Building Trust Through Meaningful Public Engagement
Helping communities make informed decisions, build consensus, and move projects forward.
Public engagement is more than checking a box or meeting a public notice requirement. When residents have meaningful opportunities to understand an issue, share their experiences, and help shape decisions, communities are more likely to feel heard and trust the process.
Hackett Planning helps municipalities create thoughtful, accessible engagement strategies that connect with residents, stakeholders, and community leaders. From small-group conversations to large public events, we design engagement around the people, project, and decisions that matter.
Engagement Designed For Your Community
Every community is different. A successful engagement strategy considers who needs to be involved, what information they need, how they prefer to participate, and what decisions are actually being made.
Hackett Planning helps municipalities develop and facilitate engagement that is approachable, purposeful, and connected to the planning process.
Public Engagement & Outreach
We develop engagement strategies tailored to your community, helping you reach the right audiences, create meaningful opportunities for input, and keep residents connected throughout the planning process.
Gamified Public Engagement
We turn complex planning topics into approachable, interactive experiences that make it easier for residents to participate, understand the issues, and share what matters to them.
Community Visioning
We guide communities through a collaborative process to identify shared priorities, explore possibilities, and build a vision for the future.
Stakeholder Facilitation
We bring the right voices to the table and facilitate productive conversations that uncover shared interests, address differing perspectives, and help move challenging conversations forward.
Workshops
We design and facilitate focused workshops that give residents and stakeholders the information, tools, and space they need to engage with important community decisions.
Open Houses
We create welcoming, accessible open houses where residents can learn about projects, ask questions, speak directly with the project team, and provide feedback.
Charrettes
We bring stakeholders together for collaborative, hands-on planning and design sessions that turn ideas and community input into tangible concepts.
Public Information Campaigns
We develop clear, consistent communication campaigns that help municipalities explain complex initiatives, reach broader audiences, and keep the community informed.
More Ways to Hear From Your Community
Public participation doesn't happen in just one room or through one type of meeting. Using multiple engagement methods can help municipalities reach a broader range of residents and create more opportunities for meaningful participation.
In-Person
Interactive Activities
Pop-Up Events
Public Meetings
Small Group
Focus Groups
Stakeholder Meetings
Facilitation
Digital
Surveys
Online Engagement
Information Campaigns
From Engagement to Better Decisions
Meaningful engagement is most valuable when community input has a clear connection to the planning process.
Hackett Planning helps municipalities organize and interpret what they hear so engagement can inform real decisions, identify areas of consensus, surface concerns early, and help communities move forward.
Community Input Can Help Municipalities:
Understand local priorities and concerns
Identify opportunities and potential challenges early
Build shared understanding around complex issues
Find areas of common ground
Improve plans, policies, and projects
Build greater trust in the planning process
Strengthen relationships between communities and local government
