September 29, 2023
PublicInput, the leading provider of community engagement software to U.S. state and local government agencies, announces the release of its 2023 Resident Engagement Survey results. Drawing on responses from 1,000 residents from across the country, the survey sheds light on the changing dynamics of community engagement and what motivates residents to engage with state and local government.
The survey results can be accessed here: https://learn.publicinput.com/2023-resident-engagement-survey.
“The 2023 survey underscores that residents are most inclined to engage on topics that affect their neighborhood or a group with whom they affiliate,” said Jay Dawkins, CEO at PublicInput. “While these seem like obvious drivers of relevance, the data suggests that these motivators are an untapped opportunity to increase public engagement beyond the usual voices.”
Respondents shared that, for state and local governments aiming to increase engagement in impacted communities, success lies in raising awareness through outreach and leveraging trusted groups.
Based on this data, PublicInput recommends tailored strategies for planners, communicators, and community engagement practitioners to align with resident preferences, including:
- Proximity Matters: The closer engagement opportunities are to residents’ homes, the more likely they are to participate. Proximity to their immediate communities significantly motivates residents to engage in the civic process.
- Affiliation Amplifies Trust: Engaging residents through groups or organizations they identify with increases public trust and their willingness to participate in community engagement initiatives. These affiliations play a pivotal role in shaping residents’ perceptions of engagement opportunities.
- Closing the Awareness Gap: While residents express motivation to engage on various issues, a substantial number report not being made aware of these opportunities. There exists a clear need for improved communication and outreach efforts from government agencies.
“We’ve long heard that raising the bar for representative engagement, while important, is hard to routinely achieve,” said Graham Stone, co-founder of PublicInput. “Rather than time or funding being the barrier to improvement, this data shows us the greatest impact may come from focused outreach to the people affected by a decision, and engaging through the groups already operating in your community.”
To download and read the full report, please visit the 2023 Resident Engagement Survey Results page.
About PublicInput:
PublicInput was founded in 2014 by Raleigh entrepreneurs Jay Dawkins and Graham Stone, and today serves over 200 clients in 38 U.S. states and Canada. The company provides a unified software community engagement software platform for cities, counties, and state agencies to collect feedback and communicate with residents. The company’s mission is to connect government agencies with the communities they serve and facilitate equitable participation and representative decision-making. PublicInput is based in Raleigh, NC.
Media Contact:
Samantha Wagner
Director of Marketing
PublicInput
samantha@publicinput.com
