12/11/2013
This article is adapted from a workshop I presented recently/ It may be of interest to colleagues in public relations, tourism, or community organizing.
HOW TO OBTAIN COMMUNITY SUPPORT
FOR YOUR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
When communities begin serious efforts to attract tourists or market to a different niche, they usually find that there is one or more infrastructure projects that would enhance their destination for visitors. In most communities, a group of citizens will organize to develop such a project, but many of these efforts are doomed to failure. In some cases, they are ill-advised or poorly planned, or sufficient funding is just not available. In other cases though the failure would have been avoidable had the group been more skilled in presenting the project and marshaling community support for it.
Organizing a major infrastructure project can be a complex effort and the process can be time-consuming and difficult. Any such effort is subject to opposition, criticism and backbiting and this can be hard even for some dedicated organizers to handle. Usually one or more of the initial group will become dicouraged and drop out.. Challenges and obstacles abound in leading a major effort from conception to completion, but most of the public-related issues CAN be avoided or minimized. The key is for the project organizers to understand and follow sound community development guidelines. These are the factors that should be in place in order for them to succeed.
Perhaps your project is programmatic, intended to alleviate long-time community problem, in this case, the project may be controversial and there may be individual and groups whose interest are better served by in action Organizers may need to be prepared to deal with a significant amount of backlash or opposition.
Initially, a project needs to be considered a “good idea” or a positive addition to the community as a first reaction. A complex project is subject to many ups and downs as it moves forward, and earning community support at the conceptual level can help it survive. “Earning” is the correct term; this support does not come automatically and organizers must work to see that it grows as the project proceeds.
Elements in play include: the project itself; the organizers; the planning and organizing process; financial considerations; and decision-making processes.
First, the project should be a good fit for the community. It should be culturally appropriate and be the right size (not seen as being too large or ambitious or having an outsize impact on the town). It should be a priority for the organizers to describe it well and in full, without any hidden elements or agendas. Sound planning and consideration of obvious developmental factors should be apparent. If potential problems exist, these should be mentioned. For example, if there could be extra demands on existing sewer and water or transportation systems, it should be known that these are recognized and being addressed. If they are not revealed or if the impacts are minimized by the developers, unnecessary opposition will result later on.
Second, the organizers themselves must pass scrutiny. Are they trusted and respected community leaders? Do they have backgrounds and reputations that are appropriate for the project? Are they involving people in the community who are looked on as experts? If such people are not actively involved, they must at least have been consulted and be willing to attest publicly to the project’s validity. If, on the other hand, the organizers gradually engender reactions of suspicion or mistrust, these feelings can be difficult to dislodge even when the project is progressing in a sound direction.
Third, the interests of the organizers should be known. Often personal interests coexist with community interests. This is not necessarily a bad thing. What is important is that these are known and any personal financial considerations or other benefits are fully revealed.
Fourth, project development should proceed in an open environment, with basic questions answered as they are encountered. Who are all the people officially involved? Has a formal committee been organized? Is there a board of directors? What information about the meetings is available? Is the public informed about the status of the project? Are there accurate minutes or reports? Are the meetings open and announced? What exactly is the present developmental stage of the project? If an air of secrecy or exclusion surrounds it, again this will result in a gradual loss of community support or initial good feelings. Timely, relevant, and specific data should be written up or presented formally in public or else rumors will substitute for factual information.
Fifth, financial considerations should be presented honestly. If some important elements of the project’s fiscal structure are up in the air, it is important to say so. Interested people can accept such normal issues, but they do not want to be misled or left uninformed about important aspects of the finances. What financial interests do the organizers have? What intangible benefits could be involved for them? If these exist, they should be revealed. For example, a project might increase property values in an area adjacent to theirs, or enhance business opportunities. There is nothing wrong with this; often organizers have several motivations. Personal and community interests can coexist successfully. Again, the main point is that these should not be hidden.
Sixth, the developmental status of the project should be continually updated with current information. Here are some examples of commonly asked questions: Have appropriate governmental agencies given their approval? Are needed permits in hand? What costs exist at present? Who is funding the project? What is the status of the funding? What conditions are involved? Have any contracts been signed? What interests do the funders have? If two or more funding sources are involved, are they dependent on each other’s participation? Are matching funds or other contributions involved? Have the costs of the project been presented accurately? Have operating budgets been developed? Are new taxes a possibility? For example, in many communities a stadium or a convention center is being considered but the organizers minimize the operating costs or potential new taxes in order to increase support for the project, Then, when the true costs become known, a lot of community trust and interest is lost.
Last, what is the decision-making process during the developmental stage? How will decisions and approvals be made, when, and by whom? Will the community or an advisory committee be involved in any way? Have the people and groups who have a stake in the process been appropriately involved, in a timely manner? For example, a project might include a needed zoning change that could have a negative effect on a neighborhood, but the homeowners have not been informed or involved until it is too late. This situation often results later in noisy protests or negative media publicity that endangers the project’s success.
Interested citizens will also want to know how the project will operate after completion. Will there be an independent non-profit organization? Will the board be elected in some way? Or, will it be operated by a government entity or another entity with government connections? How will decisions be made, and by whom? How will ongoing funding be provided for? Conservative community members will want to be sure they will not be left with an expensive “white elephant” on their hands. They will want to be sure that sufficient funding is secured so that ongoing maintenance and operation costs are covered, without relying on an influx of visitors who may not materialize.
It may be that a project can proceed from conception to completion without community involvement. However, if the project is one in which community support or financial contributions are needed, the considerations itemized above should be addressed. This task is not really onerous. It can be handled effectively if the organizers continually answer the questions, Who should we be communicating with right now? What do others need to know right now? At our meetings are we answering questions from the public fully and graciously?
Interested citizens, and the public at large, are usually willing to give the benefit of the doubt to a developing effort if a basic level of trust exists and they feel confident they are being kept informed. Once that trust has been lost, it is very difficult to regain. Community support is generally a critical element in the development stages of a large project. Every effort should be made to enhance and preserve it.
