Community Engagement
Working to ensure all backgrounds are represented and woven into City decisions
Engaging and inclusive communities provide opportunities for residents to stay connected and take part in planning and decision-making. To promote and support that concept, the City Council created a framework to help connect businesses, organizations, and individuals who want to improve their city and get involved in their community.
The Golden Valley Community Engagement Framework
In 2026, Golden Valley will launch a community engagement framework shaped by feedback from City departments, leadership, and community organizations. The goal is to purposefully and continuously engage diversity in decision-making, goal setting, and project development to foster cultural humility, belonging, and empathetic understanding.
"Belonging By Design, A City Woven Together" Initiative
The yearly initiative, Belonging By Design, A City Woven Together, focuses on co-designing practices and services for specific communities. For 2025-2026, the focus is on residents living with mental, emotional, or physical disabilities. By engaging in-depth with one community at a time, the City aims to make services and infrastructure truly and fully welcoming.
Restorative Conversations In The Community
Restorative practices focus on resolving conflict, repairing harm, and healing relationships. Golden Valley contracted with RJ Practice, a Colorado-based leader in restorative justice, to guide the City and community members in aligning with restorative practices and strengthening community ties.
Strengthen Golden Valley
The City of Golden Valley is only as strong as its residents make it. That’s why the City offers options ranging from serving on advisory bodies to volunteering to providing input and opinions (see opportunities below).
The strength of a community is based on how well it reflects the goals and aspirations of its people. Envision Golden Valley inspired citizens to contemplate the meaning of community, then come together with ideas and a vision for the long-term future of Golden Valley. The document continues to guide planning for City and community initiatives.
Soliciting public input is a major component of the City of Golden Valley’s community engagement efforts.
Project-Related Input Opportunities
When the City Council considers proposed policies and projects, the process includes opportunities for the public to share thoughts and provide feedback.
Tools include surveys, comment forms, interactive story maps, public forums and open houses, email and social media outreach, and more. Results from all input methods are compiled into Community Input Reports and published for public review. The City Council uses the information in the Community Input Reports when making decisions.
Statistically Valid Community Surveys
What do Golden Valley residents think of their city and the services their tax dollars buy? To keep track over the years, the City Council commissioned the Morris Leatherman Company (formerly Decision Resources, Ltd) to conduct community surveys in 1995, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2013, and 2016. A 2023 survey sought resident input related to a proposed sales tax referendum. Each time, professional interviewers polled 400 residents by telephone on a variety of community issues.
These statistically valid random sample surveys yield results applicable to the entire spectrum of Golden Valley residents within plus or minus five percentage points in 95 out of 100 cases, according to Morris Leatherman. Morris Leatherman's clients include more than 30 other cities in the seven-county Twin Cities metro area, including Plymouth, Maple Grove, Edina, Eden Prairie, St Louis Park, Crystal, New Hope, Bloomington, Minnetonka, Burnsville, Richfield, Woodbury, and Eagan, to name a few. The group also does work for school districts and corporations.
Community Connections
Several grassroots initiatives and organizations partner with the City of Golden Valley to connect the community and provide opportunities to serve.
Beyond the Yellow Ribbon is a comprehensive program that creates awareness for the purpose of connecting military service members and their families with community support, training, services, and resources.
Beyond The Yellow Ribbon Quad Communities is a grassroots citizen group that engages the communities of Golden Valley, Crystal, New Hope, and Robbinsdale in support of military members, veterans, and their families. It joins nearly 200 Minnesota cities, counties, and businesses already proclaimed Beyond the Yellow Ribbon.
The Beyond the Yellow Ribbon website and Facebook page have more information for those who want to get involved in the program.
Bridge Builders included people, institutions, organizations, or businesses who want to connect with others to improve the community or share similar interests.
Starting with ideas from Envision Golden Valley, Bridge Builders planted seeds for several initiatives that are blossoming today. One is the Golden Valley Community Foundation, which continues the Bridge Builders' mission.
"Golden Valley Reads," a joint venture between the City of Golden Valley and Hennepin County Library - Golden Valley, seeks to encourage Golden Valley residents to read one book together each year.
The Hennepin County Library is not currently hosting a Golden Valley Reads program.