COVID-19 Content: Communications, Community Engagement, & Public Meetings

Building a Multi-message and Multi-channel Campaign to Overcome Vaccine Resistance

Posted on March 12, 2021

Patrick Armitage and Dane Grashuis of Whispir write about creating a more robust and frequent communication plan involving equity and distinct messaging for different audiences and how that is crucial for success. “Community engagement is key to overcoming mistrust and building confidence through actions like using many channels of communication.” - CDC The recent pledge...

Woman wearing a mask, looking off into the distance, on a street with a car in the background.

Engaging Alone, Together

Posted on December 2, 2020

Guest post brought to you by Bang the Table's Meghan Ruble, Head of Client Services What a year. If you’re fortunate enough to be healthy and employed, you’re likely doing three people’s jobs. Your work has pivoted and sprinted, and at times come to a complete standstill. You innovated, but mostly because you had...

GovComms Speaker Profile: Amanda Nagl

Posted on November 5, 2020

ELGL is excited to participate in the first-ever GovComms Festival, part of OECD’s Government After Shock global dialogue. Register for this free event, and learn more about ELGL members who are speaking at this event! Register for the GovComms Festival on November 17, 2020! Amanda Nagl LinkedIn Current Job Title: Founder and Principal Current Organization: Unlocking...

How Local Governments are Bringing Halloween Back from the Dead this Year

Posted on October 27, 2020

This guest post is shared by our friends at Zencity. Halloween 2020 will be remembered as one unlike any before. Frankenstein masks are being replaced with surgical masks, haunted houses will go unvisited, and door-to-door trick-or-treating may not happen at all. Local governments across the US are balancing between ensuring the health and safety of...

Rewind: Connecting Local Government and Education

Posted on September 9, 2020

This webinar originally aired on August 26, 2020. The pandemic has brought a whirlwind of change for schools as many districts transitioned to remote learning almost overnight in March. Now as we approach the start of the new school year, school districts are figuring out the best way to safely reopen and ensure students have...

Report: Local Government’s Next Normal

Posted on August 26, 2020

This is the report from the ELGL, The Atlas, and SeeClickFix "Local Government's Next Normal" survey, conducted in June & July 2020. Download the full report About the Local Government's Next Normal Report Local governments across the country, and of all sizes, have been experiencing rapid shifts in priorities and work as a result of...

What Local Gov Leaders Should Know About Community Policing, Equity and Inclusion

Posted on August 25, 2020

National Research Center at Polco survey research highlights, plus how local governments can engage diverse residents regarding equity and community policing. Webinar Show Notes by Julia Steege-Reimann In these uncertain times, many residents feel unheard, undervalued, and unsafe. For this reason, community policing and government inclusivity may be more important now than ever. How can...

Rewind: Engaging Along the Road to Reopening

Posted on August 19, 2020

This webinar originally aired on August 19, 2020. About the event: As local governments receive ever-changing orders from state and county health departments about reopening and scaling back reopening, they face a two-fold challenge. On the one hand, they are often conveying information about decisions (sometimes unpopular decisions) that have already been made by public...

Webinar Series: Engagement During Pandemic Uncertainties

Posted on August 2, 2020

Join ELGL and the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement for a four-part webinar series on engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic! As local governments continue to wrestle with challenges of balancing community health and community connection during what is becoming a new normal of uncertainty, ELGL and the Davenport Institute are excited to continue the conversations...

Rewind: Local Government Preparation for Presidential Candidate Visits

Posted on July 22, 2020

This webinar originally aired on July 21, 2020 Now – while the presidential candidates are mostly staying home – is the perfect time to prepare your local gov for potential campaign visits, especially if you’re in a battleground state. Because when you get the call that a presidential candidate will visit your town, you don’t...

Improving Citizen Engagement in Online Forums & Public Meetings

Posted on July 13, 2020

Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash This article is written by Brian Murphy (LinkedIn/Twitter) and coauthored by Nathan Lee, CivicPulse. As local governments work to connect with community members in a socially distant way, online meetings and public forums have become the new normal as in-person meetings have become impossible. Online messaging tools like email...

Rewind: Recovery Planning for Local Visitor Economies

Posted on July 3, 2020

This webinar originally aired on June 25, 2020. For many cities, the economic activity of the travel & tourism sector is an essential part of the city’s larger economic landscape. Because the visitor economy has been so hard-hit by the COVID-19 crisis, deliberate action to foster a recovery in that sector is a top priority...

Rewind: Fourth of July Celebrations During COVID-19

Posted on June 23, 2020

This webinar originally aired on June 23, 2020. With the 4th of July just around the corner, budget cuts, protests, and concerns about a potential second wave are forcing many cities to adjust their Independence Day celebration plans. Join ELGL, the City of Elk Grove, CA, the City of Mankato, MN, and our friends at...

