The Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership has recognized the City of Kirkland with a Gold Public Engagement Award in recognition of the city’s efforts toward public engagement.

“The City of Kirkland clearly strives to place residents at the center of policy making,” said Ashley Trim, executive director of Davenport Institute. “The city earned this Gold Award by scoring highly on more than 15 of the 20 criteria on our Public Engagement Evaluation Platform.”

Davenport Institute is a nonprofit organization affiliated with Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy, based in Malibu, Calif.

The institute’s Public Engagement Evaluation Platform is used to assess a city’s level of community collaboration. The platform has 20 criteria, ranging from efforts at transparency to community outreach programs. A full listing of the criteria questions can be found at Davenport Institute’s application for recognition webpage.

“We’re honored to be recognized for the value we place on public participation,” said Kirkland Mayor Amy Walen. “The voices and perspectives of our residents are invaluable contributions to every project and we’re constantly seeking meaningful ways to further involve the community.”