The Promise of Collaborative Governance Successful Community Engagement ASSOCIATION OF BAY AREA GOVERNMENTS Successful Community Engagement ASSOCIATION OF BAY AREA GOVERNMENTS

Collaborative governance is characterized by informed, reasoned and inclusive discussions, usually involving tradeoffs and seeking consensus-oriented conclusions, intended to influence public sector decision- making. And maybe… embedded in the workings of government over time. Collaborative Governance

Purposes and Benefits  Make plans/policies - solve complex/divisive problems  Meet legal requirements  Discover/understand public’s preferences  Promote informed and engaged citizens  Promote inclusiveness (fairness and justice)  Encourage Government legitimacy, transparency, trust  Make plans/policies - solve complex/divisive problems  Meet legal requirements  Discover/understand public’s preferences  Promote informed and engaged citizens  Promote inclusiveness (fairness and justice)  Encourage Government legitimacy, transparency, trust

“Governance is no longer about government but now involves fluid action and power distributed widely in society…. Effective participation requires a systems perspective that supports and builds on the interactions among public sector agencies, nonprofits, business organizations, advocacy groups, and foundations which make up the complex evolving reality of contemporary society.” David Booher and Judith Innes Network Governance

“Perhaps our institutions created in democratic countries during the 19th and 20th centuries are no longer adequate. If so, then democracies need to create new institutions to replace the old.” Robert Dahl, On Democracy

Public Forum Flow Chart Participation Process Influence Format Communication Strategy Purposes Issue Framing New Public Knowledge Outcomes