Davenport Institute at the School of Public Policy Launches New Public Engagement Evaluation Platform

The Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership at the School of Public Policy (SPP) has launched the “How Are WE Doing? Public Engagement Evaluation Platform” initiative, a new program to help cities and other local public agencies evaluate their public engagement efforts.

“How Are WE Doing?” is designed to offer governments a new method to evaluate their agencies’ public processes and provide them with the opportunity to apply for recognition of successful engagement. It also offers them a way to gather data on how they are doing in their attempts to involve residents in their plans.

Pete Peterson, interim dean of SPP and executive director of the Davenport Institute, explains that the institute’s nearly decade-long work to promote greater civic participation is what drew interest among local officials searching for ways to evaluate their agency’s overall public processes.

“After consulting with many of them over these last six months, we’re excited to launch this new platform, which we know will help appreciate and build cultures of participation in governments across California and the country,” Peterson says. “There is a movement in the local government ‘world’ towards improving the ways they involve their residents in policy making, and we are happy to support their efforts with this first-of-its-kind online tool.”

For additional information about this initiative, visit the SPP website.