Most Community Foundations tout “community engagement strategies” and “community input sessions” but the information gathered doesn’t lead to actual impact. Why? How can Community Foundations understand the needs within the communities they serve and use that information to create lasting impact? The Institute for Conservation Leadership will present three different examples of community engagement – featuring Berks County Community Foundation and the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies – and why it actually worked. The session will discuss engagement methods like future visioning, one-on-one relationship development, interviews with experts outside the community, engaging meeting processes, the use of advisory groups, and reports to support Community Foundation’s decision making. The session will use engagement methods throughout as a demonstration. Additional tools for community engagement will also be provided.