Will Crisis Engagement Become Engagement?

Posted on June 1, 2020

I'm Jessica VanderKolk, Communications Manager for the City of Battle Creek, Michigan. Talk to me on Twitter and LinkedIn! What I'm reading -- Untamed by Glennon Doyle What I'm watching -- ASMR videos to relax my brain, while I work and before I sleep What I'm doing -- Running as much as I can, and...

Rewind: Reopening Local Government: Best Practices & Research

Posted on May 26, 2020

This webinar originally aired on May 26, 2020. As local governments begin to reopen to the public, there are many important considerations for the safety of employees, local businesses, and community members. This webinar will provide perspectives on the reopening experiences in Jackson, Mississippi, and Lewisville, Texas, and will also include data and research from...

Rewind: Building Community and Rebuilding Connections

Posted on May 26, 2020

This webinar occurred on May 21, 2020. Even at the best of times, authentic, inclusive, and effective public engagement looks very different from traditional, 3-minutes-at-a-microphone, public comment. Even after COVID-19 mandates are lifted, local government resources will be more limited, while complex issues such as housing, homelessness, workforce development, and the gig economy will only...

Rewind: Mastering Virtual Communications

Posted on May 21, 2020

This webinar occurred on May 14, 2020. About the webinar: Prior to this unprecedented crisis, only some of our communications were virtual. Now, as a result of “shelter in place” orders across the nation, our only option is digital communication. What leading innovative techniques and strategies are being successfully used by cities? What is the...

Smokin’ in the Zoom Room

Posted on May 20, 2020

We had a recent ELGL Facebook Group anonymized question that sparked a lot of discussion: "What are your thoughts on smoking during video calls while working remotely?" Here's a summary of the responses. And a reminder - you can submit an anonymous question! Just email us and we'll post for you. I kind of view...

Rewind: Virtual Ideation Session – Reopening Local Government

Posted on May 11, 2020

In this virtual ideation session, we explored the challenges, opportunities, and strategies that organizations are thinking about, and then discussed using collaborative conversations. This session was hosted in partnership with Judi Brown and Leah Tremblay-Adams from CivicMakers. View the resources from the chat transcript Link to the Mural Board Draft example transition plan Watch the...

Rewind & Recap: Virtual Meetings & Public Records Law

Posted on May 1, 2020

Miss the recent webinar with the National Freedom of Information Coalition (NFOIC) and PublicInput.com, or just want a review? Here’s what we discussed on the recent “Virtual Meetings & Sunshine” webinar on April 28th. Hosting Virtual Meetings that are Secure, Accessible, and Compliant with Public Records Laws The challenges of virtual public meetings Adjusting to...

Rewind: WFH (Working From Home) Teambuilding

Posted on April 30, 2020

On Thursday, April 30, 2020 we learned from the City of Syracuse, NY and the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government about effective work from home teambuilding tactics. This webinar was presented in partnership with the Davenport Institute at Pepperdine University. View the resources from the chat transcript Watch the video: About the session: Many of us...

The Human Touch

Posted on April 28, 2020

This guest post is by John Lisle, the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at DC Water. LinkedIn | Twitter The COVID-19 pandemic has simultaneously pulled us all apart and thrown us all together. At DC Water, with the exception of field staff and crews, many of us are sitting in dining rooms and dens,...

U.S. Digital Response: A Resource for Local Government

Posted on April 23, 2020

As the COVID-19 crisis impacts every aspect of society, cities across the country feel the strain on their existing technology. Teams are spinning up new systems, websites, and tools to help their workforces and neighbors navigate this crisis, with limited resources, staff, and support. If we can help, we will U.S. Digital Response is a...

Rewind: Virtual Ideation Session: Local Government Learning & Collaboration

Posted on April 20, 2020

This webinar aired live on April 15, 2020. Watch the video and download the resources from the webinar below. The COVID-19 response swiftly changed the way local governments operate. From virtual EOCs, to Zoom council meetings, to remote access to work, organizations are finding new ways to provide services and share information. The virtual ideation...

Creating Healthy Communities: Arts + Public Health in America

Posted on April 20, 2020

This local government advisory brief was created by a team at University of Florida, Center for Arts in Medicine. We are sharing as part of our Creative Community series, which is a partnership with ArtPlace America and CivicArts to write, explore, share, and learn about creative placemaking and how we use arts and culture to shape our communities! COVID-19 Arts Local...

Community Engagement During COVID-19: Virtual Hangout Notes

Posted on April 9, 2020

These are the notes from the April 3, 2020 virtual hangout on local government community engagement during COVID-19. Virtual Hangout Notes: Community Engagement Friday, April 3, 2020 Special Guest: Karen Tapahe, City of Provo, UT Introduction by Allie Breyer, ELGL’s Digital Coordinator. Today’s special guest is Karen Tapahe with the City of Provo, UT. What...

