One Way to Look Ahead

Futures Committee

The Action 

The Futures Committee in Fort Collins, Colorado was formed to provide the mayor and council members space to “lift their heads up” from immediate work and priorities and look toward the future of cities 20, 30, and even 100 years into the future. Their conversations help to inform and improve current decision-making but also to “plant seeds” critical for long-term exploration and implementation of good ideas.

Democracy Challenge 

The Futures Committee was designed as a rare space where council members, staff, and the public can hold discussions and learn about concepts for the future of the city. While officials may not act upon the ideas immediately, the committee serves as an important platform to ensure Fort Collins continues to prepare for the future.

How It Works and How They Did It 

The Futures Committee, which began in 2017, is a subcommittee of the City Council. Members are selected each term, but any and all can and do attend its meetings. The agenda is crafted with input from committee members, and staff members work to bring in outside experts to provide context and present research and materials related to the topics at hand. The success and longevity of the Committee is rooted in the intentionality of exploring topics that don’t require an immediate work plan or resources.

How’s It Going? 

The Futures Committee is a success. It is regularly attended not only by council members but also by staff and community members. An unexpected effect of the COVID-19 pandemic was that moving the meetings online facilitated a larger attendance. And there is never a shortage of topics! Eight years in, the city has brought some ideas to fruition, including ways to manage the emergence of AI in the workplace, new philanthropic partnerships (resulting in their CityGive program), the “city-as-a-platform” concept, which helped advance their municipal broadband initiative, and numerous others.

In recent years, the Committee has shifted its focus in two ways: There is an increased emphasis on formally reporting back from conferences, and they now build a full curriculum and theme for each year. For example, in 2023 they began the year with sessions focused on democracy and community engagement during polarizing times. The committee also brings in a futurist every year to build the Council’s and community’s capacities in strategic forecasting. This creates a culture in which Fort Collins stays focused on present demands, but always considers the future in their decision-making.

This year (2024), the curriculum is evolving with the addition of a separate “lunch and learn” component for city staff. After each session, officials plan to host an informal session to explore ideas, their applicability, and any next steps. The goal is to incubate ideas beyond the committee meeting itself.

Considerations

In standing up a futures committee:

  • Assess Council interest, organizational culture, and staff capacity to meaningfully engage in curating topics and exploring ideas.
  • Establish the parameters of topic selection and define what “future” means in each instance (for example, 30 years, 100 years).
  • Include city staff in the curation of topics for shared learning and ownership within the organization.
  • Be inclusive in inviting partner organizations and community members to learn and participate.
  • Provide sufficient time between meetings to prepare questions, provide supplemental information, invite partners, promote the topic; then provide post-meeting space to document, share, and discuss (every two months is ideal).

Point of Contact

Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Fort Collins , CO
[email protected] 

Who Else Is Trying This?

  • Centennial, Colorado, USA: the Futures Committee invites city leaders to consider what Centennial may face in 20+ years and consists of two City Council members, the manager of development foresight and infrastructure readiness, and external community partners.