233F03005
How to Plan >
and Budget for :
Public Involvement
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Step 1: Plan and
^Budget for Public
Involvement
Goal:
- To ensure effective public involvement processes through
adequate budgeting and thorough planning.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued
its new Public Involvement Policy in June 2003. The Policy's
overall goal is for excellent public involvement to become
an integral part of EPA's culture, thus supporting more
effective Agency decisions and actions.
The Policy provides guidance to EPA managers 3nd staff
on how you can betterlnvolve the public in the Agency^'1,
decision making. The Policy outlines seven steps to -
effective involvement This brochure (one in a senes) offers
suggestions to help you "get started" planning and
budgeting public involvement activities and processes.
Why Plart.and Budget for Public Involvement?
Planning public involvement activities and adequately
budgeting resources (tinie, money, and in-kind efforts)
help ensure an effective-public involvement process. Early
planning helps get these activities and processes smoving
in an orderly way, both vtffhiixEPA and with the public.
What to Consider in Public Involvement
Planning and Budgeting
When you .begin thinking about the strategic,planning - *
process,-recognize that planning for involvement «P front
"Planning for public" involvement should occur in the context
. of larger program pfenning efforts. This can facilitate earlier '
involvement and reduce resources needed fonmplementation.
Even more importantly, such planning* increases the likelihood
that public involvement will become an integral part of agency
programs, rather than a less effective add-on-to agency efforts"
Carph Chess, Rutger§ University
Center for Environmental Communication'
Public Comrnents oh the 2000 Draft Public
Involvement Policy * *> f
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Find out if technical assistance is needed, what technical
resources are available to you, their costs, and where to
get additional resources.
Decide who will manage the public involvement process
and activities and who, if necessary, is the key point-of
contact for the affected public.
Set priorities for what needs to occur first and create a
time line of priority actions and activities to track the
process, including success indicators to measure your
progress.
- Create an outline of basic resources needs (costs, staff
time, in-kind support) to agree with priority actions and
activities on your time line;
- Get ready to conduct the most suitable public involvement
process for the community or affected public by ,
researching information, taking training, and talking, to,
colleagues. - "'"/'"
- Plan follow-up involvement activities and estimate the -
resources necessary to do them, such as collecting
feedback and reviewing and improving them. , , ~ - "
- Expect barriers such as schedule delays, adverse, *
findings, and communities that may be hesitant to
cooperate or fear change.
Work Your Plan
Involve the potentially affected public indiyiduals,;groups,
and community members at the earliest phases and "
throughout the process. - ' J
Set up your ongoing outreach mechanism as a routine
way to communicate descriptions of the upcoming'
involvement activities. , _ ' -,
Communicate the background, purpose, and goals of the,
involvement process and activities with key community
and Agency contacts and the dates and descriptions of the
upcoming involvement activities
-------
Step 1: Plan and
^Budget for Public
Involvement
Goal:
- To ensure effective public involvement processes through
adequate budgeting and thorough planning.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued
its new Public Involvement Policy in June 2003. The Policy's
overall goal is for excellent public involvement to become
an integral part of ERA'S culture, thus supporting more
effective Agency decisions and actions.
The Policy provides guidance to EPA managers and-sjtaff _
on how you can better involve the public in the Agency's
decision making. The Policy, outlines seven steps tdi%-,. - -
effective involvement. This_brochure (one in a series) offers
suggestions to help you "get-started" planning and
budgeting public involvement "activities and processes.
Why Plan and Budget for Public Involvement?
Planning public involvement activities and adequately
budgeting resources (lime, money, and in-kind efforts)
help ensure an effective, public involvement process.' Early
planning helps get these activities and processes moving
in an orderly way, both within EPA and with the public.
What to Consider in Public involvement
Planning and Budgeting .
When you begin thinking about the strategic planning.
process, recognize that planning for involvement up front
'Planning for public involvement should occur in the context
of larger program planning efforts This can facilitate earlier
involvement and reduce resources needed for implementation
Even more importantly, such planning ino§ases the likelihood
that public involvement will become an integral psrt df agency
programs, rather than a less effective add-on to agency efforts/
Caron Chess, Rutgers University
Center for Environmental Communication ,
Public Comments on the 2000 Draft Public -
Involvement Policy
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helps EPA staff members meet deadlines and achieve goals
With the expected resources'.
If you plan and organize public involvement activities wety,
you can make the entire process"clear to the public and "' '-
clarify their role. Groups and~individuals will batter-.'
understand when and where they can, effectively involve - "
themselves with EPA decision making. ', -
Remember that budgeting is part of planning-. Developing a '
comprehensive budget will depend/on many factors. Foe
example, you shoufd not budget fore'ducatiort and outreach
until you know how extensive it needs to be, ' .
Costs of involvement activities,vary a lot, so budgets will . .-.
too. It is critical to integrate the public involvement budget
into your program's overall, strategic planning process - -
during the .earliest stages of EPA planning and action." :
Plan Your Work: '. -", ,, ~. , :
How to Organize VPUF Public Involvement Piannintf
and Budgeting
" Clearly define"the purpose, goals, and objectives oftris .
public involvement. ° % ;* - ', , > ,-'"'.'. - .
- Identify the target audiences and become familiarlwith the
''community or affected public's issues.= ".
- Communicate with other Agency'stafTwho may have, .
worked on similar public.irryolvemenVactivities or with "
similar audiences for ideas,
information, resources/budget
questions and key contacts.
Plan & Budget
Identify audience
Research needs
Clarify goals &
Pn'orifize time line
Outline budget
Anticipate barriers
- Find out how ^knowledgeable
the community of affected public
is about the issues and what
additional informational! be
,' useful to them.
- Determine the best method and
, costs for communicating with the -
community or affected public
(e.g., electronically, mailings,
meetings, dooMo-door contact,
advertisements, etc.).
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More Information about the Policy
Copies of the Policy and the Framework for implementing it
are available at http://www.epa.qov/publicinvolvement/policy2003/'
policy2Q03.pdf and littp://www.eDa.QOv/Dublicinvolvemeht/poHcv2003/
framework.pdf >'
The Website for the "Internet Dialogue on J?ubhc Involvement in
EPA Decisions" is http://www.network-dmnQcracy.org/epa/epa-pip
EPA's Response to Comments on the Draft 2000 Public
Involvement Policy is available at http://www.epa.qpv/p'ablic
involvement/Dolicv2003/resPDns&!Bdf > -
^Invotyernenibrings the^pieces together" artwdrk is the _
. eyeatbn'ef Elfiea'Ann Turner, who contributedJhework
. througtj dri agreement between the,Art Institute of""-' -
'WashingtonanciEPA.-' '. --,",,' "
United States Environmental Protection Agency
National Center for Environmental Innovation
Public Involvement Staff
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 1807T
Washington, DC 20460
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