Research

One of the greatest obstacles to public engagement and collaboration is the "fear factor." While both local government officials and civic leaders desire better engagement and affirm that public involvement can help solve some key problems, public officials fear low-turnout and processes hijacked by the "usual subjects," while community leaders and the public fear that their participation won't make a real impact on decision-making.

These were some of the findings in two comprehensive, statewide surveys – "Testing the Waters", a survey of local officials, and "Beyond Business as Usual", a survey of community based organization leaders - undertaken by Public Agenda, in partnership with the Institute for Local Government and the Davenport Institute and commissioned by the James Irvine Foundation.

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Studies done:

Testing the Waters

• This is the full report of a survey of 900 California local officials. The survey was undertaken between July 10 and August 23, 2012 and sought the perspective of elected and appointed officials on opportunities for and obstacles to public engagement in California. View the executive summary.

Beyond Business as Usual

• This is the full report of a survey of 462 leaders of community-based organizations across California. The survey was undertaken between July 10 and August 23, 2012 and sought the perspective of civic leaders on opportunities for and obstacles to public engagement in California. View the executive summary.

Infographic: Public Engagement in California 

• Here is a helpful infographic that provides a summary of the findings from both studies, including areas of common ground that may provide the basis for stronger civic engagement in California.

Making Public Participation Equitable: Recommendations for an Office of Civic Engagement in Los Angeles

• Learn about the City of Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (EmpowerLA) is leading the exploratory process of establishing an Office of Civic Engagement.

 

• Testing the Waters: California's Local Officials Experiment with New Ways to Engage the Public
• Beyond Business as Usual: Leaders of California's Civic Organizations Seek New Ways to Engage the Public in Local Governance
• School of Social Work Partners with University Police for Training Focused on Trauma-informed Practices
• 21-Day Equity Challenge Brings Community Together for Shared Equity, Inclusion Education

• Infographic: Civic Life in California
• Fact Sheet: Civic Health in California
• Golden Governance: Building Effective Public Engagement in California (also in partnership with the Center for Individual and Institutional Renewal and California Forward.)
• California Civic Health Index 2010 in collaboration with California Forward and the Center for Civic Education
• America in One Room: Stanford Center for Deliberative Democracy
  America in One Room was a national experiment in deliberation by the public about the major issues facing the country. It brought a state-of-the-art scientific sample of 523 registered voters from around the country to Dallas for civil discussion over a long weekend. The briefing booklet for the event contained background analysis and competing arguments for and against different policy proposals on five issues: the economy, health care, the environment, immigration, and foreign policy.

• Princeton University Launches Community Engagement Initiative

• An Analysis in Split Roll Property Tax Issues and Impacts
  Steven Frates and Michael Shires
• Public Engagement Spectrum Snapshot: Incorporate
  Ashley Labosier