Local Government Programs

Citizen Engagement and Priority Assessment

This program helps you reduce costs, preserve tax base and improve areas of community life such as public safety, quality of schools, economic vitality, culture and services through credible, third-party feedback from your citizens.

The program offers tools to measure, map, benchmark and manage your efforts. You can compare your scores to similar local governments across the region and nation.

Supports these activities:

• Engaging residents
• Setting budget priorities
• Strategic planning
• Setting program priorities
• Measuring performance
• Advancing economic development
• Advancing regional planning

Budget Survey

This short survey uses resident feedback on specific community programs and services to prioritize budget allocations as local governments reduce spending.  Results are provided in a simple spreadsheet that allows budget analysts to graph program/service importance, satisfaction and cost.

Supports these activities:

• Engaging residents in budget decisions
• Setting budget priorities
• Measuring service shortfalls
• Measuring performance

Custom Survey

This program lets you evaluate awareness and effectiveness of programs and initiatives specific to your community, then segment your population to deliver the right services and information, in the right way, and at the right time.  Such surveys carry significant weight when making resource decisions or evaluating the outcome of an initiative.  Through scientific sampling techniques and collaboration on the survey instrument, Cobalt will help you establish a quantitative foundation to develop great programs or support tough decisions.

Supports these activities:

• Engaging residents
• Marketing for programs, services and events
• Improving communication effectiveness
• Gathering policy feedback
• Measuring awareness, perspective and intent

Focus Group

A focus group is a facilitated meeting in which a Cobalt moderator guides 6-10 people through a discussion. It is a powerful and persuasive tool that can significantly enhance communication and educational program effectiveness. Such groups often yield unexpected insights and a human touch that enriches your program evaluation.

Supports these activities:

• Gathering resident perspectives and ideas on programs and services outside public remark periods
• Helping residents communicate concerns or thoughts on difficult community issues
• Allowing residents to participate in the early development of policies or programs
• Building insight and support outside of a public meeting

Strategic Workshop

This half-day onsite workshop guides your leadership team in identifying emerging trends and developing strategic responses.  Through a balanced mix of instruction, group exercises, media, and discussion, your team will gain the foundational skills of long-term strategic planning and apply them to their areas of responsibility.

Supports these activities:

• Helping key staff think about trends that effect the organization and its stakeholders
• Developing skills to translate trend opportunities and threats into prioritized action
• Tying daily action to strategic outcomes using performance metrics

Facilitated Meetings/Audience Response

The Facilitated Meetings Program utilizes an easy-to-use keypad system that integrates with a conventional PowerPoint presentation.  The meeting facilitator asks a multiple-choice question on the slide, and the audience uses wireless keypads to answer.  Results appear instantly on the slide.

Supports these activities:

• Engaging the audience
• Instantly gathering audience feedback during conferences and large meetings
• Instantly testing understanding
• Profiling age, attitude, geography, or other variables
• Establishing if you have consensus - or if there are concerns that have not been spoken
• Enhancing attention and engagement through significant audience participation