VI: Participation Plan

Look for innovative tools and practices that create new and easier methods for public engagement.

Other Information:

The Corporation is constantly seeking input and knowledge from the public. That effort has intensified as we implement the Serve America Act, the most sweeping expansion of national service laws in a generation. Public comment is of course a critical aspect of the development of major policies, such as regulations and our five‐year strategic plan. We have recently taken this process a step further by including a public comment phase in other policy efforts, including grant competitions. We also regularly draw on the expertise of grantees and other stakeholders through working groups to accomplish a variety of tasks, from planning conferences and determining training needs to advising on evaluation and organizing service events. Members of the public play a key role in our grants process by serving as peer reviewers who bring their expertise to bear on grant selection. Our grantees regularly share effective practices, strategies, and “how‐to” ideas with their peers and the public through our online Resource Center. Public participation occurs in less formal ways as well. The Corporation’s program officers and state office employees are in constant contact with our grantees and project sponsors, and that interaction is a critical source of insight for improving policies and operations. These frequent check‐ins, coupled with more traditional forms of public engagement, help form a continuous feedback loop that strengthens our programs. As the Corporation expands and launches new programs under the Serve America Act, public participation will become even more important, and we will look for innovative tools and practices that create new and easier methods for public engagement.

Objective(s):

VI.1: Current Practices

VI.1.a: Board of Directors

VI.1.b: Serve America Act Listening Tour

VI.1.c: New Program Development

VI.1.d: Rulemaking

VI.1.e: Policy Formulation

VI.1.f: Strategic Plan

VI.1.g: Peer Review Process

VI.1.h: Input on Training and Technical Assistance

VI.1.i: Website Redesign

VI.1.j: Conference and Grantee Meetings

VI.1.k: Open Government Directive

VI.1.l: Customer Satisfaction

VI.2: Innovations

VI.2.a: 2011‐2015 Strategic Plan

VI.2.b: Virtual Participation in Board Meetings

VI.2.c: Virtual National Conference

VI.2.d: Social Media and Online Participation Tools

VI.2.e: Learning Enterprise

VI.2.f: Culture

VI.2.f.1: Implementation Team

VI.2.f.2: Communications Plans

VI.2.f.3: Web‐based Tools

VI.2.f.4: Policies and Practices

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