The Consensus Council, Inc.

The Consensus Council, Inc.

Every voice at one table pursuing good.

Facilitating conversations and building agreements that empower people, transform communities, and advance the public good.

Consensus Council statement on COVID-19

 

In response to CDC guidance regarding COVID-19 and in deference to our clients who often represent higher-risk communities, the Consensus Council staff has adopted a two-pronged strategy to remotely manage projects and to ensure seamless operations during the ongoing pandemic.

 

First, all staff will continue working primarily from home, adopting a scheduled rotation of staff members to monitor routine office functions. Second, the Council’s consulting staff will work with all clients to conduct meetings via videoconferencing, consistent with client preferences and expectations. We urge everyone in our region to practice social distancing and minimize personal interaction, consistent with public health guidance, as, together, we work to curb this outbreak.

 

Rest assured our operations will continue, and you may contact our staff by email or cell as needed. We will diligently work toward fulfilling our mission, for now, at the virtual table.

What We Do

Custom Design

Council facilitators help to custom-design an appropriate consensus building process for the specific situation. Through this discussion of history and present dynamics, recommendations are given to participants to evaluate how they wish to proceed.

Convening and Inter-Meeting Diplomacy

Council facilitators work to bring all affected parties to the table and to ensure their participation throughout the process. Inter-meeting diplomacy is also provided to further identify issues, prepare for relevant deadlines, provide liaison services and relationship building.

Organization and Logistics:

Council facilitators work to ensure all parties are informed well in advance of upcoming meetings and events, they also provide logistical services such as preparing meeting rooms, preparing speakers and ordering meals.

Facilitation

Council facilitators keep the discussion comfortable for dialogue among all participants, yet focused on the issue at hand. Additional meeting facilitation services including fact finding, drafting documents to begin productive discussions, and working to establish the ground rules.

Documentation

Council facilitators provide expert documentation for the development of agreements. Examples of documentation include meeting summaries and tools for legislative, executive, judicial, and private-sector consideration and implementation.

Implementation

Council facilitators work to ensure that when an agreement is built, it is clearly understood who does what by when. Practical vehicles for implementation may include products such as legislation, documents, rules, projects or other tools.

Presentations

Council facilitators can prepare participants for presentations including preparing documents and providing support when speaking. This support is throughout the consensus process and when participants present the agreement to outside groups.

Program Evaluations

Council facilitators can assist an organization in evaluating a current program, in monitoring for progress and creating suggestions for existing institutions, services or structures.

Strategic and Succession Planning

Consensus Council facilitators can provide small, medium and large organizations with strategic planning for the future. And council staff are often called on to assist with transition and succession planning when group leadership is undergoing change.

Grantmaking

The Consensus Council, in partnership with the Bush Foundation, offers Community Innovation Grants between $500 and $10,000 to non-profit organizations and units of government in North Dakota who are using problem-solving processes that lead to more effective, equitable and sustainable solutions.

Community Innovation Grant

International Legislators Forum

Community Projects

Contact Us

THE CONSENSUS COUNCIL, INC.
1003 E INTERSTATE AVE SUITE 7
BISMARCK, ND 58503-0500

PHONE: 701-224-0588
EMAIL: INFO@AGREE.ORG

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