Hurry! Registration closes on Thursday, March 13th, 11:59pm ET.

This training is offered in partnership with Connect the Dots. 

Course Session Dates

• Tuesday, March 18 (10am-12pm ET)
• Thursday, March 20 (10am-12pm ET)

Each session will meet over Zoom for 2 hours.

To attend this training, it’s important to have a basic understanding of community engagement concepts and practices. We recommend:

• having attended the Introduction to Inclusive & Equitable Community Engagement virtual training offered in 2024;
• taking an intro crash course available through Connect the Dots; or
• sharing your working knowledge and background in community engagement via the question in the registration form.

Course Description

You’ve done the work to identify audiences and stakeholders and define project goals and topics, but how do you implement an engagement strategy for your project?

This mini-course will guide practitioners through the next steps of the engagement process, from ideation and research to strategy and implementation. Through a two-part virtual training series, we will discuss how to match types of engagement activities with specific topics, and explore the steps for designing and project managing a team to create successful and meaningful engagement. We’ll share tools that help to organize and structure the actions you need to take to actualize your ideas into reality. We’ll share case studies of projects that were completed in short and long timelines and projects with a wide range of tactics used, such as Interviews, Focus Groups, Pop-Ups, and Public Workshops.

Topics will include:
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• Creating a community engagement strategy and action plan
• Building a timeline to conduct and execute the strategy and action plan
• Leveraging your team's skill set with matching roles and responsibilities
• Choosing and designing the right engagement activities
• Defining expectations for the review process 

What to Expect

Each session will last two hours, consisting of presentations, tool introductions, breakout discussions, and some time for Q&A.

• Session 1: Strategy Development and Tactic Selection
• Session 2: Project Management and Implementation

Supplemental resources will be available for participants to review via an online learning platform.

Core Facilitators & Speakers:

• Sylvia García-García, Managing Principal at Connect the Dots, specializes in social impact across sectors. She holds master’s degrees in Strategic Thinking and Law, Economics, and Management, a bachelor’s in Economics, and a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Leadership. She leads inclusive engagement projects and advocates for immigrant and refugee economic inclusion.

• Stephanie Fuentes, Project Manager at Connect the Dots, has 10 years of experience in nonprofit and local government sectors, creating culturally inclusive spaces and integrating the arts in various public projects. As project manager at Connect the Dots, she designs tailored community engagement strategies and leads projects from start to finish, empowering communities to participate in storytelling, decision-making, and culture-keeping.

Introduction by:

• Elena Madison, Director of Projects, Project for Public Spaces
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Invoices

If credit card payment is not an option, please email events@pps.org to request to pay by invoice. Please provide the billing contact information and the number of tickets you wish to purchase. Once your payment is received, we will send instructions on how to register for the training.

Group Rate

Attend this training in a group of three or more to enjoy a Group Rate discount ($50 off the going rate)!

‍Scholarship Application

Historically, placemaking as a profession has only been accessible to a privileged few. Our scholarship application process prioritizes candidates from low-income communities, communities of color, and other communities affected by social inequities. Priority is given to candidates who clearly describe how the training will support their current work or professional development.

The scholarship application for this event closed on February 6, 2025. Notifications will be sent mid-February.

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Questions?

‍If you have any questions about this training or registration, please contact events@pps.org 

About Project for Public Spaces

Project for Public Spaces is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that brings public spaces to life by planning and designing them with the people who use them every day. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, Project for Public Spaces has spent the past five decades bringing some of the most successful public places in the world to life. Today, we remain committed to putting community participation at the center of everything we do, from placemaking partnerships with corporations and foundations to our workshops, trainings, conferences, and more. Our interdisciplinary team has helped over 3,500 communities in 52 countries create inclusive places that change our society for the better. Together, we can build a world where every public space is community-powered. To support our work, click here.

About Connect the Dots

Connect the Dots is a consulting firm focused on public engagement and connecting diverse voices to decision-making. We build innovative, meaningful engagement and outreach methods to elevate community and stakeholder voices in participatory processes - and drive impact.

Through our creative and iterative approach, we incorporate education and intentionally-designed interactions to ensure these processes are inclusive, accessible, and representative. This work serves to build trust and lasting connections as communities inform their own futures.

Connect the Dots is DBE/WBE certified in PA, NJ, CT, DC, DE, MD, ME, NY, RI and VA.

Photo:
‍‍4th International Placemaking Week. Credit: Harry Connolly‍