At Grimm & Grove Communications, we’ve seen firsthand that issues management is people management. Whether you’re a utility navigating rate cases, a developer advancing a new project, or a university building community trust around campus expansion — success depends on one thing above all else: how well people understand and believe in what you’re doing.
Projects stay on track, within budget, and with reputations intact when stakeholders feel seen, informed, and respected.
And now, the data backs that up.
The 2025 State of Community Engagement Report by PublicInput — a national survey of 1,000 residents — offers valuable insights for anyone working in the public domain. Though the study focuses on how residents engage with local governments, the parallels to utilities, real estate, and education are clear: the same people you need to reach are redefining what effective engagement looks like.
Residents no longer trust proxies or community groups to speak for them. Only 17% are comfortable having a third party represent their interests.
That means organizations must engage directly — through town halls, emails, text alerts, social channels, and consistent two-way communication. The personal connection can’t be outsourced. It’s the foundation of trust.
One of the most revealing findings: quiet isn’t consent.
In the survey, 39% of English-speaking residents said they didn’t respond to project announcements because the issue didn’t seem to affect them. Yet among Spanish-speaking residents, 37% didn’t respond because they didn’t feel informed enough to comment.
Both groups were silent — but for entirely different reasons. That distinction matters. In community relations, understanding what “no response” means is just as important as managing opposition.
Residents expect engagement to feel personal, accessible, and easy. They want outreach in the channels they actually use — text, mobile, or email — and in their preferred language.
If communication doesn’t reach people in their daily lives, participation drops, and projects lose legitimacy. Engagement isn’t just about broadcasting messages; it’s about reducing friction between your organization and the people it serves.
Local organizations, neighborhood associations, and advocacy groups remain essential partners. But they should complement outreach, not replace it.
In our work with utilities and developers, we’ve found that the strongest engagement programs blend organizational credibility with local familiarity — ensuring messages reach deep into communities without losing clarity or control.
When rate adjustments, zoning changes, or construction disruptions are on the table, people expect transparency. They don’t just want to be informed; they want to see how their input shaped outcomes.
Clear follow-up — “Here’s what we heard, here’s what’s changing, and here’s why” — turns skepticism into collaboration. And when you can’t deliver what someone asked for, acknowledging their concern still builds goodwill.
For utilities, developers, and institutions operating in the public space, the takeaway is simple: trust and transparency aren’t soft skills — they’re infrastructure.
At Grimm & Grove, we help clients modernize how they communicate and close the loop with stakeholders — turning complex, high-stakes projects into opportunities to strengthen community trust.
Because whether you’re installing power lines, redeveloping a campus, or reimagining a neighborhood, the public isn’t just an audience. They’re a partner.
When that relationship works, projects move faster, challenges feel smaller, and reputations last longer.
If your organization is planning a project that depends on public support, let’s talk about how to build the engagement strategy that gets it there.
#CommunityRelations #Utilities #StakeholderEngagement #IssuesManagement #StrategicCommunications #PublicAffairs #RealEstateDevelopment #Energy #HigherEducation #Trust
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