How Can Leaders Broaden Stakeholder Engagement?
Municipal leaders are uniquely positioned to play a distinct, integral role within a wider ecosystem surrounding young children ages PN8. A thriving, comprehensive, and sustainable early childhood system requires strong partnerships, which reflect a wide range of voices, perspectives and experiences. While traditional stakeholders, such as early childhood advocates working in non-profit organizations, are often present at PN8 stakeholder tables, municipal leaders have the opportunity expand the table by engaging non-traditional actors who can bring fresh perspectives and new ideas.
As families navigate the intricate maze of programs and services, municipal leaders are reminded of the need for more coordinated systems of care. Having a multidisciplinary team at your stakeholder table can add to the diversity of early childhood conversations and decision-making and improve service delivery. Municipal leaders should consider representation across agencies, systems and family touchpoints, engaging those responsible for the administration of behavioral health, public health child welfare, early intervention, food and nutrition services and more. By utilizing a cross-systems design approach and facilitating inclusive, coordinated planning, municipal leaders can help build a more connected, culturally responsive PN8 system of care and learning.
Key Questions to Ask Yourself
Reflecting on the following questions can help you identify opportunities, align priorities and strategically advance early childhood efforts within your city. Ask yourself these questions to guide your work as you engage community stakeholders:
- What opportunities currently exist to convene stakeholders across the PN8 spectrum? (e.g. community health providers, early childhood providers, parents, etc.)
- Does your community have an early childhood coalition? If not, what regular gatherings convene stakeholders that are actively involved in supporting young children and families?
- What role can you play as a municipal leader to support existing stakeholder groups in facilitating PN8 conversations?
- What messaging and resources do you need to inform PN8 conversations?
- Is there flexibility to hold stakeholder group meetings during non-traditional hours, to ensure families and early childhood providers can participate? Are child care services and incentives available for parents to actively participate in stakeholder group meetings?
What other non-traditional representatives from city agencies and departments should you consider engaging in your PN8 stakeholder group efforts (e.g., economic development, planning, zoning, parks and recreation)?
Your Next Steps for Getting Started
Municipal leaders can consider best practice approaches or strategies for engaging your local stakeholders to support young children PN8 and help you get started. Here are some helpful tips to get your stakeholder engagement going:
- Conduct a brief assessment of your existing stakeholder groups representing children and families and find opportunities to include PN8 conversations. Learn effective engagement strategies from your trusted community-based partners.
- Listen intently and gather ideas on what can work and not. Find out when the last community needs assessment for your city was conducted and whether it includes PN8 services, programs and funding.
- Explore how PN8 can be intentionally woven into your existing, updated or newly developed community needs assessment and strategize with your stakeholder group on an action plan to identify and fill gaps in services and systems.
- Develop a strategic approach for engaging a variety of voices and perspectives that positions the municipality in the most responsive and effective way.
Consider organizing a listening session for PN8 service providers as an initial stakeholder group activity to help inform your efforts, explore the major challenges and solve problems.
Potential Outcomes & Impacts
Engaging a solid, diverse PN8 stakeholder group can lead to the following outcomes:
- Enhanced Trust: As municipal leaders play a role in convening disparate groups toward achieving a common vision, the municipality can be seen as a trusted partner and participant in finding solutions that elevate the whole community.
- Increased Access to Information and Services: Developing a shared understanding of what local resources and tools are available to support young children and families is critical to ensuring those who need services are aware of what exists and how to access them.
- Increased Efficiencies and Effectiveness: As different systems and groups operate independently, without regular collaboration or intersection, stakeholder groups can help reduce redundancies and align PN8 priorities.
Increased Funding: As state, federal and private grants become available, having a diverse stakeholder group in place to identify gaps and opportunities can be beneficial to ensuring these funds get equitably disbursed across PN8 programs, services and systems.
City Examples
Santa Paula, Calif.: The Isabella Project is a pilot initiative aiming to ensure all zero-to five-year-olds in Santa Paula have access to high-quality early childhood education. Backed by nearly 120 community partners across Ventura County, including leaders in education, child care, and mental health, the project is building a replicable model of wraparound care through both existing and new providers. A defining feature is its “Permission Free Zone” culture, which empowers partners to act collaboratively and effectively. Santa Paula serves as a powerful example of how a unified, values-driven approach can accelerate progress.
Grand Rapids, Mich.: First Steps Kent in Grand Rapids, Mich. is an independent nonprofit organization founded in 2009. It collaborates with parents, service providers, funders, advocates, and community leaders to build a strong, comprehensive early childhood system. Supported by sustained county funding, First Steps Kent continues to drive measurable impact and demonstrate long-term commitment to early childhood success. Furthermore, collaborating with Our Community’s Children, a city/school partnership, illustrates how they were able to enhance and embrace youth voice, employment and action within this work.
Louisville, Ky: The Ready for K Alliance, in partnership with United Way of Metro Louisville, leads a citywide effort to support children from birth to kindergarten, particularly those who are historically underserved. As the city’s early childhood convener, the Alliance coordinates over 100 partners to align strategies and improve outcomes. Through its Family & Caregiver Engagement Action Network, developed with the National Center for Families Learning and partners like La Casita, Play Cousins Collective, JCPS, and Child Care Aware, the Alliance provides unified messaging, shared resources, and a coordinated calendar to support families during the transition to kindergarten.
Resources to Help You Get Started
Innovative Approaches to Civic Engagement
Webinar Recording: How Community Engagement Helps Leaders Make Tough City Budget Decisions
How to Promote Citizen Engagement and Participation
Navigate the roadmap
Homepage
Knowing Your Government’s Structures & Power Influences
Making the Case for Early Childhood Success
Facilitating Cross-Departmental Collaboration
