MAPC to study which community engagement methods reach broader, diverse audiences

Gloria Hong Poo, a planner at the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), outlined a yearlong project to evaluate different community engagement methods and said the team will run “a dozen or so” focus groups, host public forums and use short post‑event surveys to test which approaches reach diverse community members.

The project narrows the question of effectiveness to measurable, short‑term outcomes such as whether participants feel their input was valued and whether they understand how to stay involved, MAPC said. “How might assessment or evaluation be an empowering process that enables us to create our path forward together. Helps us walk the talk of our highest values. And allows us to share the story of our work in ways that are not only accurate but also authentic,” Poo read from a democratically engaged assessment report by Imagining America to frame the effort.

MAPC’s evaluation will combine two new one‑page surveys and existing engagement documentation. A participant exit survey will ask roughly six core questions plus optional demographic items about how attendees heard about the event, whether they learned something and whether they know how to remain involved. A staff survey will record outreach methods used, partner organizations, accessibility measures and the target audiences that planners intended to reach.

Poo said MAPC plans to keep the participant survey short and accessible: “It’s a one‑pager,” and the team intends to translate the survey into at least one or two common regional languages and keep questions in simple language so staff can support attendees who need help completing it.

The project’s analysis plan calls for analyzing each engagement event for themes — what worked and what could improve — and then synthesizing findings across different community types and planning contexts to identify practices that generalize. Poo said the project aims to validate the team’s hypothesis that equity‑centered, inclusive engagement practices can reach people who do not typically attend traditional evening public meetings.

Participants raised operational questions during the session. One attendee identified as Carla asked whether support will be provided to help people complete surveys; Poo said staff will be available at events and the team will pursue translations. Another attendee, Rishika, raised concerns about survey fatigue; Poo said MAPC will use brief exit surveys and try to minimize burden on community members. Sierra asked about incentives; Poo said MAPC is not planning financial incentives for the short exit surveys and will instead frame completion as a simple way to improve future engagement.

MAPC asked participants to submit evaluation questions and then split into breakout groups to apply the session’s concepts. The facilitators said slides and the recording will be posted on MAPC’s website and invited attendees to complete the session feedback survey before closing.

The project is framed as an internal and regional resource: MAPC plans to use the findings to refine the engagement team’s practices and to make recommendations to municipal and regional planning colleagues about which methods work best in particular contexts.