About Us

Helping Communities Come Together for Better Decisions

You know that feeling when a community meeting goes well? When people leave energized instead of frustrated? When neighbors and organizations work together instead of talking past each other?

That's what we equip you to create, every single day!

From Skeptic to True Believers

We weren't always convinced that community engagement could actually work.

Early in our careers, we sat through plenty of those painful public meetings where nothing productive happened and everyone left feeling frustrated. Sound familiar?

But then we started encountering communities where things were different. Places where people were genuinely excited to participate, where decisions were better because of community input, and where trust was growing instead of shrinking.

What made the difference? We had to find out.

So, we started asking questions, studying successful approaches, and most importantly, listening to other leaders who were making it work every single day. That curiosity led us on a journey that completely changed how we think about what's possible when communities come together.

What we discovered might surprise you: community engagement isn't magic. It's not some mysterious art that only certain people can master. It's a learnable skill with specific techniques that consistently create better outcomes for everyone involved.

Every community is different, but the principles that build trust and participation are universal.

Whether you're in a small town or a major city, dealing with budget decisions or zoning issues, or a struggling nonprofit, certain approaches work consistently. And the best insights? They come from community engagement professionals who are doing this work successfully right now.

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What We've Learned

Our 20-year journey has included service in various leadership capacities—from municipal and nonprofit organizations to faith-based institutions—always with the privilege of partnering with communities across the nation. Here's what those experiences have taught us:

People Want to Be Heard,

Not Just Informed

Traditional "information sessions" don't build engagement—they build frustration. When you create genuine opportunities for input and show how that input shapes decisions, everything changes. People become partners instead of critics.

Small Changes

Create Big Results

You don't need to overhaul everything at once. Sometimes the smallest adjustments—like changing when you hold meetings or how you ask questions—can double your participation rates and completely transform the community dynamic.

Every Public Servant

Has Wisdom to Share

Every community faces different challenges, and there's always something new to learn from someone

who's tackled a similar situation.

As we partner with other groups, we're also expanding

our understanding of emerging challenges, capacity

restraints, technology and strategies that work.

They've also learned what doesn't work,

which can be MORE valuable.

We love sharing this collective wisdom with others!

Trust Is Built Through

Consistency, Not Perfection

Your constituents, residents, neighbors, congregation

and volunteers don't expect you to have every answer.

Earning and losing trust is universal.

They just want to know you'll listen, you'll be honest

about the challenges that come up, and you'll follow

through on the commitments you make.

Experience has taught us (the hard way) that

authenticity beats polish every single time.

REAL RESULTS
We measure success not just in participation numbers, but in the strength of relationships and the quality of decisions that emerge
when communities truly come together.

Ready to Get Started?

You're already doing important work. Let's make it even more effective and more rewarding. Whether you need dream team training, a conference speaker, or just want to explore what's possible, we're here to help!

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Learn About Our Volunteer-Led Project

Here's something that really gets me excited: finding new opportunities to highlight servant leaders for the amazing work they do every day.

From the community development director helping neighborhoods thrive, to the city manager building bridges between different groups, to the planning coordinator making sure growth benefits everyone, to the faith-based leader coordinating the next food drive or the neighborhood leader educating others about property rights—these are the people strengthening our communities behind the scenes.

The Community Positive project celebrates these everyday heroes while providing practical resources anyone can use to build better connections with local government and community organizations. It's become a movement that's inspiring the next generation of public servants and helping current teams rediscover why this work matters.

Why should this matter to you? Because every story

I share, every resource I create, and every person I encourage, strengthens the entire field of community engagement.

Special thanks to everyone who has volunteered to share their story for this evolving free platform.

Community Positive

Our Reach

150+ Interviews

30+ States

Catherine Huckaby
Executive Director

Mail

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How We Work Together

About Us

Helping Communities Come Together for Better Decisions

You know that feeling when a community meeting goes well? When people leave energized instead of frustrated? When neighbors and organizations work together instead of talking past each other?

That's what we equip you to create, every single day!

From Skeptic to True Believers