Podcast: Census 2020 in an Age of COVID-19 with Lorena Molina

Posted on April 7, 2020

Lorena Molina Director of Operations Census Open Innovation Labs LinkedIn | Bio Outreach and operations during a pandemic. Lorena Molina, the Director of Operations for the Census Open Innovation Labs, joined the podcast to give an update on how Census 2020 is being impacted by COVID-19. She also shared outreach tools and the value of continuing to...

Podcast: Remote Public Meetings & COVID-19 with Lindsay Lara, San Rafael, CA

Posted on April 3, 2020

Lindsay Lara City Clerk City of San Rafael, CA LinkedIn | Twitter From public comment to live broadcasting. Lindsay Lara, the City Clerk for the City of San Rafael, California, joined the podcast to discuss how the City Clerk and Digital Services teams set up public meetings in an age of social distancing. She talked...

Clark County & Community Partners Launch Pilot Program to Deliver Hot Meals to Vulnerable Families

Posted on April 1, 2020

This COVID-19 information was shared by ELGL member Katie Walpole, a Senior Management Analyst with Clark County, Nevada: Program information Clark County Commission Chairman Marilyn Kirkpatrick and community partners launched a pilot called Delivering with Dignity to bring high-quality meals directly to the most vulnerable families in the Las Vegas Valley, keeping them and the...

Census Suspending Field Operations Until April 15, 2020

Posted on March 30, 2020

This Census update is from Haley A. Miller, Intergovernmental Affairs Partnership Manager for the U.S. Census Bureau. Based on continuing assessments of guidance from federal, state and local health authorities, the U.S. Census Bureau is suspending 2020 Census field operations for two additional weeks to April 15, 2020. The Census Bureau is taking this step...

Podcast: Digital Communications & COVID-19 Response in King County, WA

Posted on March 27, 2020

Warren Kagarise Digital Engagement Manager King County, WA LinkedIn | Twitter Colette Cosner Public Health Digital Lead King County, WA LinkedIn | Twitter Strategy and public health information. Warren Kagarise, Digital Engagement Manager, and Colette Cosner, Public Health Digital Lead, from King County, Washington joined the podcast to talk about communicating during COVID-19. King County...

Residents’ Key Concerns About COVID-19: Analysis by Zencity

Posted on March 25, 2020

This post is from an analysis that Hannah Levenson with Zencity compiled from their local government clients. The coronavirus outbreak is completely changing day to day realities across the world, and fast. As more cities announce positive cases, create new policies, and implement different measures, the concerns of their communities change as well. And we...

OurStreets App: COVID-19 Supplies Tracker

Posted on March 25, 2020

ELGL member Mark Sussman shared this update on his app's pivot from a transportation focus, to crowd-sourcing local businesses, economic development, and essential supplies. Just like street safety, the COVID-19 pandemic impacts us all. This is why we’re leveraging the power and flexibility of OurStreets infrastructure to crowdsource the inventory of essential supplies at retailers across...

Building Your Strategic Communications Plan for COVID-19

Posted on March 24, 2020

This guest blog is by Kimbra McCarthy, City Manager, and Chris Hsiung, Deputy Police Chief/Strategic Communications Team Lead, City of Mountain View, California There is typically a honeymoon period when an organization gets a new City Manager, with plenty of time to focus on relationship-building, active listening, and gathering feedback for what is working well...

Local Government Update From the Census Bureau:

Posted on March 23, 2020

Local government update and new information available from the Census Bureau: The most recent release from Census Director Dillingham is here. Also, please find a new page listed on the 2020census.gov site specific to COVID-19 and operations. There are also new videos on our YouTube page that are easily shareable and very informative.

Sample Press Releases from City of Temecula, CA

Posted on March 22, 2020

These COVID-19 resources shared by Lynn Kelly-Lehner from the City of Temecula, CA. Coronavirus Press Release Coronavirus Press Release - Update #2

Podcast: Public Health & COVID-19 Response with Sarah Martin, mySidewalk

Posted on March 20, 2020

Sarah Martin Vice President of Health Solutions mySidewalk LinkedIn | Twitter Data science for public service. Sarah Martin, the Vice President of Health Solutions for mySidewalk and former Deputy Director of the Kansas City Health Department, joined the podcast to talk about the role of public health and responding to disease. She talked about the...

COVID-19: Meetings and Public Hearings Under the Coronavirus State of Emergency

Posted on March 19, 2020

Meetings and Public Hearings Under the Coronavirus State of Emergency Frayda Bluestein, UNC School of Government (Note from ELGL: Most of this is specific to North Carolina's authorizing statutes; however, much of it will be very similar across states and the big questions - about remote meetings, quora, and voting - are valid regardless of...

