This last weekend, NCDD Member Organization, the National Civic League announced the winners of the 2024 All-America City Award, recognizing ten communities for their innovative, community-driven efforts to strengthen democracy through local action. The finalists showcased diverse initiatives addressing critical issues like voting reform, civic education, mental health, gun violence, racism, and economic development, demonstrating the power of civic participation and effective civic infrastructure.

NCDD Executive Director, Keiva Hummel, and Director of Democracy Innovations​, Roshan Bliss, attended the 2024 AAC event in downtown Denver. The opportunity to meet with delegates from each community and feel the energy throughout the space was truly inspring. Described by NCL Board Member, Derek Okubo, as "a dose of hope," each community offered powerful displays of civic work that evoked a motivating energy that was palpable throughout the weekend. Several NCDD members were also in attendance, including Lisa-Marie Napoli, Pearl Vinyard, and former board member Wendy Willis. Read the press release below with more information on each communities' democratic initiatives. Congratulations to the incredible AAC communities who represent some of the best and most civically innovative communities!

Social Pinpoint is hosting the upcoming webinar, "2024 State of the Practice: 10 Public Engagement Trends in Transportation", on May 22nd at 11am Pacific, 2pm Eastern. The transportation industry is witnessing rapid evolution in public engagement practices, highlighted by over 430 practitioners sharing insights on challenges, tools, and best practices in a comprehensive review. Join industry leaders in exploring the top 10 key findings, including challenges, staffing strategies, diversity enhancement, and the impact of hybrid engagement on public participation. ​Thanks to Genèse Castonguay, Social Pinpoint's Chief Marketing Officer, for sharing this announcement with the NCDD network! Learn more in the post below and on Social Pinpoint site here.

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is soliciting input from the public on best practices for public participation and community engagement (PPCE) activities, aiming to make government interactions more inclusive, transparent, and accountable. Americans are encouraged to share their experiences, suggest content for a federal framework, propose ways to improve the process, and provide feedback through public comments, online forms, or attending virtual listening sessions by May 17th. The initiative seeks to enhance government consultations with the public to inform policies, regulations, and services, addressing concerns about accessibility and stakeholder engagement. NCDD is working on generating a response and we will follow up with our network in the near future. Learn more in the post below and on GSA's site here.

Happy Facilitation Week! In honor of this week recognizing the importance of facilitation practice (read more about it a facilitationweek.org), our friend Jason Diceman at Feedback Frames is offering our network an amazing deal on this tool for in person meetings! Learn more below. 

​To help support the important facilitation work of NCDD members, Feedback Frames is offering a 40% discount this week only.  ​

Join MetroQuest on Wednesday, October 19th for a webinar titled Optimizing Online Surveys for Diverse and Equitable Public Engagement. The webinar will be hosted by Dave Biggs, Emily Margitan, and Gerard Penalosa, all three from our very own MetroQuest. This webinar brings together experts on virtual public engagement to discuss the most effective strategies for designing surveys that support diverse and equitable participation. They will unpack how planners can utilize online surveys as part of a deliberate effort to build diversity, equity and inclusion.

Dave Biggs, Chief Engagement Officer at MetroQuest, will share some of his research on how diversity and inclusion are distinct and necessary elements for developing equity in the public participation and planning process. Emily Margitan and Gerard Penalosa, Customer Success Managers at MetroQuest, will discuss the tactics and strategies behind several online public engagement surveys that have been effective at supporting diverse and equitable participation. They’ll use exceptional examples from agencies such as Minnesota Department of Transportation, Virginia Department of Transportation, Oregon Metro, Texas Department of Transportation, and firms including WSP and Michael Baker International.

In this webinar, we will explore:

• Great survey design that supports diverse and equitable public engagement
• The differences between equity, diversity and inclusion
• Tactics for optimizing outreach into diverse or hard-to-reach communities
• Real life examples from top agencies and firms

The National Civic League, an NCDD member organization, is hosting an event called Promising Practices Webinar: The ABCs of Inclusive and Equitable Engagement. 

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2:00 pm ET (1:00 pm CT, 12:00 pm MT, 11:00 am PT)

Webinar Description: 

The process of civic engagement ensures that the many parts of a community— residents, government, business, nonprofit agencies, faith-based organizations and others—work together to address public needs and desires. Whether it’s economic development, safety, health, environmental quality or other matters, civic engagement can lead to lasting solutions that best represent the values and desires of communities. However, if inclusivity and equity are not prioritized as a part of engagement efforts from the very beginning, then resulting information, solutions, and decisions will fail to benefit from or serve the entire community.

During this webinar we will discuss the myriad of considerations–convener, time, location, language, etc.–that need to be addressed to ensure engagement efforts are inclusive and equitable. Registrants will also learn about strategies and best practices for equitable and inclusive engagement, with a few examples from communities successfully doing this work.

​PACE (Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement) is a member-centric philanthropic laboratory for funders seeking to maximize their impact on democracy and civic life in the United States.  Our members share a belief that America will be healthier and more successful, resilient, and productive, if democracy is strong and the office of citizen is treated as central to how it functions.  We believe that American democracy will thrive when all of its people are informed and engaged in the process of creating it. 

PACE’s Civic Language Perceptions Project seeks to understand peoples’ perceptions of the language associated with civic engagement and democracy work. PACE believes all Americans should be  informed and empowered to contribute to civic life. PACE conducted a nationally representative survey of 5,000 Americans to understand their perceptions of civic language. 

NCDD member, Martín Carcasson of the Center for Public Deliberation at Colorado State University was interviewed by NPR about their collaborative journalism project. From the episode details:

Today on Colorado Edition: We hear about the Northern Colorado Deliberative Journalism Project, a collaborative of area newsrooms, journalists, and media scholars aiming to strengthen local journalism. And we hear from two songwriters in rural northeast Colorado about how rural living inspires them and their art.

To learn more about the Center for Public Deliberation and the Northern Colorado Deliberative Journalism Project, visit their website here. 

The National Civic League, an NCDD member organization, released the National Civic Review (NCR) Spring 2022 edition and  NCDD members receive a digital copy of NCR for free! (Find the access code below.). This esteemed quarterly journal offers insights and examples of civic engagement and deliberative governance from around the country. Thanks to Rebecca Trout, NCL’s Program Director for All-America City Award & Communications, for sharing this announcement with the NCDD network!

National Civic Review Spring Edition 2022 – Access Code: NCDD22