Community Boards need information from residents and businesses in the community in order to prioritize their activities and maintain a clear picture of needs and wants. Boards use the information they gather to be useful in various ways about neighborhood issues. They also use this information for formal processes like the District Needs Statement.

Boards already use online tools to gather information from the public. Here are some examples of tools that can assist Boards in hearing directly from residents.

• CharetteDesign workshops, for gathering project-specific public input.
• Easier WebsitesWebsites for Community Boards to interact with the public, explain projects and initiatives, take feedback and receive questions and comments.
• Online Crowd SourcingAn interactive map for residents to identify and share problems, and suggest ideas for improvements.
• Online ForumsAn online discussion space, where Community Boards can gather ideas and prioritize issues in collaboration with the public.
• Online SurveysCollecting input about a specific issue or project through a survey website. Assists Community Boards in getting feedback from more people.
• Public MeetingPublic monthly meetings held by all Community Boards. At these meetings, Board members address items of concern to the public.
• Public Meeting DirectoryCommunity Boards and residents can add meetings to an online directory, allowing people to track them by topic or location.
• Public Speak-upA dedicated time slot prior to public meetings, where residents can bring up issues of concern or interest to them.
• SMS from StreetAllowing residents to report to their Community Board, directly from their mobile device.
• Support LettersEncouraging residents to collaborate in writing support letters, in order to demonstrate public interest in an issue.
• Task ForceA focused effort to collect data required for a specific project.
• Template ToolsOnline templates for creating petitions and support letters.