Community Outreach Project Planning

If you work with ethnocultural communities, and you want to explore sensitive topics, it is doable. I have talked about topics that range from what I would consider "comfortable" - such as resilience and healthier aging to "extremely uncomfortable" - such as mental health, violence, and abuse. One of the first and most important steps before you do that is to develop and gain their trust. There is no sustainability in what we do, no matter how important it is, without earning the trust of the people we serve and support. How do you do that? Well, this was my approach when I began my work on older adult mistreatment (elder abuse): 1. Identify and map out the community organisations in your area/city that meet the requirements of your services/support/project. 2. Reach out to community/cultural/spiritual leaders of those communities - ideally with an email and then a face-to-face meeting (introduce yourself and be transparent in what your ask is, but also suggest that you would like to know how you/your organisation can be of benefit to the community). 3. Ask to be invited to community events or gatherings as a gentle entry into the community, and so they can familiarise themselves with you. 4. Remember - it's about the community, their needs, and voices. 5. You may need to do these community event visits several times to earn and develop trust (trustworthiness is also a pillar of trauma-informed care). 6. Once trust is earned, and you have been able to engage the community in conversations around their needs, you can address your ask and adapt it to the community and the concerns they share with you. This sort of community engagement will also bring with it benefits and growth, plus, if you're in the field of social support and community engagement and advocacy, you know how important these steps are. Trust first. Your ask comes later.

When I first started managing community programs, I felt like I was juggling a dozen balls at once. I recall a particular project where I and my team poured months of effort into a series of programs. The engagement was high but as I reviewed the outcome, a sinking feeling set in. We'd missed the mark on our core objectives.😮 This moment was a wake-up call. It wasn't enough to run engaging programs; they needed to align perfectly with our goals. The experience taught me a lesson: Strategic alignment isn't just a buzzword - it's the backbone of successful community initiatives. But let's be honest, achieving this alignment isn't always straightforward. With multiple stakeholders, diverse community needs, and ever-evolving program objectives, how do we ensure everything moves in the same direction? What if our initiatives seem successful on the surface but aren't really moving the needle on our key objectives? After much reflection and refinement, I've developed an approach that has transformed how we plan and execute our community initiatives. Today, I want to share this strategy with you. ➡️ Here are 6 key steps to align your community initiatives with program objectives: 🎯 Clearly Define Your Objectives I start by ensuring our program objectives are specific, measurable, and time-bound. This clarity becomes our north star. 🎯 Map Community Needs to Objectives I create a matrix that shows how different community needs relate to our various objectives. This helps identify high-impact areas. 🎯 Design Initiatives with Purpose Every initiative we create must directly support at least one key objective. If it doesn't, we reconsider its value. 🎯 Establish Clear Metrics For each initiative, I define metrics that directly reflect progress towards our objectives. This ensures we're measuring what truly matters. 🎯 Regular Alignment Check-ins I schedule frequent reviews to assess how our initiatives are contributing to our objectives. This allows for quick course corrections. 🎯 Communicate the 'Why' I make sure everyone involved understands how each initiative ties back to our larger objectives. This creates buy-in and purpose. By consistently aligning your community initiatives with program objectives, you're not just running activities - you're driving meaningful, purposeful change.

Community engagement is healthcare’s most powerful tool. Yet it’s deeply misunderstood—costing time, funding, and patient lives. Here’s a practical, 7-step roadmap to do it right for maximum impact: Community engagement isn’t just a checkbox in healthcare. Done well, it improves outcomes, equity, and trust. It’s not about events or outreach. It’s about trust, access, and shared purpose. Here’s a practical 7-step roadmap that actually works: Step 1: Identify trusted local networks. Before launching anything, map who the community already listens to. Think faith leaders, small business owners, school staff, peer mentors. They often hold more influence than formal institutions. Step 2: Show up consistently—before launching a program. Trust takes time. Attend events, join conversations, offer support without pitching anything. Being present without an agenda signals real commitment. Step 3: Invite collaboration early. Don't finalize plans before listening. Hold roundtables or informal chats. Ask: What health needs matter most? What’s worked before? This helps shape services around real, local priorities. Step 4: Remove barriers to participation. Offer stipends, food, or transport. Choose venues people already know and trust—like schools or churches. Make engagement as easy as possible for working families or caregivers. Step 5: Track meaningful outcomes. Go beyond attendance or signup sheets. Measure trust, satisfaction, behavior change, or program retention. Qualitative feedback from participants matters just as much as data. Step 6: Build community leadership. Train local ambassadors, peer educators, or advisory board members. This shifts programs from “delivered to” → “co-led by” the people they serve. Shared ownership builds long-term impact. Step 7: Stay engaged over time. Real engagement isn’t a campaign—it’s a relationship. Keep checking in, sharing updates, and asking for feedback. Stability and consistency build trust far more than short-term effort. Community engagement works best when it’s grounded in respect, shared goals, and consistency. It’s not about scale—it’s about fit. When built well, it improves access, trust, and long-term outcomes. If you’re designing healthcare services with communities in mind: • Start early • Stay consistent • Make participation easy • Measure what matters ↓ Thanks for reading! I'm Sam Armstrong, Founder of Kismet Healthcare. If you found this useful, follow me for more real-world frameworks on community-centered care. Repost for your network:🔄

