Community Engagement Toolkit V2
About Version 2.0: This revised toolkit provides step-by-step guidance for every stage of leading a state workgroup—from defining project scope to recruiting members and running accessible, inclusive meetings. Reorganized based on community feedback, it uses plain language, clear checklists, and actionable guidance to support meaningful participation.
Dedication & Acknowledgements
Dedication
This revision of the Community Engagement Toolkit is dedicated to the memory of Kyle Matheson, a passionate disability advocate and valued member of the Community Engagement Toolkit Workgroup. Kyle’s enthusiasm, insight, and lifetime of advocacy grounded this work in lived experience and reminded us that community voices must always lead.
Acknowledgements
The WA State Office of Equity extends sincere gratitude to everyone who supported the creation of this toolkit:
Members of the Community Engagement Toolkit Workgroup:
- Janell Braxton
- John Collier Hauter
- Taylor Crisp
- Victor Loo
- Kyle Matheson
- Linda M. Moran
- Kelly Olson
- Amy Lynn Roark
- Aya Samman
Disability Community Advocacy Groups:
- Allies in Advocacy
- Cross Disability Action Network (CDAN)
- People First of Washington
- Self-Advocates in Leadership
Special thanks to over 67 agency staff, disability advocates, and community partners who participated in listening sessions, interviews, and surveys to help shape Version 2.0.
Introduction & Purpose
The Community Engagement Toolkit helps state agency staff create welcoming, respectful, and culturally competent environments when engaging community members in workgroups and advisory bodies. It provides practical tools to move away from transactional engagement toward ongoing, relational partnerships.
Legislative Foundations
Legislative Summary:
- 2023 Budget Proviso: Mandated & funded the Toolkit development
- HB 1541: Requires lived-experience representation ("Nothing About Us Without Us")
- SB 5793: Mandates community compensation for eligible workgroup members
- 2023 State Operating Budget (SB 5187): Formally authorized and funded the Office of Equity to develop a best-practices toolkit for engaging underrepresented individuals on statutory entities.
- HB 1541 ("Nothing About Us Without Us Act"): Recognizes that underrepresented communities are often left out of decisions that affect them. Mandates that statutory entities actively include people with direct lived experience in policy development.
- SB 5793 & Community Compensation Guidelines: Requires state government agencies to pay Class One workgroup members for their time and expertise if they qualify as low-income and/or have direct lived experience with the subject matter.
- Existing Barriers to Community Participation Report (August 2024): Documents systemic challenges facing community members when interacting with state policy processes.
Key Definitions
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Lived Experience | Direct, personal, first-hand experience with the specific subject matter being addressed (defined in RCW 43.03.220). Note: Academic knowledge or second-hand experience (e.g., a family member or caregiver) does not qualify. |
| Underrepresented Population | A group joined by race, age, location, disability, or other shared characteristics that is disproportionately impacted by government decisions due to a historic lack of decision-making power. |
| Community Workgroup Member | Non-elected, non-government staff, and non-paid consultant members brought in for their lived experience or underrepresented perspective. |
| Workgroup / Statutory Entity | A temporary collaborative group established by legislation or agency action to examine a policy/issue affecting underrepresented communities and report recommendations. |
| Advocates | Individuals or organizations who take an active leadership role in community work surrounding the workgroup's mission. |
| Consulting State Entities | State commissions and agencies (LGBTQ Commission, Women’s Commission, CHA, CAAA, GCDE, CAPAA, DVA) that advise staff on best practices for community engagement. |
| Workgroup Manager | The agency staff member handling day-to-day operations, recruitment, scheduling, facilitation, and project deliverables. |
Example — Lived Experience Qualification:
If a workgroup evaluates physical building accessibility:
- Qualifies: An individual who uses a wheelchair and navigates physical mobility barriers daily.
- Does Not Qualify: Parents or family members who assist them—they possess observational experience, not direct personal experience.
The Shared Power Principle
WA State government agencies and staff have a responsibility to serve every person in the state with fairness, dignity, and care to reach desired outcomes. Before community engagement begins, staff must first familiarize and internalize the shared power principle to apply it to their work with regular people.
