Say hello to CommunityBoardTools.org -  the online guide to participation tools available for NYC’s Community Boards.

Community Boards are a tremendously powerful resource for NYC residents, but we’ve found Boards face common challenges in outreach, visibility, data collection & analysis, and engagement with the public. CB Tools sets out to allay these issues by communicating and sharing tools and solutions among community board leaders, staff, and engaged citizens. The website is informed by my conversations with fifteen Community Boards citywide.

Who is CB Tools for?

For Community Boards: CB Tools is a friendly online resource. It includes best practices and new tools Boards can use for public participation. The tools help with common challenges Boards face in terms of visibility, outreach, engagement, and data collection.

For engaged citizens: CB Tools includes an analysis of the current challenges to public participation in NYC local government, focusing on Community Boards.

For people thinking about technology and civic engagement: CB Tools explores how technology can empower Community Boards. The site lists more than 50 tools to maximize public participation in planning.

Use the guide to find help with common challenges faced by Community Boards. For example, learn how online surveys can help Boards gather feedback.

How can I get involved?

• Explore the challenges and tools at CommunityBoardTools.org.
• Share the site with your local Community Board. Share it with people or organizations thinking about technology and civic engagement. Let us know who else we should share it with.
• We’d love to hear your feedback. Do you have comments? Questions? Suggestions? Ideas for new tools? Let us know.

Watch this video for an overview of CB Tools.