Giving Compass' Take:

• Feedback Labs discusses the importance of citizen engagement and the questions we need to ask for more transparency in the social sector.

• Are we being as open as possible in our programs? How can we make sure that all voices are heard?

• Here's what transparency in philanthropy really means.

Governments in the Americas are making impressive strides in openness and citizen engagement. But will those efforts disappear when new governments are elected? In order for citizen feedback and openness initiatives to persist long-term, we need to ensure that openness initiatives make a tangible difference in the lives of citizens.

We need to focus our openness agendas on three critical questions:

What do people want? Are we helping them get it? If not, what should we do differently?

We’re making impressive strides listening and responding to citizen feedback — so how do we make sure these citizen engagement initiatives continue? How do we ensure that the next government to come into power maintains and builds upon them, instead of getting rid of them?

How do we make sure openness agendas persist over the long-term? By making sure they reflect and respond to citizen priorities. By making sure that openness and transparency makes a concrete difference in the lives of citizens. And by systematically listening to citizens and closing the feedback loop with them – that is, letting them know what we heard from them, what we did about it, and the difference it will make to their lives.

Read the full article about citizen engagement by Megan Campbell from Feedback Labs.