Digital and Community-led Engagement Toolbox: Community Choice Grants
Explore the hands-on accessible and inclusive diverse community engagement methods and technology from the case study of the Nature in Neighborhoods Community Choice Grants in its pilot round 2022-2024 in Washington County and second round 2025-2026 in Clackamas County to fund nature-based capital projects. Learn from our experience to inform improvements for future deep engagement processes and community-led decision-making.
Using a participatory budgeting model, project ideas were proposed online and at a series of open events. With the support of architectural and landscape designers and partner staff, community members refined and developed those project ideas at public community design workshops. Community knowledge of budget, site design considerations, and program goals increased as a result. Project proposals were then put to a community-wide vote online and through tabling at community spaces and culturally specific events. The projects with the most votes were recommended for funding and the Metro Council approved this final funding package of 15 nature-based capital projects totaling $2.3M in the pilot round.
Speakers
Michael Yun, PLA, ASLA, IALE
Knot Studio
www.knotstudio.com
Michael Yun is a registered landscape architect, landscape ecologist, and anti-disciplinary designer who brings creative thinking to a wide variety of project types, ranging from regional analysis and planning to human scale experiential design. His current role focuses on harnessing creative force to advance justice in public space, using spatial data to support equity, and developing meaningful engagement strategies to elevate socially situated cultural knowledge in public decision making processes.
Crista Gardner
Metro
www.oregonmetro.gov/grants
Crista leads the Nature in Neighborhood capital and community choice grants with great jurisdictional partners, community-based and culturally specific organizations. Crista brings decades of planning, project management, grants making, and community engagement in parks, transportation and land use. She first implemented a participatory budgeting process to decentralize the government in rural Guatemala through the Peace Accord's fifteen years ago.