In my experience as a #projectmanager, one of the strongest lessons I have learnt is that no project succeeds in isolation from the people it intends to serve. Throughout the different phases of my projects planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, I have consistently engaged and involved the community. The approach has not only enriched the process but also ensured that the outcomes are relevant, accepted, and sustainable. 1. #Building Trust and Ownership By engaging the community from the beginning, I have witnessed how participation creates trust and a sense of ownership. People feel that the project belongs to them because they contributed ideas, identified priorities, and made decisions together with the project team. This ownership has been critical in reducing resistance, mobilizing support, and fostering long-term commitment. 2. Leveraging #Local Knowledge Community members hold deep knowledge about their environment, culture, and social dynamics. In one of my project phases, their insights helped in tailoring interventions to suit local realities, making the solutions more practical and effective. This blend of indigenous knowledge with technical expertise produced results that were both innovative and acceptable. 3. Enhancing Relevance and #Responsiveness Through active engagement, I have been able to align project activities with the community’s actual needs rather than assumptions. For instance, their feedback reshaped some strategies to better address pressing challenges. This responsiveness not only increased the project’s impact but also built credibility with the beneficiaries. 4. Strengthening #Accountability and #Transparency Inviting the community to be part of planning and monitoring created a transparent environment. They became active watchdogs of the process, holding both leaders and the project team accountable. This not only improved resource management but also built mutual respect and trust. 5. Ensuring #Sustainability Perhaps the most significant outcome of involving the community has been sustainability. Projects where the community was fully engaged have continued to thrive even after external support ended. Because they were part of the journey, they took charge of maintaining the results, turning projects into lasting solutions. This morning I remind you that, community engagement is not just an optional step in project management; it is the foundation upon which meaningful, impactful, and sustainable projects are built.

Ever poured your heart into planning a community event, only to have low turnout, poor engagement, or even funding struggles? I know that frustration too well. After seven years of initiating and facilitating youth development programs, I’ve learned that a successful community event isn’t just about planning, it’s about strategy. Here are some underrated lessons that changed everything for me: 🎤 Your first audience is NOT the community, it’s the gatekeepers: Build relationship with the community leaders first, it increases success rate. Before the people show up, you need the support of the local influencers, grassroots leaders, and trusted voices in that space. If they don’t endorse your project, you’re just an outsider trying to make noise. 🎤 The best speakers aren’t always the most popular: I have learned that bringing in high-profile names doesn’t always guarantee engagement. Sometimes, it’s the relatable, on-the-ground voices that connect better with the audience. Find speakers who resonate with your people, not just those with big titles. 🎤 People support what they help create: Instead of planning everything alone, I now co-create with the community, getting their input, involving local volunteers, and making them feel like they own the project. This boosts participation and long-term impact. 🎤 If you’re not measuring, you’re guessing: Yes you heard right! Early on, I’d finish an event and just hope it made an impact. Now, I track metrics, attendance, feedback, follow-up actions to improve each project. Impact isn’t what you feel, it’s what you measure. 🎤 Your funding strategy should start long before your event does: Early planning Is a game changer. I used to scramble for money a few weeks before an event. Now, I build long-term partnerships, explore alternative funding (grants, crowdfunding, sponsorships), and ensure sustainability from the start. Know this, growth in this space is a journey, not a straight line. Take risk, and when you fail, be graceful to yourself and keep moving. I am rooting for you! So tell me, what’s one lesson you’ve learned from hosting community projects? Drop your thoughts below! P.S: The pictures below are snippets from our "Pad a Girl" project where we distributed sanitary pads to over 150 girls in secondary schools. Looking for an accountability partner? LET'S CONNECT! #CommunityEngagement #YouthDevelopment #Leadership #EventSuccess #SocialImpact #youthleader

I was out in the community with one of my clients—walking strip malls, laundromats, urgent cares—really trying to find where people gather, not just where they live. We ended up at a community center that doubles as a church. They were setting up for a food distribution. Perfect, we thought. Let’s start here. We spoke with the pastor, who’s also the director. After hearing what we do—connecting people to care, trials, and health options—he paused and said: “We’ve started steering clear of stuff like that… because when people hear ‘free,’ they drop everything—even the essentials—to get it.” He shared how a local credit union offered a savings match. But when folks found out they had to leave the money untouched for a year, it caused more frustration than help. That was a rude awakening. Because sometimes, the help we offer actually asks people to give up other help—or causes them harm without meaning to. So we paused. We listened. And we’re changing our approach: Donating food, not just information. Supporting the community nurse already serving folks. Showing up on food distribution days just to listen, learn, and build trust. 🧠 Lesson I’ll carry forward: Support only works when it doesn’t add more to what people are already carrying. I’m sharing because I’m still learning. If you’re in this work too—community outreach, clinical trials, equity, or health—let’s rethink what “help” actually looks like. #CommunityEngagement #HealthEquity #ClinicalResearch #clinicaltrials #Trust

