Engagement Wayfinder

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Engagement Wayfinder (Wayfinder) is an orientation to public engagement. Here you will find information to help you get started with planning ways to meaningfully engage with partners and interested parties along with potential techniques to use, case study examples and resources to help you find your way.

The Wayfinder is a starting point for effective engagement, but it can be complicated. There may be times when it would be best to engage a professional, such as a trained social scientist or third-party neutral facilitator. You can find a list of people and organizations who can help you design or facilitate engagement processes that are more likely to meet your intended goals on the Find an Expert page.

To get the most out of the Wayfinder, we suggest you follow the interactive path below.

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Spectrum of Engagement - Not all public and stakeholder engagement is the same and the Spectrum of Engagement provides a helpful framework for thinking about how to involve stakeholders and the public depending on your specific agency action or decision.

What is Stakeholder Engagement and Why Do It? - Stakeholder engagement recognizes that people should have a say in decisions about agency actions that affect their lives. When when done effectively, it can strengthen agency decisions and improve conservation outcomes. This page offers background information and common challenges and pitfalls.

Getting Started - A situation analysis, sometimes called a situation assessment, is the first step in any public or stakeholder engagement effort. Situation analyses gather information to determine the appropriate level of public participation.

Techniques - Descriptions and considerations for potential techniques for public participation, categorized by how they relate to the Spectrum of Engagement.

Case Studies - Examples of stakeholder and public engagement processes conducted both within and without the Service.

Resources - Resources to further guide you, including a list of resources for virtual public participation during COVID-19.

Find an Expert - We're here to help! Find contact information for experts to consult as you navigate the stakeholder engagement process.