From participation
to partnership.
Strong communities grow when people understand the issues, trust the process, and have meaningful opportunities to shape what comes next.
Community Engagement
Capacity & Development Framework
Engagement should be measured not only by who shows up, but by what happens because they did. The LMJ framework helps organizations examine their practices, listen to stakeholder experiences, and build practical pathways to deeper involvement.
Aware
I know what’s happening.
Informed
I understand the issue.
Consulted
I’m asked what I think.
Engaged
I participate in the process.
Collaborative
I help develop solutions.
Community Leadership
I help lead and sustain action.
The goal is not to move everyone to the same level. It is to create meaningful pathways for people who want deeper involvement.
What makes engagement meaningful?
Look beyond activity counts to the conditions that allow people to participate, contribute, and see results.
Access
Can people find, understand, and participate in opportunities?
Trust
Do stakeholders experience the organization as transparent, responsive, and credible?
Representation
Are the communities affected by decisions represented in the process?
Influence
Is engagement happening early enough for public input to matter?
Collaboration
Can stakeholders work alongside the organization to develop solutions?
Accountability
Does the organization explain what it heard, what it decided, and why?
Intent is only
half the picture.
What an organization believes it provides may differ from what its community experiences. The Engagement Gap brings those two perspectives together to identify barriers, missed opportunities, and priorities for action.
Organizational intent
“We create opportunities for input.”
Community experience
“Can my input influence the decision?”
Insight that changes practice.
Assess
Examine organizational engagement capacity across six dimensions.
Listen
Capture stakeholder experiences, perceptions, and priorities.
Analyze
Identify strengths, gaps, barriers, and opportunities.
Act
Develop a practical 90-day Community Engagement Action Plan.
Build the capacity
to engage.
From Outreach to Partnership helps leaders and teams design accessible opportunities, clarify what communities can influence, and turn input into action.
Learn to identify missing voices, build trust through follow-through, and create pathways to community leadership.
Executive Briefing
A focused introduction for organizational leaders and boards to the framework, engagement priorities, and next steps.
90-Minute Training
A practical session on the engagement continuum, common barriers, and ways to strengthen everyday engagement.
Half-Day Workshop
An interactive opportunity to examine current practices and develop approaches suited to your community.
Facilitated Organizational Assessment
A guided review of engagement capacity, stakeholder perspectives, and opportunities for a practical action plan.
For those entrusted to serve.
Community
Engagement Checkup
A brief reflection designed to help organizations begin a conversation about their engagement practices.
The short checkup will complement a deeper, facilitated assessment. It is not a substitute for community input.
A short checkup.
A useful first conversation.
The planned 8–10 question checkup will cover:
- Your organization’s engagement context
- Access, trust, and representation
- Influence, collaboration, and accountability
- Priorities for strengthening practice
Questions and results are not yet available. The full proprietary assessment is provided through a facilitated engagement.
Discuss a facilitated assessmentBetter decisions begin
with a conversation.
Let’s turn evidence, engagement, and strategy into action.
Connect with Lisa A. James, EMPP, Founder & Principal.