Want to regain control and promote civility in your public meetings?

The National Civic League and ICMA invite you to join us in a four-part online workshop designed to equip local government leaders with the skills to plan, facilitate, and manage official public meetings.

The series will address common challenges faced by managers in public meetings, explore opportunities for improvement, and offer innovative approaches to enhance public engagement, ensure civility, facilitate inclusive discussions, and present information effectively.

In this series, we will cover:

• Designing Effective Public Meetings
• Promoting Civility in Public Meetings
• Effective Meeting Facilitation
• Better Public Engagement

This online workshop cohort is limited to 35. 

Schedule: 

May 27, 2025, 1-2:30 pm Eastern
DESIGNING EFFECTIVE PUBLIC MEETINGS
Learn to design fair, transparent public meetings that ensure all voices are heard and decisions are made openly and justly. 

June 3, 2025, 1-2:30 pm Eastern
PROMOTING CIVILITY IN PUBLIC MEETINGS
Explore conflict management and consensus-building techniques, non-polarizing language, and processes that foster authentic listening and respect for diverse opinions.

June 10, 2025, 1-2:30 pm Eastern
EFFECTIVE MEETING FACILITATION
Develop the skills to present information and recommendations clearly and concisely. You will explore data visualization tools as well as techniques for facilitating inclusive community conversations. 

June 17, 2025, 1-2:30 pm Eastern
BETTER PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Discover new avenues for public engagement, including alternatives to traditional town halls and public hearings. You will explore network-based recruitment, strategies to engage harder-to-reach populations, and methods to maximize participation by considering community needs as well as the use of digital technologies to enhance civic engagement.