New Toolkit Prepares Public Agencies for Public Engagement

Arch Street Communications and Karp Strategies join forces for innovative outreach approach

New York, NY (October 15, 2020) – New York-based, women-owned small businesses Arch Street Communications (ASC) and Karp Strategies (KStrat) combined resources to deliver a new Virtual Toolkit to help start and restart public sector projects essential to economic recovery from COVID-19. The two firms, led by CEOs Nora Madonick (ASC) and Rebecca Karp (KStrat), will present their toolkit in a free live webinar on Friday, October 30, 2020, 1-2 p.m. The toolkit is made available at no cost as the firms' contribution to the recovery effort in New York State.

"COVID-19 and social distancing have upended just about everything we do every day for our clients," said CEO Nora Madonick of ASC. "Calendars of in-person workshops, open houses, public hearings and charrettes were all but wiped out almost in an instant. Agencies pivoted with the tools they had and now seek better, more inclusive tools and approaches to engage stakeholders and the public over the long term."

Community planning and infrastructure projects—and the jobs they produce—can't move forward without meaningful public engagement.

"As our region begins a long path to economic recovery, equity must sit at the center. For a project to succeed now, whether it's affordable housing or a wind farm, meaningful public engagement must be at its very core," said CEO and Managing Principal Rebecca Karp of Karp Strategies. "This resource is free because we all have a role to play to create momentum for an equitable recovery."

While the formats may have changed, public engagement remains critical to transportation, renewable energy, urban planning and economic development initiatives. The Virtual Toolkit offers a single resource for facilitating equitable, inclusive and comprehensive engagement.

To help clients navigate the new virtual terrain, the firms teamed to create an easy to use collection of over 70 virtual resources in seven categories, along with best practices, product reviews and sample scenarios. The duo has a combined 33 years of experience supporting local, state and federal agencies through inclusive, transparent and engaging stakeholder and public outreach.

Arch Street Communications and Karp Strategies will host a webinar on October 30, 2020 to share the product and do some real-time public engagement problem solving. Visit ascRemote.com to register for the free webinar.

About:

Arch Street Communications

Arch Street Communications is a WBE/DBE/SBE/WOSB-certified public relations firm delivering strategic communications and public engagement support to help clients communicate and engage markets about issues in a changing world: energy, transportation, safety, jobs and the environment. Founded in 1992, the firm brings a 25-year track record of facilitating change that helps save and improve lives. The firm's Small Business Diversity team offers a collaborative partnership of MBE, WBE and SDVOB firms to deliver the power of small business and meet client requirements. www.asc-pr,com; www.asc-remote.com

Karp Strategies Karp Strategies is a WBE/DBE/SBE—certified urban strategy consultancy that in its sixth year has become the go-to firm for community-economic development planning, community and stakeholder engagement, and real estate and urban planning strategy, design, and implementation. Founded in 2015, Karp Strategies takes analysis to action so that government agencies, private companies, and non-profit organizations can make better decisions and advance their projects. The firm's holistic approach, combining design-thinking and market analysis, helps clients and partners move their projects forward to build better communities and stronger cities. www.karpstrategies.com

Contact: Rachel A. Adler, Arch Street Communications | Radler@asc-pr.com | O: 914-821-5100 Tania Marinos, Karp Strategies | tania@karpstrategies.com | O: 718.530.1652