Engage

Welcome to NJTPA’s Public Engagement Toolkit!

IN THIS TOOLKIT you’ll find resources and information to help plan and execute public involvement activities in your communities, including:

Check out the Engage! Tool

Tips For Planning and Executing

Tips and Best Practices

All-in-One Document (PDF)

• Millennials
• Senior Citizens
• Children and Teens
• Minorities
• Immigrants and LEP
• Low Income Persons
• Special Needs
• Local Officials
• Business Owners
• Closing the Loop
• List of Online Survey Tools
• Op-Eds and Letters to the Editor
• Overcome Barriers to Youth Engagement

Facts on Our Favorites

All-in-One Document (PDF)

• Meeting-in-a-Box
• Open House
• Pop-up Meetings
• Keypad Polling
• Deliberative Polling
• Mobile Outreach
• Trusted Advocates
• Social Media Photo Campaigns
• Textizen
• Community Conversations
• Participatory Mapping
• Participatory Budgeting
• Digital Storytelling

Outreach Planning Worksheets

All-in-One Document (PDF)

• Accessibility Checklist
• Implementation Plan
• Inclusive Public Engagement Plan
• Organizing a Citizen Advisory Group
• Preparing a Public Meeting
• Preparing an Information Session
• Pre-Planning Questions 
• Writing a Press Release

Resources on Innovative Engagement

Literature Review on Public Engagement Practices

NJTPA Focus Group Reports

• Urban Millennials
• Suburban Millennials
• Northern Suburban Residents
• Southern Suburban Residents
• Urban Residents
• Low-Income Residents
• Spanish-speaking Residents
• Rural Residents

Interview Reports with Leading Practitioners

• Graphic Novels—TriMet, Portland, OR
• Future Leaders in Planning Program—Chicago Metropolitan Area Planning Agency
• Civic Dinner Parties—Atlanta Regional Council
• POELS/Trusted Advocate—City of Seattle
• StreetMix—TriState Transportation Campaign
• Accessibility Advisory Committee—Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, CA

Other Resources

• Assessing Virtual Engagement Best Practices for Vulnerable Populations (September 2020)
• Virtual Engagement Strategies for Vulnerable Populations: Follow-Up Interviews (January 2022)