Module #3 | BOOSTING COMMUNITY BUY-IN FOR YOUR PROJECT: DEFINING THE STRATEGY

DESCRIPTION 

This module focuses on engaging your community inclusively and creatively, using fun and small successes to build ownership and responsibility for your project. It covers leadership strategies for fostering a positive environment, effective outreach techniques, and how to capture these efforts in vision and planning documents for long-term impact.

LEARNING LESSONS

• Common pitfalls in the public engagement process and how to avoid them.
• Building momentum through small, visible actions to demonstrate progress.
• Survey methods and formats for gathering open-ended community feedback.
• Crafting a Challenge Statement to identify gaps between community values and market needs.
• Developing a community vision that aligns with redevelopment goals. 

MODULE COMPONENTS

RESOURCES | Next step on this journey to successful redevelopment is focused on accessing data and communicating with your stakeholders and potential partners to GET STUFF DONE!

• How to Use Data Tools – State Demographer's Data Video. A video tutorial on leveraging data tools to support community engagement and decision-making.
• Key Components for Communicating the Challenge. Guidance on effectively communicating your project's challenges to stakeholders and the wider community.

WEBINAR | Each Challenge Accelerator Program Module has an educational component outlined in a webinar.

Boosting Community Buy-In for Your Project: Defining the Strategy | Presented by Jim Heid, CraftDNA. A webinar on strategies for engaging the community, building support, and using fun, inclusive approaches to foster ownership.

ACTIVITIES | The following activities are interactive tools that will walk participants through their own community, partners, and opportunities to build a stronger understanding ot the possibilities for moving the project forward.

• Demographic Section of Community Profile. Complete the demographic profile to better understand the population and their needs.
• Baseline Data + Property Inventory. Collect and analyze baseline economic and demographic data to understand the current state of your community and project site.
• Capacity Assessment Dashboard + Check-in. Measure and evaluate your community's readiness and capacity to support redevelopment initiatives.
• Feasibility Tetrad: STEP 3. Municipal Political Module. Assess political factors influencing municipal support and decision-making for the project.