Building bridges before breaking ground

Community outreach and engagement are foundational to the success of any project.

In today’s ever-evolving urban landscape, large-scale projects – whether infrastructure, development, or public works – must prioritize community outreach and engagement. We live in an era where community trust and collaboration are more influential than ever, therefore the success of any project can depend on one critical factor: meaningful community outreach and engagement.

The engagement must be meaningful – often organizations and institutions treat it as an afterthought, a mere box to check. Successful projects prioritize building trust and lasting relationships with the community long before any ground is broken.

The importance of community outreach and engagement. Community outreach and engagement refer to the process of involving community members in the planning, decision-making, and implementation of projects that affect their lives. It’s not just about informing the public; it’s about creating a two-way dialogue where community members feel heard, valued, and empowered.

The process begins by answering a few key questions. What are the demographic compositions of the neighborhood? What cultural factors (languages, cultural celebrations, areas of cultural significance) exist in the community? Are there any community concerns that the project might solve or exacerbate?

Next is identifying key stakeholders. These may include influential residents, business owners, faith-based organizations, schools, and advocacy groups. Are there any stakeholders who support your project? Are there any who oppose it and why? Learning about and engaging with these diverse groups ensures that outreach reaches all corners of the community. And just as importantly, it shows that you are ready and willing to listen.

Why does this matter? Well, community engagement builds trust and credibility. When people feel seen and heard, they are more likely to support the project and less likely to resist change. It also helps identify potential challenges and opportunities early on, saving time and resources by preventing molehills from becoming mountains. Most importantly, it ensures that the project aligns with the community’s needs and values, leading to outcomes that are sustainable and beneficial for all.

Consider the example of the High Line in New York City.  A grassroots effort by local residents to transform an abandoned railway into a public park became a well-known urban renewal project. By engaging with and listening to the community from the very early stages, the project gained widespread support and today stands as a model for inclusive urban planning.

Principles of effective community engagement. It is impossible for outreach and engagement to be successful by using a cookie cutter approach. For example, a strategy which worked in one community may not necessarily work in another. A successful engagement plan is driven by a thorough knowledge of the community, meticulous planning, and a sense of empathy. Some principles to guide the process are:

1. Inclusivity. It should be a priority that all voices, especially those of marginalized or underrepresented groups, are heard.  A knowledge of the stakeholders and targeted outreach efforts can help to ensure that project communications reach everyone in the project area.
2. Transparency. There can be no trust without transparency. Openly sharing information with messages that are clear, accurate, and timely regarding the project’s goals, timelines, delays, and potential impacts will help to build and sustain public trust.
3. Communication. Communication should be a two-way street. Sharing information is important but listening may be even more so. Engagement is a dialogue, never a monologue. Architecture, engineering, planning, and construction can be filled with acronyms and jargon. Communicating in plain language is key for connecting with stakeholders.
4. Cultural sensitivity. This is where a deep knowledge of the community comes in handy. Respecting the community’s customs, values, and traditions will go a long way in building trust and fostering goodwill. For example, planning around holidays and festivals, providing convenient times for participation, and translating materials into commonly spoken languages are all ways to increase engagement.
5. Project benefits. Too often project advocates focus on the challenges they face and not enough on the reasons for the project and the benefits the completed project will bring to the community.  Good community outreach will not only outline the challenges the project faces but also how it will serve the community in the long run.

Building bridges. Building and sustaining trust with a community is an ongoing process. Below are several strategies to begin and sustain meaningful engagement:

1. Early involvement. Focus on messaging early. Once the spread of misinformation occurs, it is hard to reverse misconceptions. Early communication and a commitment to gathering community input shows the community their input is valued and can shape the project’s direction. Leading with truth and transparency early on also helps to quell the inevitable rumors. Keep messaging simple and repetitive.
2. Listen. It might be your project, but it’s their community. Listen when they speak. Whether in town halls, community board meetings, or on social media, people are not shy about making their opinions known. Being knowledgeable about the community’s opinions will make it easier to develop messaging and provide feedback. Once you understand the community’s priorities, follow through and incorporate them into your project to maintain trust.
3. Partnerships. Collaborate with local leaders, organizations, and stakeholders who have established trust within the community. Establish ongoing relationships with local tenant associations, major religious congregations, affordable housing, and economic development groups well before construction starts. Distribute a designated email address to which stakeholders can submit questions and suggestions.
4. Education. Is your project highly technical? If so, give presentations with graphics and easy to understand language to people at community meetings, schools, and other neighborhood events. Explaining the technical side of a project is often enjoyable for the layperson and keeps the community informed and involved.

Community outreach challenges and how to overcome them. Performing community outreach can be challenging. Distrust of government agencies and institutions, bad experiences in the past, resistance to change, and lack of resources and time can all hamper outreach efforts.  With the right approach, however, these challenges may be overcome by keeping the following in mind:

• Trust isn’t built overnight; it takes time. Genuine and consistent engagement is the foundation of trust.
• Be honest. Always acknowledge potential project challenges. If possible, work with the community to find solutions.
• Technology is your friend. Using things like social media, virtual town halls, and online surveys allows the project to reach a wider audience and makes participation more accessible.

Community outreach and engagement are not mere boxes to check, they are the foundations of trust and collaboration and contribute to the success of any project. When communities are engaged from the start, the results are transformative.

Before beginning your next project, ask yourself: Have you built the bridges that will carry the project and the community forward? The answer could make all the difference. 

Hugh Smith is a senior associate and director of community outreach at TYLin. Contact him at hugh.smith@tylin.com.