Our Work

Put the Playbook to Work in Your Community

A proven approach for getting things done.

City Thread works alongside local governments, state agencies, federal partners, community nonprofits, and businesses to turn ambitious goals into visible results. Every engagement is grounded in the Playbook, our proven framework to help local leaders build the relationships, processes, and resources communities need to work together, deliver on promises, and take on increasingly ambitious challenges.

We meet communities where they are, bringing the right combination of research, facilitation, coalition building, strategic communications, fund development, project planning, and implementation support to the work. Whether a community is developing an action plan, conducting audience research, designing an engagement process, building a strategic campaign, developing a funding strategy, or advancing a priority project, City Thread helps local partners identify what already exists, what is getting in the way, and what is needed to make progress.

A community outreach volunteer talks with a resident at her front door

Implementing Big Ideas

Every partner and project starts from a different place. City Thread tailors its services to your specific challenges, opportunities, and stage of implementation, while keeping each engagement connected to the broader Playbook strategy.

Our services can be applied independently to address a specific need, strengthen an existing initiative, help move an individual project forward, or guide partners through the Playbook from shared ambition to project delivery.

Playbook Services

City Thread brings the Playbook to life through services tailored to the specific needs of each community, project, or initiative. Our most requested services are:

  • Project readiness assessments

  • Community and audience research

  • Meeting, retreat, and focus group facilitation

  • Coalition building

  • Community engagement and outreach

  • Collaborative process design

  • Structured decision making

  • Governance framework design

  • Strategic campaigns and communications

  • Fundraising and funding strategy

  • Project planning and implementation support

  • Change management

Success Across Sectors

City Thread’s Playbook Services help communities strengthen the relationships, processes, and resources needed to work together and deliver visible results.

For governments, organizations, engineering teams, businesses, and funders, these stories are proof that faster, community-centered project delivery is possible. The Playbook gives your community a way to do the same.

Working alongside communities and teams

  • Stone County residents reading project boards at a community event in a gym

    38 projects

    STONE COUNTY, MISSOURI

    Residents, businesses, and local government partners are using the Playbook to address affordable housing, water quality, and public gathering spaces. A coalition of 500 members created a community-driven action plan resulting in 38 transformative projects. Mini-grants and sponsorships have already put more than $36,000 into 17 community projects.

    Key Playbook Services: Community and audience research · Coalition building · Community engagement and outreach

  • Colorado Outdoors Strategy partners standing together outdoors in front of pine trees

    25+ partners

    COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE

    Colorado’s Outdoors Strategy is a statewide framework bringing together the many plans, partners, and policies that guide Colorado’s collaborative work on uniting conservation, recreation, and climate resilience. City Thread is facilitating the strategy’s implementation with more than 25 government agencies and organizations.

    Key Playbook Services: Collaborative process design · Structured decision making · Governance framework design

  • Visitors view artwork at a Baltimore community art gallery

    11 workshops

    BALTIMORE CITY, MARYLAND

    The Baltimore City Department of Transportation (BCDOT) hired City Thread to support its Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Action Plan. City Thread conducted public opinion research, built a public information and messaging campaign, and launched community-based art projects to increase engagement with BCDOT.

    Key Playbook Services: Community and audience research · Community engagement and outreach · Strategic campaigns and communications

  • Children play on a colorfully painted street plaza

    Global launch

    GLOBAL DESIGNING CITIES INITIATIVE

    City Thread supported GDCI in the launch of its Bloomberg Initiative for Cycling Infrastructure Program, a global initiative designed to help cities accelerate the implementation of safe, connected cycling networks. We worked alongside GDCI to design the program framework, develop a competitive city selection process, and create the tools, resources, and staffing strategies needed to successfully launch and manage the initiative.

    Key Playbook Services: Collaborative process design · Structured decision making · Strategic campaigns and communications

  • A group of community leaders gathers on a sidewalk during a walking tour

    National fellowship

    HORIZON 54, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC)

    City Thread worked with Horizon 54 on the CDC’s ‘Bridging Mobility Fellowship Project,’ leading community research and interviews, a national practitioner assessment, and curriculum development. The team outlined the program’s financial, instructional, and logistical needs so it was ready to launch.

    Key Playbook Services: Community and audience research · Collaborative process design · Structured decision making

  • Aerial view of a crowded Bentonville town square

    Multi-year campaign

    TRAILBLAZERS, BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS

    Trailblazers, a nonprofit based in Bentonville, Arkansas, is developing a phased, quick-build plan for neighborhood traffic calming and bikeways. City Thread conducted public opinion research, stakeholder interviews, community focus groups, and designed a multi-year campaign for engagement and implementation.

    Key Playbook Services: Community and audience research · Community engagement and outreach · Strategic campaigns and communications

  • People gathered around the fountain and flower beds on the Bentonville town square

    30 miles

    BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS

    Between 2022 and 2025, the city built 30 miles of trails and mobility infrastructure, 15 times faster than its historic pace. The Playbook helped the city and a coalition of residents agree on a shared goal, build public support through a paid media campaign, and complete projects faster with implementation support.

