The City of Asheville is seeking to pay community engagement ground teams to support inclusive engagement on a potential policy and/or program – a policy/program that would require the reduced consumption of single-use plastic bags and expanded polystyrene (styrofoam™) takeout foodware containers.
“Ground teams” can be one or more people operating as an individual or under agreement with an organization or neighborhood association.
For example:
- A neighborhood association could host an event to gather input from 30 neighbors
- A food truck business owner commits to speaking to 10-20 food truck business owners
- An individual commits to administering and gathering 25 completed paper survey’s with their faith-based or community organizations
- A resident with retail or restaurant experience commits to engaging with 15 small businesses to administer surveys or conduct a focus group
- Other creative ideas to reach communities of residents or businesses that you are connected with to conduct conversations or administer surveys
The initial phase of community engagement is scheduled to occur March 20, 2023 through June 30, 2023.
UPDATE: Quotes will be accepted through submittal of this google form by Wednesday May 10, 2023 [Deadline extended!] at 9 p.m.
The City recognizes that inclusive community engagement takes many shapes and forms based on the trusted spaces and relationships where these conversations occur.
Engagement strategies should include (but are not limited to) one or more of the following:
- Enabling individuals to take the City provided survey. Survey is available online and paper surveys will be provided to ground teams in English, Spanish or Russian, upon request.
- One-on-one interviews with stakeholders
- Facilitating feedback through group conversation (focus groups)
Selected ground teams will be required to track and report on outreach efforts conducted:
- List of individual or businesses contacted (not individual contact information but who was contacted)
- Contact information for individuals or businesses who want to stay informed on this City project
- Summary of engagement, dates, locations, what was, and was not successful
- If feedback is gathered in formats other than the City provided survey, it will be reported through a standard template provided by the City
For more information about the project please visit the City’s website.
For questions, please contact Kiera Bulan, Sustainability Program Manager at kbulan@ashevillenc.gov.