Community Compensation Guidelines

Removing barriers to co-creating policies with Community.

a person raises their hand to speak in a crowd

Check out our new Community Compensation Guidelines: Office of Equity Community Compensation Guidelines Update Volume 2.pdf

If you would like to see the previous version, check out the Community Compensation Guidelines (Volume 1).

Philosophy - Why Do the "Community Compensation Guidelines" Exist?

Public policy discussions should involve the individuals who are being or have been impacted by that policy or subject matter. By embracing co-creation, we advance a reality that people are the experts of their own lives and are partners in the government decisions that impact them.

The intent of these guidelines is to remove barriers to participation in government actions, discussions, and decision-making and to recognize the value and expertise community members contribute to state government workgroups. For the sustained success of promoting equitable policy development, state agencies must establish, sustain, and grow relational partnerships. Moving from a transactional culture to a relational one is critical to developing the trust needed to meet the unique challenges of the 21st century.

For the public

Are you a Washington state resident with lived experience?

Are you interested in joining workgroups that state agencies host to develop policies and practices?

We recognize that people with lived experience, such as folks with experience in the foster care system, in the criminal legal system, and with housing insecurity offer direct insights into how state policies affect people. We also recognize that historically, there have been barriers for folks directly impacted to shape policies.

Senate Bill 5793, the legislation around Community Compensation, is meant to direct agencies to consult and compensate community members who have been historically excluded from the process. The links on this page include guides and examples to support agencies as they co-create with community members. The links on this page include paperwork for agencies to work with community members.

Each state agency posts its own opportunities according to its agency practices, which may include newsletters, email lists, websites, etc. Please note that the Community Compensation legislation and guidelines refers specifically to Class One Volunteer Workgroups created by the state agencies.

Guidance for State Agencies

NEW - Please refer to the links below for the latest released version as of Fall 2024.

Just Released: Office of Equity Community Compensation Guidelines Update Volume 2.pdf
This is the new form for agencies to fill out to request allocation. Community Compensation Request for Allocation (on smartsheet.com)
- Note: This new process will go into effect starting January 2025. Agencies who have compensated Class One Volunteers from July 1st, 2024 – December 31st, 2024 will need to continue to use the current Agency Reporting Form and/or send in the appropriate forms to LivedExperience@equity.wa.gov to request reimbursement.
To understand how the new allocation process will work, take a moment to review our Allocation Best Practices.pdf
In the meantime, for July-December 2024, agencies must continue to use the previous allocation request process.
Other documents you may find helpful

Sample Forms

Are you a state employee looking to get your community members compensated but need the paperwork? These documents are samples for you to document attendance and submit invoices to pay community members.

Internal Attendance and Compensation Tracker for Workgroup.xlsx

Volunteer Compensation Form.docx

Individual Invoice Sample.docx

Workgroup Invoice Sample.docx

Imprest_Account_Monthly Reconciliation (1).xlsx

ACH authorization Sample.docx

Examples from Other Agencies

Are you an employee of a state agency looking for examples of making specific processes for your agency to start compensating community members? Check out these resources we have collected.

*Please note that each agency has its own policies and practices regarding document accessibility, and may not match the accessibility of the Office of Equity's documents.

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS)

DSHS Community Compensation Guide

Department of Health (DOH)

Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW)

Department of Commerce (COM)

Department of Corrections (DOC)

Questions?

Have further questions about Community Compensation? Email LivedExperience@equity.wa.gov.

Have requests for information in another language or format? Email us at access@equity.wa.gov. See our Accessibility pages or FAQ page for more details, which are always linked in the footer (at the bottom of our website).

Accessibility Notes:

We urge agencies and state employees managing Community Compensation for members of the public to keep in mind the needs of the public. If a state agency asks a community member to complete the paperwork for compensation, please ensure that all documents you provide are accessible.

This includes but is not limited to documents with good contrast between the text and background, alt text for meaningful images, and access methods that are screen-reader friendly. When an agency develops paperwork, it can expect to share this with a large audience, and accessibility is required. For more about state accessibility standards, please see Accessibility Policy | WaTech. State employees may find trainings in the Learning Center regarding document and webpage accessibility to be helpful.

We encourage whoever manages the process to continue to offer that people may make requests in languages other than English, and in alternate formats, such as large print or Braille. Building your Community Compensation process is best done in conjunction with your agency's equity processes regarding language access, disability access, and digital accessibility.

Agency: Getting Started (Volume 1)

Read the Guidelines (Volume 1) PDF