    Key Playbook Services: Coalition building · Strategic campaigns and communications · Project planning and implementation support

    See Bentonville's results
  • A person bikes through a protected intersection on an Austin bikeway

    115 miles

    AUSTIN, TEXAS

    Using the Playbook, Austin doubled its pace of construction and completed 115 miles of new bikeways in 24 months. Move ATX, a coalition of community leaders and local organizations, launched a media campaign that created demand for safer streets and brought residents into project planning. In November 2020, voters approved a $460 million active transportation bond to expand walking and biking networks.

    Key Playbook Services: Community and audience research · Community engagement and outreach · Strategic campaigns and communications

    Read the Austin Story
  • Cleveland residents work together at community meetings and events

    25 organizations

    CLEVELAND, OHIO

    After receiving a Playbook Technical Assistance Grant, City Thread began working with the City of Cleveland and Bike Cleveland to launch the Cleveland Streets Coalition (CSC), a network of residents, businesses, and community organizations that support people-friendly streets throughout Cleveland. Today, CSC has 25 member organizations and has awarded $15,000 in community mini-grants.

    Key Playbook Services: Coalition building · Governance framework design · Strategic campaigns and communications

    Read the Cleveland Story
See Our Work

National Reach

Map of the United States marking the 25 communities where City Thread has used the Playbook

25 communities across 19 states

  • Arvada, Colorado

  • Austin, Texas

  • Bainbridge Island, Washington

  • Baltimore, Maryland

  • Bentonville, Arkansas

  • Burlingame, California

  • Cleveland, Ohio

  • Columbus, Ohio

  • Denver, Colorado

  • Gulfport, Mississippi

  • Hood River, Oregon

  • Indianapolis, Indiana

  • Ithaca, New York

  • Milwaukee, Wisconsin

  • New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Petaluma, California

  • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Providence, Rhode Island

  • Salt Lake City, Utah

  • Santa Rosa, California

  • Spokane, Washington

  • Stone County, Missouri

  • Syracuse, New York

  • Tampa, Florida

  • Tucson, Arizona

Decades of Experience

Our team is ready to take on new challenges, using the Playbook across communities, issues, and sectors.

City Thread’s team brings decades of experience working across a wide range of sectors, disciplines, and partners. Our collective expertise includes housing, land use, conservation, water quality, climate resilience, energy, parks and open space, legislative policy, conflict management, community engagement, curriculum development, fund development, and program design.

  • Hughes Stadium Ballot Measure Implementation, City of Fort Collins, Colorado

    Morgan facilitated community engagement, stakeholder discussions, and communications to balance priorities around land use, conservation, recreation, and open space, helping Fort Collins develop future land use scenarios reflecting diverse community perspectives.

  • Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

    Morgan supported FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program through community engagement and stakeholder collaboration, strengthening partnerships, building local capacity, and advancing disaster resilience and hazard mitigation efforts.

  • Landfill Task Force Facilitation, Town of Erie, Colorado

    Morgan designed and led a community task force to evaluate waste management needs, navigate competing priorities, and identify opportunities for additional community benefits, guiding structured discussions and collaborative decision-making to inform the future use of Erie’s landfill site.

  • Conflict Resolution and Facilitation Training, U.S. Bureau of Land Management

    Morgan developed a training curriculum, materials, tailored role-plays, and delivered conflict resolution and facilitation training as part of a three-person senior training team.

  • Effective Public Engagement and Collaboration Training, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

    Morgan designed and delivered a daylong public engagement training combining stakeholder interviews, curriculum development, and practical exercises on engagement strategies, conflict management, consensus building, and collaboration with diverse communities.

  • E-Bikes Model Legislation, PeopleForBikes

    As national Policy Director, Morgan led a nationwide legislative campaign to establish consistent e-bike classifications in state law, building coalitions, securing $1.5 million in funding, and directing policy analysis and strategic communications to successfully pass legislation in 36 states.

  • Pedestrian and School Safety Action Plan, City of Memphis, Tennessee

    Kyle led the development of Memphis’ first school-focused pedestrian safety plan, using infrastructure assessments, data-driven prioritization, and implementation strategies to improve sidewalk connectivity and safety for students and families.

  • A Guide For City Leaders, PeopleForBikes

    Kyle was the lead author for PeopleForBikes’ City Leader Guide, translating national best practices in community engagement, strategic planning, implementation, and performance measurement.

  • Water Tower Pavilion, Broad Avenue Arts District, Memphis, Tennessee

    Sara supported the development and activation of Memphis’ Water Tower Pavilion, coordinating community partnerships, public art, events, and programming to transform an underused industrial space into a gathering place for arts, culture, and neighborhood activities.

  • Advocacy Academy, PeopleForBikes

    Sara managed the development of PeopleForBikes’ Advocacy Academy, an online video training series providing advocates, elected officials, and community partners with practical strategies for building public support, strengthening partnerships, and advancing safer, connected bicycle networks.

