Community Engagement Policies of the City of Santa Ana

• As an organization, we are making great strides in improving our community engagement, outreach, and promotional efforts so that they reflect and are responsive to our community's diversity and complement the priorities identified in the City's Five-Year Strategic Plan. This change in organizational culture involves the City Council's leadership and support which we are all very appreciative of. Developing and establishing comprehensive strategies, standards, tools, resources, infrastructure, technology, etc., necessary for our diverse communication and outreach needs is a collaborative effort that requires participation, buy-in, training, and inclusion of all departments, partners, and stakeholders. A significant component is the Community Engagement Policy which is currently being developed and will serve to formalize communication methods that help guide the process for City projects and initiatives.
• In partnership with the Planning and Building Agency - Neighborhood Initiatives and Environmental Services (which is the lead  on the Community Engagement Policy), the City's Strategic Communications Team is focused on a number elements and protocols needed to ensure the policy's success. This includes elements such as a City Website Styling and Contributing Guide, Social Media Policy and Procedures, Communication Tools Inventory and Matrix (identifying communication channels available citywide, both internal and external), and public relations and media strategies to better serve our diverse community successfully. For your reference, the following are other examples of key community engagement/outreach components we are working collaboratively on:

1. Guiding Principles and Framework - three levels of engagement: informing, consulting and involving the community
2. Standards for outreach and accountability to the public
3. Project/Initiative Parameters - identifying project area/scope, target audience, appropriate planning time frames, budgets, areas of responsibility, etc.
4. Design - establishing design criteria, messaging and public relations tools needed to achieve desired goals/outcomes
5. Delivery - finalizing strategies by which identified points of contact/project managers conduct quality control/checks to ensure on-time delivery for successful execution

• As we proceed, we anticipate that subsequent discussions and updates will be shared with the City Manager's Office, City Executive Management Team, and Mayor/City Council.

Contact: Margarita Macedonio, District Manager and Senior Community Planner for Neighborhood Initiatives and Environmental Services office at mmacedonio@santa-ana.org, (714) 667-2288.