Fundraising is essential, but without strategy, you’re driving without a map... To serve your community better, start by embedding intentionality into your org's fabric. Your strategic plan centers your community when you: ➡️ Bring community voices into the conversation from day one. ➡️ Focus on creating genuine connections, not just on dollars. ➡️ Set goals rooted in equity and inclusion. ➡️ Prioritize long-term, sustainable change over quick wins. ➡️ Share decision-making and foster collective ownership. ➡️ Put your money where your mouth is. Strategic planning isn’t only about getting organized—it’s about living your values and truly aligning with the community you serve. ♻️ If this resonated, pls share it with your network! P.S.: If you're creating a strat plan, Donorbox offers a free template that might be helpful: https://lnkd.in/g_5e_JZV

Empowering Communities: A Path to Sustainable Impact Agreeably, the heart of sustainable outcomes lies in empowering communities. But how do we truly make this a reality? Here are some vital pointers: 1️⃣Equal Partnerships: Communities aren't empty cups to be filled. Treat them as equal partners. Let's drop assumptions of superior knowledge and embrace collaboration. 2️⃣ Listening First: Instead of assuming needs, prioritize listening. Allow communities to voice their wants and needs, making their priorities ours. 3️⃣Community-Centric Approach: While collaboration with various stakeholders is crucial, our entry point should always be through the communities. Their presence at every project stage, from start to finish, is essential. 4️⃣ Let Communities Speak: It's not about showcasing our success, but letting communities tell their story. Avoid crafting reports solely for donors—let the community's voice be heard authentically. 5️⃣ Building Sustainable Capacities: Communities and governments endure beyond our projects. The real impact lies in empowering communities to sustain project activities long after funding ends. We work *with* communities, not just *for* them, fostering ownership and learning by doing. 6️⃣ Respecting Traditions: New approaches should complement existing community practices. Combining methodologies fosters ownership and yields better outcomes. 7️⃣ Fidelity to Communities: Our employment hinges on serving communities. Treat them with the utmost dignity and respect—they are the reason behind our work. Let's drive sustainable change by putting communities at the forefront. They're not just beneficiaries; they're essential partners in achieving lasting impact. #communities #projects

The best solutions start with asking the right questions. Instead of "How do we make our idea work here?" ask: “What does this place/community need, and how can we support it in the best way possible?" It seems like a small shift, but it changes everything. When we approach projects, whether focused on community empowerment, regenerative strategies, improving the cultural offering, new target groups, or something else, with curiosity and collaboration, we discover solutions that go beyond our original vision. There is so much to gain from it, like: ⭐ Opportunities you hadn’t considered: By focusing on the bigger goal rather than our specific solution, we might discover existing initiatives or partnerships that could add resources, fresh perspectives, or even better ways to scale the impact of the project ⭐ Value beyond your goals: Everything is connected. Nature, culture, tourism, place development... Instead of focusing on one area in isolation, think about how it fits into the bigger picture. For example, a community-driven tourism initiative isn’t just about attracting visitors and supporting the businesses directly involved. It could also support existing initiatives way beyond tourism, strengthen regional pride and connections to local culture or nature, all at once ⭐ Solutions aligned with the community's needs: Every place has unique strengths, challenges, and priorities. By taking the time to understand what’s already in place and what the community needs, you can shape lasting initiatives that are welcomed by locals, not just based on what we think they need. Even if we have valuable expertise, oversimplifying the nuances or lived experiences of the community can lead to misaligned solutions. Let’s stay open to the idea that communities may have priorities for good reasons that we might not see at first When we lead with the right questions, we create better outcomes for everyone involved. We go from implementing "our solution", to building something that matters to the people and the place. Sometimes it might be just what we had in mind, but let’s avoid assumptions 😉 ➡️ What questions do you ask when starting a project? Have you seen how asking the right ones can uncover new possibilities? 📷 Colombia and Ecuador #placemaking #meaningfultravel #impactbusiness

People remember when they weren’t included in things that should have involved them. And it's hard to win them back when you need them in the future. I can speak to this because I stay happily busy working the community relations and PR side of public-private partnerships (PPP). I like it when different groups collaborate to deliver public service or community-needed and supported projects. 💕 So, my biggest red flag warning for leaders starting one of these projects is: 1. INCLUDE 2. INFORM 3. LISTEN … and show the rationale behind who the project leadership is, how planning will be executed, and why decisions are being made. Because you really do need to earn public consent with PPP initiatives. This is not just for the short-term building block phase but also for the longer-term success of the project. If you ignore communicating with the right people, that poor decision can, and likely will, delay or even derail a project. Worse, project stakeholders, funders, voters, and user groups will remember how they felt when you disregarded their input or involvement. So, as you start up, don’t forget to include and listen to the people the project will serve and depend on for its short and long-term success. So, do you have communications, specifically community relations, as part of your PPP strategy plan? If you don't, why not? 📷 : Some of my favorite PPP partners with Friends of the Woodman's Center.