Building on the elements of meaningful public participation, this course leads students through a detailed understanding of how to plan for effective public participation processes. Planning for effective public participation requires significant effort. The success and failure of public participation is largely determined in the level and appropriateness of the effort in planning. Topics covered in this class include:

• How to prepare for planning and engaging the public
• How to identify stakeholders and stakeholder interests
• The importance of convening balanced and representative stakeholders
• How to incorporate public participation activities into the decision process
• Select the appropriate level of public participation
• Establish clear goals and objectives
• Match tools and techniques to public participation goals
• Identifying and budgeting for necessary resources
• The importance of evaluation.