Lessons in building a better community, one voice at a time

Abstract

Silicon Valley Community Foundation partnered with area nonprofits and government agencies on a venture-philanthropy model initiative, Envision Bay Area, to engage residents and community leaders in conversations about growth. The community foundation developed an interactive web-based simulation tool, YouChooseBayArea.org, to provide graphic illustrations of the various ways a city can grow. This article examines what was learned about engaging new voices and the challenges that can occur in public forums. The effort brought government and nonprofits together to agree on a common direction for public input to inform important policy decisions around the region's future growth.