Establish a civic engagement program

Rationale: Programs that sponsor and provide support for civic engagement activities promote volunteering and voting, which significantly increases community engagement, satisfaction, and fulfillment.

Requirements

Demonstrate compliance with the below:

Option 1 - Civic Engagement Program (Full Credit):

To achieve full credit, demonstrate compliance with all of the following requirements:

1. Implement a minimum of one qualifying civic engagement program(s).

   Qualifying civic engagement programs may include but are not limited to:
   –16 paid hours per year to be spent volunteering for all full-and part-time employees and staff
   – two assigned company-wide volunteer days per year for all full-and part-time employees and staff
   – “Dollars for Doers” program to provide donations to the employee's organization of choice for every 16 hours volunteered for all full-and part-time employees and staff
   – paid time off for voting for all full-and part-time employees and staff
   – including a polling place within the project
   – providing information for voter registration
   – providing shuttles or transportation to voting stations on voting days
   – organizing volunteering events
   – events surrounding food or clothing drives (dropboxes alone do not qualify)
   – advocacy groups
   – hosting community groups
   – hosting community engagement programs (such as workshops or talks)

2. Ensure that the civic engagement programs are offered to all occupants within the project.

Option 2 - Off-Site Civic Engagement Information (Partial Credit):

Demonstrate compliance with all of the following requirements to achieve partial credit:

1. Provide a list of volunteer opportunities within the area that is maintained and updated monthly.
2. Ensure the volunteer opportunities are available a minmum of once per month to all occupants within the project.
3. Provide the following information about volunteer opportunities with all occupants within the project each month:
   – a list of volunteer opportunities available in the area.
   – information about the monthly opportunities available.
4. Share the volunteer opportunities information with all occupants within the project through a minimum of one of the following methods:
   – a digital platform, such as a website, digital application, or display screen in common areas
   – monthly communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters

Option 3 - Community Support Program (Partial Credit):

Demonstrate compliance with all of the following requirements to achieve partial credit:

1. Provide a minimum of one community support program that benefits a local cause within the project.

   Qualifying community support programs may include but are not limited to:
   – Charitable donation programs such as drop-boxes for clothing, non-perishable food, books, or other needed items for local shelters, food banks, or community centers.
   – Community resource drives, such as collections of school supplies, personal care items, or seasonal necessities for local organizations.
   – Nonprofit fundraising campaigns, such as drop-boxes to support local nonprofits or social service organizations.

2. Ensure the community support programs are offered within the project at least once per quarter to all occupants within the project.
3. Provide the following information about the communty support programs with all occupants within the project each month:
   – a list of community support programs offered and the local cause the programs benefit
   – information about the quarterly opportunities available
   – annual schedule of the community support programs offered.
4. Share the community support program information with all occupants within the project through a minimum of one of the following methods:
   – a digital platform, such as a website, digital application, or display screen in common areas
   – monthly communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters.

Compliance Documentation

Option 1:

Design and Built 

• Requirement 1: 
  • Upload a description of the type of qualifying civic engagement program that will be offered.
• Requirement 2: 
  • Checkbox to certify that the civic engagement program will be offered to all occupants within the project.

Option 2:

Design 

• Requirement 1: 
  • Upload the list of volunteer opportunities in the area identifying:
    • the volunteer opportunities available
    • that the opportunities are available in the nearby area.
  • Checkbox to certify that the information about volunteer opportunities will be maintained and updated each month.
• Requirement 2: 
  • Upload information showing that the volunteer opportunities will be available a minimum of once per month and is open to all occupants within the project.
• Requirement 3: 
  • Upload a copy of the information that will be shared with all occupants within the project identifying all of the following required information that is included: 
    • the list of volunteer opportunities
    • the schedule of volunteer opportunities
  • Checkbox to certify that the information about volunteer opportunities will be shared with all occupants within the project each month.
• Requirement 4: 
  • Checkbox to certify that the information about volunteer opportunities will be shared with all occupants within the project through the following methods (select all that apply):        
    • a digital platform, such as a website, digital application, or display screen in common areas   
    • monthly communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters     

Built 

• Requirement 1: 
  • Upload the list of volunteer opportunities in the area identifying:
    • the volunteer opportunities available
    • that the opportunities are available in the nearby area.
  • Select here to certify that the information about volunteer opportunities is maintained and updated each month.
• Requirement 2: 
  • Upload information showing that the volunteer opportunities are available a minimum of once per month and is open to all occupants within the project.
• Requirement 3: 
  • Upload a copy of the information that is shared with all occupants within the project identifying all of the following required information that is included: 
    • the list of volunteer opportunities
    • the schedule of volunteer opportunities
  • Checkbox to certify that the information about volunteer opportunities is shared with all occupants within the project each month.
• Requirement 4: 
  • Checkbox to certify that the educational materials are shared with occupants within the project through the following methods (select all that apply):
    • a digital platform, such as a website, digital application, or display screen in common areas
    • monthly communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters

Option 3:

Design 

• Requirement 1: 
  • Upload the list of community support programs offered within the project identifying:
    • the local cause
    • the type of community support programs.
• Requirement 2: 
  • Upload a schedule showing that the community support programs will be available within the project a minimum of once per quarter to all project occupants.
• Requirement 3: 
  • Upload a copy of the information that will be shared with all occupants within the project identifying all of the following requried information that is included: 
    • a list of community support programs offered and the local cause the programs benefit
    • information about the quarterly opportunities available
    • annual schedule of the community support programs offered.
  • Checkbox to certify that the information about community support programs will be shared with all occupants within the project each month.
• Requirement 4: 
  • Checkbox to certify that the information about community support program will be shared with all occupants within the project through the following methods (select all that apply):  
    • a digital platform, such as a website, digital application, or display screen in common areas
    • monthly communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters     

Built 

• Requirement 1: 
  • Upload the list of community support programs offered within the project identifying:
    • the local cause
    • the type of community support programs.
• Requirement 2: 
  • Upload a schedule showing that the community support programs are available within the project a minimum of once per quarter to all project occupants.
• Requirement 3: 
  • Upload a copy of the information that is shared with all occupants within the project identifying all of the following requried information that is included: 
    • a list of community support programs offered and the local cause the programs benefit
    • information about the quarterly opportunities available
    • annual schedule of the community support programs offered.
  • Checkbox to certify that the information about community support programs is shared with all occupants within the project each month.
• Requirement 4: 
  • Checkbox to certify that the information about community support programs is shared with occupants within the project through the following methods (select all that apply):
    • a digital platform, such as a website, digital application, or display screen in common areas
    • monthly communication material, such as notification emails or newsletters