Connect the Dots values collaboration, equity, impact, and specializes in innovating participatory processes to connect diverse voices to decision-making.
Our mission is to build meaningful engagement and outreach methods that elevate community voices in participatory processes. Through our creative and iterative approach, we incorporate education and intentionally-designed interactions to ensure these processes are inclusive, accessible, and representative.
We are an impact-driven, fully women-owned firm that specializes in civic and community engagement. We build consultative processes based on data that help organizations meaningfully engage with their stakeholders to move projects forward with confidence and trust. We work alongside local partners to craft insight-driven and iterative engagement processes that foster participation, build capacity, and re-imagine the future of our communities.
Connect the Dots was founded on the basis of finding, connecting, and amplifying voices that have been historically underrepresented in planning and design processes. We believe in a world where all citizens are involved in designing their cities and spaces, and where communities themselves have the means to control and sustain their environments. We have seen first hand how direct involvement and thoughtful communication surrounding complex issues leads to stronger community support and a lasting sense of ownership.
The careful and collaborative engagement of all voices is critical to forming positive responses to systemic challenges. As a result, we have a wide range of experience working with public and private sector entities to co-design with stakeholders to enable decisions that drive bold and equitable solutions.
Exploring a paradox in post-crash Dublin: underused vacant spaces, Marisa and Naomi realized that the various stakeholders (city officials, landlords, tenants, even squatters) were siloed and not collaborating. They developed a unique, data-driven methodology to build trust, gather insights, and co-design solutions for seemingly unfixable city challenges. Their success in bringing people to the table spread and demand for their innovative approach grew. The two soon left their jobs and took the leap to formalize Connect the Dots as a business.