Building Stronger Communities: Insights and best practices from Granicus’ 2023 Engagement Benchmark Report

Trust and connection form the bedrock of the relationship between the public sector and the communities they serve. These elements are essential for fostering transparency, inclusivity, and collaboration, leading to better governance and higher citizen satisfaction.

The 2023 Engagement Benchmark Report by Granicus provides valuable insights and best practices aimed at empowering civil servants and public sector managers to foster meaningful community engagement and public consultation. By leveraging these insights, government organisations and the wider public sector can strengthen their ties with the communities they serve, ensuring more effective and participatory governance.

The state of community engagement

In 2023, community engagement showed a noticeable uptick, with a 29% increase in the total number of engagement projects taking place on the Granicus platform.

This increase highlights a growing commitment among public sector organisations to deepen their connections with the people they serve. It’s a clear signal that governments are continuing to go beyond simply broadcasting information; they’re actively inviting residents to participate in shaping the future of public services and the communities they service.

This rise in the number of engagement projects underscores a dedication to more inclusive decision-making, and possibly an acknowledgement that ensuring every citizen has the chance to share their voice and influence the policies that impact their daily lives really matters to good governance and effective decision making.

More and deeper engagement with participants

Total contributors reached 674,002, with 2,295 forum responses recorded.

Active, open, and accessible communication channels are crucial for building trust and encouraging community participation. These metrics highlight not only growing engagement but also greater dialogue taking place between those who govern and citizens, which is essential for effective governance. Government bodies and public sector organisations can gather diverse perspectives and insights by facilitating open forums, asking for ideas, and encouraging people to make contributions via a range of tools and techniques, leading to more informed and balanced decision-making.

Informed citizens with increased awareness, information, and engagement

The number of informed participants increased from 1.8 million to 2.1 million and engaged users — those who not only found out more about a project but also chose to contribute an idea or share their opinion — rose from 517,000 to 569,000. These increases indicate a growing willingness among citizens to participate in civic matters in informed, structured, and safe dialogue on owned platforms rather than add to the cacophony of opinion on social media.

Improved awareness and engagement levels contribute significantly to better to civic society and improved public service delivery. Higher engagement levels suggest more citizens are not only aware of changes to policy and local initiatives but are willing to take an active role in shaping them, which leads to policies that better reflect the needs and desires of the community.

Best practices for community engagement

Utilising multiple tools for comprehensive engagement

Using an array of tools for people to contribute their experiences and opinion is crucial for meaningful and diverse participation. Just as people don’t like a one-size-fits-all approach to communication, neither do they appreciate a false choice when it comes to getting involved and providing their feedback.

Best practice encourages practitioners and leaders to move beyond the survey and provide a variety of ways for people to engage. Tools such as interactive maps, ideas boards, quick polls, open-field questions, discussion forums, chats, and comment boxes enable inclusive participation, foster meaningful dialogue and demonstrate a genuine desire to enable people to have their say. Moderated open tools also encourage people to speak safely, share their opinion with other people, and hear the opinion of others — a positive antidote to social media.

By using a mix of digital and traditional tools, government organisations and the wider public sector can cater to different preferences and ensure more citizens have the opportunity to participate. For instance, interactive maps can help visualise geospatial data, while ideas boards and discussion forums provide spaces for deliberation and more in-depth contributions from your community.

Interactive and human-centric engagement approaches

Achieving a balance between digital tools and personal interaction is key to building inclusive engagement strategies. Digital tools offer inclusivity, efficiency, and scalability, while personal interactions provide that human touch preferred by some people — especially the digitally excluded.

A blended approach is always a winning formula. For instance, hosting public meetings or community workshops allows for face-to-face conversations and deliberation, which can complement online engagement efforts and provide a more mutually inclusive understanding of community needs and sentiments.

Closing the loop

It’s crucial to proactively share the results of community engagement and public consultation to reinforce trust and demonstrate a commitment to genuine participation. When residents see their input has been carefully considered, it not only validates their decision to participate but also strengthens their confidence in the process and willingness to take part again. This in turn builds a growing audience of residents who are ready and willing to get involved.

Transparent reporting can take various forms, from detailed summaries posted on community websites to visual data representations that make findings accessible to all. Growing your own subscriber base is a crucial strategy which will allow for unfiltered and direct feedback to your participants. Even more important, providing follow-up communication on how resident feedback has influenced decision-making or policy changes ensures citizens feel their voices truly matter. This openness not only closes the feedback loop but also fosters a sense of partnership between communities and government of all shapes and sizes.

Final thoughts

The insights and best practices outlined in Granicus’ 2023 Engagement Benchmark Report serve as a powerful reminder of the critical role community engagement plays in shaping effective governance. As we witness the rise in engagement projects and the growing participation of informed citizens, it’s clear a more connected and participatory approach to developing policy and services has taken root and has the potential to blossom.

Government organisations can build stronger, more resilient communities by leveraging diverse engagement tools, fostering open communication and feedback, and prioritising transparency. The progress made in 2023 is a testament to what can be achieved when residents are not only told what is happening but actively involved in influencing policy and changes to the services that matter to them.

Moving forward, the challenge and the opportunity lie in continuing to innovate, shifting beyond closed one-way communication to open dialogue. Deeper connections can be built with customers and communities by taking the emphasis away from destructive dialogue on social media and instead building a following of informed, aware, and engaged residents on your owned technology. The foundation for a more inclusive and responsive public sector will only grow stronger as governments and communities work together, ensuring citizen participation contributes to a better future for all.

Get the full benchmark report for public engagement in this free download.