  • Vote Ready Campaign, Vote.org

    Grace directed fundraising strategy and donor engagement for Vote.org’s national Vote Ready campaign, supporting partnerships and resources to expand voter registration, civic participation, and access to voting among young people and historically underrepresented communities.

  • Growth of Partnerships for JA Finance Parks, Junior Achievement of Greater Washington

    Grace led the sponsorship team, building corporate and community partnerships to secure funding for Junior Achievement’s financial literacy education programs, expanding access to hands-on learning experiences that prepare students to make informed financial decisions.

  • Indego Bikeshare Equity Plan, Bicycle Transit Systems

    Estevan co-led the development of Philadelphia’s 2023 Indego Equity Plan, establishing a five-year strategy to expand equitable bike share access through community engagement, affordable pricing, stronger partnerships, and measurable goals for reaching underserved communities.

  • BK Outdoor Media Campaign, OUTFRONT Media

    Estevan supported Burger King’s regional advertising campaign, coordinating digital billboard placements, campaign delivery, and performance measurement across 197 locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware to increase customer visits and evaluate advertising effectiveness.

What Our Partners Say

  • “City Thread’s approach to equitable advocacy is commendable. They’re definitely thought leaders in building mobility infrastructure that supports all residents within a community and in creating meaningful change in cities throughout the U.S. It’s an honor to partner with them.”

    Charles Brown, founder and CEO, Equitable Cities / Horizon 54

  • “From nitty-gritty everyday problem-solving to high-level, long-term strategy, City Thread staff are invaluable as coaches and partners. Their breadth and depth of experience helped me make my way through the highs and lows of advocacy, ultimately helping accomplish an unprecedented amount of urban trail network implementation in Providence.”

    Liza Burkin, lead organizer, Providence Streets Coalition

  • “City Thread’s messaging framework and guidance on focus groups and polling methodology were instrumental in ensuring that the City and Bike Cleveland had the data to understand what level of support residents had for mobility infrastructure and what messages would strengthen that support.”

    Jacob VanSickle, executive director, Bike Cleveland

  • “City Thread’s expertise was instrumental in executing a rigorous, inclusive community outreach effort that yielded actionable insights. Without them, we wouldn’t be set up for a successful strategic planning process. They bring a unique balance of humility and deep topical knowledge that encourages community members to provide honest, constructive feedback.”

    Jennifer Boldry, vice chair, Buena Vista Singletrack Coalition

  • “A clear, detailed assessment of where our city’s internal and external strengths and challenges lie – and a roadmap for next steps – was the most valuable benefit of participating in the Playbook Technical Assistance Grant program. With City Thread’s help, we hope to put the plan into action and build the mobility network our residents want and need.”

    Jon Larsen, transportation division director, Salt Lake City

  • “Supporting City Thread is an easy decision for SRAM. The development of safe biking infrastructure is one of our key advocacy priorities, and no one does this better than City Thread. Zoe, Sara, and Kyle are consummate professionals and teammates.”

    Rob Cappucci, director of advocacy and industry partnerships, SRAM

  • “Our partnership with City Thread is elevating the way the City of Bentonville does business. From advocacy, project guidance and funding assistance, City Thread provides real solutions to the challenges of building cycling infrastructure. Bentonville and our cycling network have certainly witnessed our share of success stories during the last decade. But our relationship with City Thread is putting us in position to complete high-quality projects and provide amenities at a rate we never thought was possible.”

    David Wright, City of Bentonville parks and recreation director, Bentonville, Arkansas

  • “City Thread helped partners launch work together to rapidly advance our mobility network. They understand how to work with government agencies, advocates, and activists, and leverage creative media campaigns to create change.”

    Jim Wick, campaign director, MOVEATX

  • “I have had the opportunity and honor of working with Sara and Kyle over the past several years. I have been impressed by their ability to take the complexity out of challenging environments and communicate in ways that are easy to understand, entertaining, and memorable.”

    John D. Simmerman, executive director, Active Towns

  • “City Thread provided the support and guidance we needed to make our city safer for people of all ages and abilities to get around. Not only were they there to listen and advise as we faced various challenges, but they also truly understood the issues our team faced while navigating both internal organizational change and external change to our city’s built environment.”

    Martina Haggerty, vp of local innovation, PeopleForBikes

  • “The Playbook development process and recommendations have already made a direct impact on the City’s work to build a more multimodal transportation system and accelerated the implementation of the Mayor’s Bikeway Vision. Your encouragement made us shoot higher, and has given us lots to think about regarding how to do our work quickly and effectively.”

    Kevin Muhs, city engineer, City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Let’s Build a Path Forward, Together

Ready to move your project from plan to delivery? Let’s look at your goals and find the fastest path.

Email us to book a consultation meeting with an expert today. We’ll discuss your project, your timeline, and how we can design a service package that fits your budget.

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