Community Engagement and Successful Fund Development in Public Administration

Community engagement is a critical skill for public officials wishing to drive positive changes in society. It can take years for a project to gain momentum, so when the opportunity arises, there is little room for error, confusion or hesitation. To ensure they are prepared to move quickly when opportunity knocks, many public officials choose to pursue a Master of Public Administration (MPA) prior to entering the public arena.

Programs like the University of Louisiana Monroe’s online Master of Public Administration (MPA) use experiential learning to help students understand how governments operate prior to entering the workforce. This degree allows young officials to enter the workforce with a deep understanding of what’s required or to launch and gain support for a major project.

Why Is Community Engagement Important?

Large-scale projects can easily become sidelined without support from the local community. There are three key reasons why community engagement is so important:

1. Leads to improved outcomes: Launching projects that are already highly popular increases the likelihood of success.
2. It helps local governments make better decisions: Without community engagement, local officials can only make educated guesses about which policies or projects are best. Direct feedback eliminates this guesswork.
3. Strengthens democracies and builds trust: Bringing more people into the decision-making process strengthens our democracy and helps create a more equitable society.

However, engaging the community is much easier said than done, as there are many different communication styles that public officials must choose from, such as hosting town halls or other events, sending out surveys, creating social media groups or launching committees. Choosing the right communication style can play a significant role in whether the community responds. Again, this is where an MPA can be highly valuable, as these degrees delve into the finer details of community engagement, like how to select the most effective communication style for a given project.

Key Elements of Effective Engagement, Building Trust and Credibility

The best engagement style varies depending on the project, goals, community and previous engagement activities. However, the National Recreation and Park Association suggests three general steps that are effective across most campaigns:

1. Acknowledge past projects: Take steps to address previous initiatives, whether they were successful or fell short. This is a crucial step for rebuilding (or reaffirming) trust and enthusiasm within the community.
2. Involve community leaders: Once a project has been initiated, start building relationships with business, religious and organizational leaders in the community. Support from these stakeholders is crucial to building momentum for the project.
3. Be transparent and deliver on promises: Establish the project’s goals, budget and timeline. Be sure to keep expectations realistic, avoid overpromising and maintain transparency.

Community Engagement in Action: Leveraging Networks, Outreach and Communication Channels

A recent example of effective, widespread community engagement came when local counties were planning to invest funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a COVID-19 stimulus plan. Rather than guess the best way to invest, many counties engaged their communities by:

1. Holding public forums asking for input
2. Creating ARPA-specific committees to determine the best place for funds
3. Holding meet-and-greet events to bring business, nonprofits and other organizational leaders together
4. Sending out surveys to include citizens who may not be able to attend events
5. Creating investment tranches and ranking investment ideas in order of importance

As a result, most counties successfully deployed funds in a way that was most valuable to their residents. Impromptu tasks, such as allocating emergency funds, reaffirm why it’s so important for public officials to have a deep understanding of how governments operate, budget and plan. This is where courses like ULM’s Public Budgeting and Finance can be highly valuable by providing insight into this complex process.

Online Master of Public Administration Degree

ULM’s Master of Public Administration program prepares aspiring political leaders for successful careers by providing deep insight into skills like community engagement, grant writing, budgeting, program evaluation and data-driven decision-making – all skills necessary to succeed in this field. In addition to Public Budgeting and Finance, this program also offers key courses like:

1. Intergovernmental Relations: Students learn about conflict, cooperation and collaboration among governmental officials across national, state and local governments.
2. Fund Development for Nonprofit Organizations: Students learn about fund development in nonprofit organizations, focusing on fundraising.

By learning foundational concepts related to government operations, fund development and community engagement, graduates will enter the workforce in a much better position to have an immediate impact. Students can complete this program in as few as twelve months.

Learn more about the University of Louisiana Monroe’s online Master of Public Administration program.