Building Long-Term Community Relationships

Sustaining Community Engagement

One-time events are valuable, but lasting impact comes from sustained community relationships. This lesson covers how to build and maintain long-term engagement with your community.

From Events to Relationships

Effective community engagement evolves:

1. Initial contact: First event or presentation
2. Follow-up: Thank you and continued communication
3. Regular engagement: Annual or ongoing activities
4. Partnership: Collaborative planning and shared goals

Maintaining School Relationships

Year-Round Contact

• Schedule presentations early in the school year
• Check in before Red Ribbon Week
• Send thank-you notes after every visit
• Share feedback and success stories

Beyond the Classroom

• Support school events and activities
• Recognize teachers and administrators
• Provide materials for ongoing use
• Be responsive to special requests

Community Partner Maintenance

Regular Communication

• Quarterly check-ins with key partners
• Share DAP news and successes
• Ask about their needs and priorities
• Look for collaboration opportunities

Joint Planning

• Include partners in annual planning
• Coordinate calendars for major events
• Share resources when possible
• Celebrate achievements together

Managing Your Network

Contact Database

• Maintain organized contact records
• Track interaction history
• Note preferences and interests
• Schedule regular follow-ups

Transition Planning

• Document key relationships
• Introduce successors to important contacts
• Maintain continuity during leadership changes

Growing Your Reach

Ask for Referrals

• Request introductions to other schools
• Ask partners about other organizations
• Let success stories open doors

Expand Gradually

• Master your current relationships before adding more
• Quality over quantity
• Build capacity before expanding reach

Measuring Relationship Health

Signs of strong community relationships:

• Partners reach out to you proactively
• You are included in their planning
• Schools request return visits
• Media contacts you for DAP stories
• Community members know Elks DAP

When Relationships Fade

• Recognize when engagement is dropping
• Reach out to reconnect
• Ask what has changed
• Adapt your approach if needed
• Accept that some relationships will end