Creative Instigation

Describes engagement that is more authentic, outreach that is expansive and effective, research that delves deeply into qualitative areas that uncover the soul of a community or an organization.

These illustrated case stories in effective community engagement in the United States demonstrate how community participation in policymaking underpins democratic institutions. They feature examples of residents involved meaningfully in decisionmaking in local government or educational and nonprofit institutions, as well as communicating with private corporations in ways other than as consumers. Unlike typical engagement, where meetings are announced via limited venues and whoever comes does so with limited information, Creative Instigation describes outreach that is expansive, engagement that is more authentic, and research that delves deeply into qualitative areas to uncover the soul of a community. The diverse stories in this book show tools that are compelling, ways to inform that are graphically clear, methods of dissemination that are broad and profound; and strategies that are insightful.