How to Extract Audio From Video for Community Accessibility

Posted on March 19, 2020

As your local government is working on making important information and resources accessible to your community, check out this how-to video from ELGL member Patrick McDonnell (LinkedIn, Twitter, GovLove) about how to extract audio from video to provide transcriptions. This is important so your information is accessible to all people.

COVID-19: Danville, VA Coronavirus/COVID-19 Information Page

Posted on March 18, 2020

This information is included on ELGL’s crowdsourced local government resources page for COVID-19/Coronavirus information. Submitted by ELGL member Amanda Paez. This is the link to our Coronavirus/COVID-19 information page. Due to the rapidly changing nature of the situation, we chose to link directly to the CDC and the Virginia Department of Health for the most accurate...

Public Leadership Through Crisis Part 2: Know Your Motivation, Put Communications & Key People First

Posted on March 18, 2020

Today's blog is written by ELGL member Matt Andrews and cross posted from our friends at the Building State Capability program at Harvard University. The Public Leadership Through Crisis blog series offers ideas for leaders questioning how they can help and what kind of leadership is required in the face of a crisis (like the COVID-19...

Best Practices for Effective Messaging During the Coronavirus Crisis

Posted on March 18, 2020

This blog post is by ELGL member Hadas Lanciano, a Data Analyst with Zencity: As conversations about the coronavirus grow in numbers and become a top of mind concern for the public, we acknowledge the pressing need of local governments to provide residents with relevant and reliable information and to make sure that they are exposed to it....

COVID-19 Response Landscape and the 2020 Census

Posted on March 16, 2020

This is an update on Census 2020 and COVID-19 from the CitiesCount listserve: The below memo shares what we know about a rapidly changing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response landscape and how it will impact Census Bureau operations, census stakeholder outreach and the well being of communities that have been historically missed in the census. The health and safety of...

Get the Word Out: Reaching Community Members With Confidence

Posted on March 16, 2020

This post is shared from our friends at PublicInput: Most days public engagement efforts tend to follow a regular cadence of chaos and downtime, but the arrival of COVID-19 is dramatically changing that, stretching every resource available. For many of you this crisis is unprecedented, as clear, consistent communication with your community is critical. Our...

Member Request: Testimony at Public Meetings During Social Distancing

Posted on March 15, 2020

This information is included on ELGL’s crowdsourced local government resources page for COVID-19/Coronavirus information. This question is submitted for your response from an ELGL member: Please the ELGL membership to see if any members have guidelines for accepting remote audio/video/online messaging testimony for public meetings? I’m specifically looking for quasi-judicial boards and City Council. I’ll soon...

COVID-19: SMS Texting Outreach to Community Members

Posted on March 15, 2020

This information is included on ELGL’s crowdsourced local government resources page for COVID-19/Coronavirus information. Submitted by ELGL member Alex Cottingham, Marketing Director at Citibot. Connect with Citibot: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Website The Citibot team, much like yourselves, have continued to see an increase of COVID-19 cases being confirmed in the U.S. as it spreads into...

COVID-19: Analysis of Community Concerns

Posted on March 15, 2020

This information is included on ELGL’s crowdsourced local government resources page for COVID-19/Coronavirus information. Submitted by ELGL member Ido Ivry, co-founder and CEO of Zencity. This new resource analyzes key concerns residents have across all of our cities regarding the COVID19 pandemic. Understanding what communities really care about could be of great value to local governments...

Notes from Noon COVID-19 Virtual Hangout

Posted on March 13, 2020

ELGL hosted a virtual hangout at noon on Friday, March 13, 2020. These are the notes and video from the call. Listen to the noon call Reminder: ELGL has a crowdsourced resource page at ELGL.org/covid-19. Question: How are your organizations managing Open Meetings Act requirements, while practicing social distancing? Update from Dan Bolin, Ancel Glink...

Zencity Coronavirus Hackathon: Your Feedback Needed

Posted on March 10, 2020

This information is included on ELGL’s crowdsourced local government resources page for COVID-19/Coronavirus information. Submitted by ELGL member Ido Ivri, founder and CEO of Zencity: As the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus increase in the United States, more residents are taking to the internet to voice their thoughts and concerns. They are also increasingly...

Messaging Strategies During Pandemics

Posted on March 10, 2020

This information is included on ELGL’s crowdsourced local government resources page for COVID-19/Coronavirus information. Submitted by ELGL members Katie Nelson and Capt. Chris Hsiung from the Mountain View Police Department:

XKCD Comic If you don't act now, things will be bad.

Only You Can Prevent Misinformation

Posted on March 10, 2020

Right Now with Nick Smith (Linkedin/Twitter) What I’m watching: Is It Canceled Yet? (Sorry, OA fans) What I'm re-reading: Alberto Cairo's "The Truthful Art: Data, Charts, and Maps for Communication" What I’m listening to: I have a soft spot for cover songs, and I think at this point we're all hoping for The Cure, so...