Good decisons made the right way

Making important decisions in cities and regions—decisions that could change the course of a community—is hard work.  And the cost of failure can be great.  A good decision that’s not made because of apathy, political opposition, citizen mistrust, or short-sighted self-interest can haunt a community for decades. That’s why governments, community organizations, non-profits and business groups turn to Civic Strategies for help.  We help them manage the process and politics of decision making at the local level.

Benefits of using Civic Strategies

1. We improve the chances of success. By helping leaders develop community initiatives the right way (with solid research, appropriate issue framing, sensitive political and community engagement, and logical and open decision making), we make it more likely that good ideas will succeed.
2. We enrich already good ideas.  Because we work on initiatives in many communities, we know what others are doing. In many cases, we can show leaders how to improve their good ideas to accomplish even more than they had thought.
3. We bring an outsider’s perspective. Strange to say, but outsiders are sometimes able to do things that residents can’t.  First, we may see the path to solution more clearly because we haven’t been wrestling with the issue for so long.  Second, we’re trusted as facilitators and mediators because we’re outsiders without a personal stake in the outcomes.  Result: We can often make rapid progress on issues that have stymied local leaders for years.
4. We manage the complexity. Moving major civic initiatives forward is daunting work if you’re not used to it.  We are, and by managing the complexity of civic work—the organizing and research, public outreach, communications and meetings—we make leaders’ roles more strategic, saving them time and energy.
5. We’ll get the job done. One reason good civic initiatives don’t advance is because nobody’s in charge; no single person or organization is responsible for moving things forward. Civic Strategies will work with your leaders to be sure the initiative moves forward, with accountability for every step of the way.