning, implementation, and evaluation
• Helping remove structural barriers and expanding opportunities for people with less formal authority to participate in and influence the process

Evaluation of the stakeholder process

As with other parts of an initiative, it is important to evaluate how well stakeholders were identified, understood, and involved. Stakeholder engagement should be part of the overall evaluation, and stakeholders themselves should help determine what meaningful participation and success look like.

Questions you might consider include:

• Whose perspectives did we miss, and why?
• Which engagement strategies worked well for different people and groups, and which created barriers?
• Did people remain involved at the level they wanted, and if not, what made participation difficult?
• What accessibility, financial, logistical, training, mentoring, or other support was provided? Was it useful? What was missing?
• Did stakeholder analysis actually improve communication, planning, implementation, conflict management, or decision-making?
• Did stakeholders -- especially people directly affected -- have meaningful influence, or were they primarily informed after decisions had already been made?
• Did participation change the design, priorities, implementation, or evaluation of the effort in identifiable ways?
• Did participants feel respected, heard, and clear about how their input was used?

The answers can help improve the current effort and inform future stakeholder-engagement processes.

Keeping stakeholders involved

Stakeholder engagement usually needs continuing attention for as long as the effort lasts. New stakeholders may emerge as circumstances change. Others may no longer be directly affected but may remain interested or connected to the work.

Keep people informed, maintain appropriate relationships, follow through on commitments, explain changes, provide meaningful opportunities to contribute, and periodically ask whether the level and form of participation still work for them. Long-term engagement is strongest when people understand the purpose of their involvement and can see that their time, knowledge, and perspectives matter.

In Summary

Stakeholders are people, groups, organizations, institutions, or communities that may be affected by an effort, influence its development or outcome, carry responsibilities related to it, or have a significant interest in it. Identifying stakeholders early can improve planning, fairness, transparency, implementation, and understanding of the community context.

Stakeholder analysis can help you understand who is affected, what interests and responsibilities are involved, where formal and informal influence exists, and what barriers or opportunities may shape participation. Influence alone should not determine importance: people with little institutional power may be those most affected by the decisions being made.

In community work, the purpose of stakeholder engagement should not simply be to gain support or move people toward a preferred position. It should help create appropriate opportunities for participation, understand and address legitimate concerns, include relevant knowledge and lived experience, navigate disagreement responsibly, and make decisions with a clearer understanding of who will experience their consequences.

Like other forms of community building, stakeholder engagement is an ongoing process. It requires relationships, transparency, respect, accessible participation, follow-through, and continued attention as both the effort and the community change.

What do we mean by stakeholders and their interests?

___Stakeholders are those who may be affected by or have an effect on an effort

___They may also include those interested for academic, political, or philosophical reasons

___They can be divided into primary, secondary, and key stakeholders

___Their interests depend on how they affect or are affected by the effort, and can span a broad range of categories

Why identify and analyze stakeholders and their interests?

___It puts more ideas on the table

___It includes varied perspectives from all sectors and elements of the community affected

___It gains buy-in and support for the effort from all stakeholders

___It’s fair to everyone.

___It saves you from being blindsided by concerns you didn’t know about

___It strengthens your position if there’s opposition

___It creates bridging social capital for the community

___It increases the credibility of your organization

___It increases the chances of success for your effort

Who are potential stakeholders?

Primary stakeholders

___Beneficiaries or targets of the effort

Secondary stakeholders

___Those directly involved with or responsible for beneficiaries or targets of the effort

___Those whose jobs or lives might be affected by the process or results of the effort

Key stakeholders

___Government officials and policy makers

___Those who can influence others

___Those with an interest in the outcome of an effort

When should you identify stakeholders?

___In general, stakeholders and their interests should be identified and involved/addressed as early as possible in the process of the development of the effort

How do you identify and analyze stakeholders and their interests?

___Identify stakeholders by:

• Brainstorming
• Collecting categories and names from informants in the community
• Consulting with organizations that either are or have been involved in similar efforts, or that work with the population or in the area of concern
• Getting more ideas from stakeholders as you identify them
• If appropriate, advertising

___Discover and try to understand stakeholder interests by asking them what’s important to them

___Apply stakeholder analysis/stakeholder mapping

• Promoters have both great interest in the effort and the power to help make it successful (or to derail it)
• Defenders have a vested interest and can voice their support in the community, but have little actual power to influence the effort in any way
• Latents have no particular interest or involvement in the effort, but have the power to influence it greatly if they become interested
• Apathetics have little interest and little power, and may not even know the effort exists

___Manage stakeholders according to whether your goals for that management are community support and advocacy (usually connected to policy change) or a participatory process and empowerment of a population meant to benefit from the effort

_ Keep stakeholders involved and informed by:

• Treating them with respect
• Providing whatever information, training, mentoring, and/or other support they need to stay involved
• Finding tasks or jobs for them to do that catch their interest and use their talents
• Maintaining their enthusiasm with praise, celebrations, small tokens of appreciation, and continual reminders of the effort’s accomplishments
• Engaging them in decision-making
• Employing them in the conception, planning, implementation, and evaluation of the effort from its beginning
• In the case of those who start with little power or influence, helping them learn how to gain and exercise influence by working together and developing their personal, critical thinking, and political skills

___Evaluate the stakeholder analysis / management process.

• What could you have done to better identify stakeholders?
• Which strategies worked best to involve different populations and groups?
• How successful were you in keeping people involved?
• Did you provide any training or other support?  Was it helpful?  How could it have been improved?
• Did your stakeholder analysis and management efforts have the desired effect?  Were they helpful?
• Did stakeholder involvement improve the work, effectiveness, and/or political and community support of the effort?

___Keep at it for the long term to maintain stakeholder involvement

• Maintain stakeholders’ and supporters’ motivation, keep them informed, and continue to find meaningful work for them to do
• New stakeholders may need to be brought in as time goes on
• Although some people may cease to be actual stakeholders, they may retain an interest in the effort and you should therefore continue to include them
• Understanding and engaging stakeholders can be tremendously helpful to your effort, but only if it results in their ownership of it and long-term commitment to it.  And that depends on your continuing attention.

Example 1#

A PowerPoint presentation summarizing the major points in the section.