To share power well, we must understand how it functions in our systems and in our daily work. To deepen that understanding, we begin by turning power from an abstract idea into a practical strategy that shapes relationships, decisions, and institutions. Shared Power brings Executive Order 25-06 to life and supports culture change across state government.
Our experiences with power shape how we lead and how we collaborate. Power influences decisions, outcomes, and people’s lives sometimes opening doors, sometimes causing harm. Practicing Shared Power strengthens trust, builds meaningful partnerships, and moves us toward a Washington for All.
Moving toward this model involves embracing four foundational pillars (CPI Model):
The Four Pillars of Shared Power (CPI Model)
- Relational Partnership: Building genuine trust and long-term connections with communities.
- Co-Creative Decision-Making: Inviting diverse perspectives to shape solutions together.
- Accountability: Taking responsibility to repair harm, follow through on commitments, and strengthen relationships.
- Continuous Learning: Staying curious, reflecting on processes, and continuously refining engagement strategies.
Shared Power Links
Shared Power Principle (opens in a new tab) - PDF
Beyond Sticky Notes: What is Co-Design? (opens in a new tab)
Shared Power Guide (Coming Soon!)
Shared Power Resource Library (Coming Soon!)
Workgroup Implementation Checklist
This toolkit is designed to help you plan and run community engagement workgroups in a way that is thoughtful, inclusive, and effective. It gives you a clear set of steps to follow, from identifying the goals of the workgroup to running sessions. Each step has tips and ideas to help make your workgroup welcoming for everyone.
You can use the checklist below as a roadmap, moving through it step-by-step, or as a quick reference to make sure you haven’t missed anything along the way. The toolkit is meant to be flexible, so you can adapt it to your community, your goals, and the type of engagement you’re planning.
The checklist and timelines suggested below are provided as general guidance and may need to be adjusted based on the scope of your project, the number of participants, and the supports required. Building adequate time into your project timeline allows you to thoughtfully plan, coordinate, and carry out each part of the process.
There is also a downloadable version of this checklist
Understanding Purpose and Scope, and the Community
- ✓Define the Work
- ✓Research Establishing documents
- ✓Identify Key Partners and Advocates
- ✓Host a Planning Meeting
- ✓Conduct a Landscape Analysis
- ✓Meet With the Relevant “Consulting State Entity”
Design the Workgroup Structure
- ✓Decide on Staffing
- ✓Pick Your Engagement Approach
- ✓Understand Technology and Software Needs
- ✓Determine Workgroup Class
- ✓Decide the Workgroup Size
- ✓Review the Open Public Meetings Act Rules
- ✓Plan For Compensation
- ✓Build a Budget
- ✓Define Participation
- ✓Select a Decision-Making Model
- ✓Decide on Workgroup Structure
Plan for Inclusion and Accessibility
- ✓Learn about Disability Inclusion
- ✓Apply Universal Design Principles
- ✓Understand Accessibility Requirements
- ✓Host Accessible Face to Face Meetings
- ✓Host Accessible Hybrid and/or Virtual Meetings
- ✓Deliver Accessible Presentations
- ✓Create Accessible Documents
- ✓Embrace Trauma Informed Practices
- ✓Ensure Language and Communication Access
- ✓Use Plain Language
Recruit Workgroup Members
- ✓Design the Application
- ✓Begin Recruitment
- ✓Collect Private Personal Information Cautiously
- ✓Interview Candidates
- ✓Select Candidates
- ✓Notify Candidates
Onboard Workgroup Members
- ✓Start With Introductions
- ✓Acknowledge Access Needs
- ✓Provide Context & Expectations
- ✓Review Public Records and Privacy Requirements
- ✓Explain Community Compensation
- ✓Check Digital Accessibility
- ✓Create Group Agreements
Run Effective and Welcoming Meetings
- ✓Create a Clear, Simple Agenda
- ✓Assign Roles and Responsibilities
- ✓Prepare Materials
- ✓Lead Discussions with Intention
- ✓Acknowledge Missteps
- ✓Address Conflict Intentionally
- ✓Follow-Up
- ✓Assess your efforts
Workgroup Wrap-Up
- ✓Meet Reporting Requirements
- ✓Close the Loop with Members
- ✓Create a Workgroup Summary/Report