In order to successfully design policies that achieve these outcomes, it is critical to secure the involvement and participation of the community’s stakeholders—those that will be impacted the most by the new policy, including residents, businesses, local community groups, and others. City policymakers should make every attempt to bring these stakeholders into the policy development process and should solicit their feedback as early and often as possible. When done correctly, stakeholder engagement ensures that policies are crafted thoughtfully and with full consideration of local circumstances and concerns. Effective stakeholder engagement can also help foster goodwill and cooperation between the implementing body and the regulated parties, creating the best environment for maximizing mutual benefit and future compliance.
This guide provides an overview of the types of meetings a city can host and how often they should be run, as well as guidelines on whom to invite, and recommendations for how to achieve high-impact outcomes.
