Consensus is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Approximately 50% of our income comes from consulting work. Contact us for more information on how we can help you create more effective civic engagement, or for information on civility trainings.
Community Engagement
For more than 30 years, Consensus has engaged the public in finding solutions. In meetings of a dozen to hundreds of people, engaging constituents pays off with benefits such as:
It asks people to learn about the issue and consider perspectives other than their own. Deliberation helps move people past wishful thinking and denial and toward real solutions.
Consensus has produced deliberative events with dozens of people lasting several hours. We have also produced some of the biggest public engagements in local history, with hundreds of people for an entire day.
Consensus offers skilled facilitators and a deep understanding of this proven way to find common ground for action. For big projects, we engage national leaders in applying technology to large-scale engagement.
Consensus can handle everything from recruitment to the final report. Our analysis shows clearly what people value and what actions they would support.
When your group faces a pivotal moment, you need a plan. Consensus KC can help you develop that with participatory strategic planning and action planning. Consensus has extensive experience with participatory strategic planning processes that chart a bold path forward.
Example: Future Search
A future search gets people reflecting the whole system in the room for about two days. There are no speeches or experts other than the participants. The facilitators guide the process, but participants create the content and decide what it means. The result of a future search is an action plan built upon common ground.
In 1993, Consensus held the first community-wide future search. Marvin Weisbord, co-creator of the process, wrote about the event in his book, “Discovering Common Ground.”
Consensus excels at conducting research and analysis, and communicating even complicated subjects in a clear, compelling manner.
Whether working on client-funded or philanthropic projects, Consensus can provide the following:
- Primary research using surveys and interviews with experts and stakeholders
- Data gathering and literature review
- Identification of key trends affecting an issue or industry
- Options for approaching an issue, the values involved and the pros and cons of each
- Written materials such as reports and website copy targeted to specific audiences
Since its founding, Consensus has involved the community in studying 16 public policy issues.
Our studies are based on the belief that people can learn about a situation and find innovative new approaches that speak to what’s most important to local residents. Our studies are neutral, thorough, and written in clear, accessible language. Consensus studies have been the catalyst for new laws, new and improved programs, and increased understanding and awareness.
From college classrooms to community coalitions, we have worked with diverse groups of people to achieve their goals. Recently, we’ve led discussions on what it means to be civically engaged, helped a community coalition narrow down their priorities, and led community conversations on life in a pandemic and race relations.
Our Process
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