The Center for Engaged Communities allows us to include a growing portfolio of work outside of New Hampshire. It also allows us to highlight our research agenda on civic health and our interdisciplinary work within Carsey and at UNH.
Center for Engaged Communities
Center for Engaged Communities
The Center for Engaged Communities (EnCo) is the home of NH Listens and expanding research on civic health and social trust. EnCo builds on applied work for navigating controversy and misinformation with proactive engagement strategies. When communities involve people in decisions that affect their lives, it leads to fairer, more effective policies and strengthens civic health. EnCo connects the Carsey School of Public Policy to grassroots policy, engagement practice, and research, reinforcing New Hampshire’s civic health through research, dialogue, engagement, and training. As the leading force in civic design and dialogue across the state, NH Listens plays a vital role in this work. EnCo will further enhance collaboration with regional and national partners, advancing civic research, fostering community belonging, and driving civic innovation.
Who We Serve
- For community leaders who want to build inclusive and engaging public spaces, EnCo strengthens your efforts to host meaningful conversations, navigate controversy, and collaborate across differences, ensuring all voices are heard.
- For community organizations and government agencies who want to get meaningful feedback and navigate public controversy, EnCo designs data-driven approaches and training that develop skills for effective facilitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
New Hampshire Listens is still the primary field team leading all of our community engagement work at the Center. The Center simply expands on that work regionally and nationally.
We are the same colleagues you have known in the past. When you reach out to us, we will determine together if your project is best supported by New Hampshire Listens or a broader team at the Carsey School. We have supported individuals, non-profits, local and state governments—all entities with a focus on public life.
Upcoming Events
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October 7, 2026Noon - 12:45 p.m., New Hampshire Listens' Local Lunch Box is a 45-minute informative and interactive session aimed at sharing bite-sized tips and resources from our toolbox for community engagement and facilitation. Topics range from building community, hosting events, creating group agreements, and more! In this session, we'll discuss what it means to ask good questions as a facilitator and provide some practice in reframing questions for more constructive dialogue. Save Your Seat!
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October 14, 20268 a.m. - 9 a.m., For decades, western states have dominated snow research in the United States. Snow STORE brings together collaborators in academia and industry from New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont to enhance observations of mountain snowpacks at existing research sites and add instrumentation to new ones. Mount Washington Observatory, Wildcat Mountain Resort, and Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest are among the sites in the Granite State. Snow STORE is the first monitoring system of its kind…
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November 4, 2026Noon - 12:45 p.m., New Hampshire Listens' Local Lunch Box is a 45-minute informative and interactive session aimed at sharing bite-sized tips and resources from our toolbox for community engagement and facilitation. Topics range from building community, hosting events, creating group agreements, and more! In this session, we'll discuss the principles of collective impact and how to support community change through intentional facilitation. Save Your Seat!
