Community stories

Here what's working for other communities on the Polco platform!

  • 4 Topics
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4 Topics

Emily
EmilyCommunity Manager
published in Community stories

Creating Community Resilience with Resident Engagement

 In a changing world, it’s crucial communities are resilient enough to overcome the unknowns. Some of the most worrisome predictions include cyberattacks and mass migrations from climate change. More optimistic voices suspect life will be more efficient and clean, and technology will work for us versus against us. Regardless, change is imminent, and government leaders must consistently build relationships with residents to create community resilience and a society that works together.Transparent two-way communication, follow-through, and adjusting the plan as needed cultivates trust between local government and constituents.Community surveys enable leaders to execute these trust-building steps. Surveying collects residents’ opinions on quality of life in their communities. With insightful data, officials can make a plan, communicate the reasoning behind that plan, and demonstrate how that plan is working by comparing reports over time. Building Trust Results in Fast Action Consistent e

190
Emily
1 month ago
Heather Locke
Heather LockeCommunity Manager
published in Community stories

How Bar Harbor Transforms Community EngagementNews

Using Polco to Engage Community in Bar Harbor, MaineThe gateway to Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine is a quaint town of about 5,000. The coastline Town’s rustic charm and exceptional outdoor activities have long attracted artists and nature lovers. In fact, the area is home to summer cottages of elite American families such as the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers and Astors.  The Town strives to balance the economic benefits of tourism, while preserving Bar Harbor’s small-town quality of life. Bar Harbor has long held meetings to get feedback from community members. However, audiences were in many cases not reflective of the overall community demographics. Learn More Here

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Heather Locke
1 year ago
Heather Locke
Heather LockeCommunity Manager
published in Community stories

Resident Feedback Guides Sioux Falls to Record-Breaking Economic Growth

Resident Feedback Guides Sioux Falls to Record-Breaking Economic Growth Over the past few years, Sioux Falls, South Dakota has seen record-breaking economic growth even during the pandemic.“Strong Midwestern values and fiscal discipline allow our City to prosper,” said Jim David, Chief of Legislation and Policy for Sioux Falls.Indeed, a focus on resident feedback and a commitment to making Sioux Falls comfortable, fun, and beautiful has led to the City’s award-winning local economy.Data also show that Sioux Falls residents are happy with the local economy. The City regularly conducts The National Community Survey (The NCS) to gather feedback from community members. Sioux Falls’ residents rate almost all aspects of the City’s economy higher than the national benchmark.“Sioux Falls are leaders in listening to resident priorities to develop their local economy,” said Damema Mann, Director of National Engagement for Polco/National Research Center (NRC). “It has been impressive to see them

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Heather Locke
1 year ago
Heather Locke
Heather LockeCommunity Manager
published in Community stories

Resident feedback guides Bloomington to address COVID-19 budget impacts, saving $390,000

Resident feedback guides Bloomington to address COVID-19 budget impacts, saving $390,000 -By Julia Steege-Reimann-Like many communities nationwide, Bloomington, Minnesota faces many simultaneous challenges regarding COVID-19 response.Leaders want to protect residents from the spread of COVID-19, while also helping the economy to recover. Plus, limited ability to engage in-person and constantly changing circumstances make it a struggle to connect with residents, but it is even more of a necessitySo Bloomington’s leaders swiftly began problem solving for how best to reach their residents. They decided to turn to the online civic engagement platform Polco."We selected the Polco platform because of its ability to provide quick snapshots of how constituents we're faring and gather feedback on budget and service issues," said Diann Kirby, Bloomington's Community Services Director. Learn More Here

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Heather Locke
1 year ago

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