City of Grand Rapids, Office of Sustainability
Project: Climate Action & Adaptation Plan
Service: Stakeholder Engagement
The City of Grand Rapids Office of Sustainability leads efforts to enhance the city's environmental resilience and sustainability, focusing on clean energy, resource conservation, and climate adaptation. The Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) is their flagship initiative aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving community resilience, and preparing for the impacts of climate change. This plan involves collaboration with local organizations, residents, and stakeholders to create actionable strategies for sustainability, energy efficiency, and equitable climate solutions for the city's future.
Khamai Strategies worked with the City of Grand Rapids Office of Sustainability on the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) to ensure community engagement and equitable representation in the planning process. We facilitated strategy sessions, navigated complex power dynamics, and managed collaboration between community organizations and city officials. Through focus groups, listening sessions, and decision-making meetings, we worked to align the diverse voices of the Grand Rapids community with the city’s sustainability goals, creating a more inclusive and impactful climate strategy.
Key Deliverables
Stakeholder Engagement & Focus Groups: Khamai Strategies facilitated bilingual focus groups in English and Spanish, working with diverse communities to gather input on key CAAP topics, including food systems, energy justice, and natural spaces. We used targeted universalism to ensure marginalized voices were heard and included in the planning process.
Communication Strategy: Developed a robust, bilingual communication plan that included social media, email campaigns, text reminders, and a dedicated project webpage. This ensured that information about the CAAP initiative reached all residents, regardless of language barriers, and promoted inclusivity in engagement efforts.
Listening Sessions: Organized and led three major public listening sessions on Food Systems, Energy Justice, and Natural Spaces. The sessions were designed to capture in-depth feedback from the community, ensuring the final strategies were reflective of the community’s needs. We partnered with local organizations to host these events and provided accessible materials in both English and Spanish.
Comprehensive Feedback Loop: Implemented an extensive feedback loop, utilizing tools like visual surveys, emoji voting sheets, and foam core boards to collect real-time data. This included feedback from residents during local events such as the Rock the Block and Dunham St. Block Party, where Khamai Strategies facilitated interactive stations for community feedback.
Inclusive Outreach: We conducted virtual listening sessions with community organizations, canvassed neighborhoods, and organized a focus group for the unhoused population to ensure that all perspectives were captured. We also collaborated with community organizations like Urban Waters, Urban Core Collective, and the Kent County Food Policy Council to ensure each session was supported by subject matter experts.
