CivicPlus Community Impact Award Winner: Borough of Red Bank, New Jersey

In Red Bank, a coordinated outreach and communications effort closed a real gap: Residents, particularly the Borough’s historically under-engaged Spanish-speaking community, which makes up roughly a third of the population, were not consistently receiving or acting on the information its government made available. The need to improve trust and the resident experience was evident. The Borough responded with a proactive, multilingual, resident-centered communication model built to close that gap and give residents a reason to believe their government operates with the entire community in mind. Every single Borough communication is consistently available in both English and Spanish, reducing language barriers and creating a more equitable resident experience. 

“When we made a standard of communicating in both English and Spanish, we weren’t just checking a box. We were telling a third of our residents that their government sees them and is listening,” said Borough of Red Bank Manager James Gant. “That work is not a one-time initiative—it’s a culture shift. Trust grows when people see that their government listens, cares, and follows through. When people feel seen and heard, they feel more connected to their community.”