CGM Insights

In Western Alaska, restrictions on subsistence fishing threaten the traditional way of life of Yup’ik Alaska Native communities. To make more fish available for subsistence, community members call for the federal government to curtail commercial fishing in the Bering Sea. Yet there are no direct avenues to ensure public influence in the policymaking process of the relevant federal agencies, and community demands have thus far been largely ignored. This policy brief explains why administrative policymaking fails to incorporate relevant knowledge into policymaking and why community decision-making is a better alternative.

This policy brief discusses the fundamentals and governance of block clubs and then delves into the Center for Poverty Solutions’ 10-year collaborative plan to reduce poverty in Chicago. It describes how community engagement has benefited the center’s Civics and Service Incubator program and has led to the development of a blueprint for a neighborhood employment co-op.