OCI was established in 1984 to support County-wide engagement through a multifaceted approach. OCI collaborates with departments and staff to strengthen program-based engagement. We advise on engagement policies and procedures and develop engagement trainings and resources for county staff and community members.  We serve as a community portal to departmental engagement opportunities and directly support civic  advisory committees to amplify public feedback in County engagement and budget resource allocation. OCI oversees and supports the Community Involvement Committee (CIC) and Community Budget Advisory Committees (CBACs). Through the county’s advisory bodies, community members are able to share feedback and provide recommendations for the improvement of services and programs. 

OCI has seen a lot of changes recently! Director Amara H. Pérez joined the office in October 2024, and we welcomed Policy and Resource Coordinator Gabriela M. Trinidad in December 2024. Amara and Gabriela join KellyAnn Cameron as the OCI team!

We welcome everyone who lives, works, plays, and worships in Multnomah County to participate in shaping our county policies, budgets, and programs. Here are some opportunities for community members to engage:

Community Involvement Committee

Do you care about community involvement in County decision-making? Do you want to help reduce barriers to civic participation? Do you enjoy working with a diverse group to identify common goals that benefit the community? If so, apply to join the County's Community Involvement Committee (CIC). The Community Involvement Committee serves as Multnomah County’s advisory body on community engagement and involvement, advising the Board of County Commissioners on how to improve community involvement throughout the County.

This CIC is currently recruiting new members. In order to ensure representation across all County districts, we are especially in need of members from Districts 1 and 4 - find your district here!

Learn more & Apply!

Applications due by

Friday, March 14th, 2025 by 11:59 PM

Applications: 

• Apply Online
• PDF applications (large print English and other languages)

Virtual Information Sessions (links): 

• Wednesday, February 19th, 5:30-6:00pm
• Monday, February 24th, 12:00-12:30pm
• Friday, March 7th, 10am-10:30am 

Engage in the Budgeting Process

Every year, the Multnomah County Chair prepares an executive budget that reflects our community’s values and priorities. To do so, we need as much input and engagement from as many people as possible. This is especially important in a year when we face a $22 million general fund budget cut, which will have an impact on the services we provide to the community. 

THIS WEEK: provide input now by taking the Chair’s online budget survey by Monday, March 3rd, 2025.

To learn more about the budget process and other engagement opportunities, visit the visit the Chair's budget website.

Volunteer with Animal Services

Multnomah County Animal Services is seeking volunteers to support their shelter operations! Volunteers assist with everything from cleaning animal enclosures, providing customer service, helping with laundry and dishes, assisting adopters, walking dogs, providing enrichment to pets, and more. You can even foster animals from the comfort of your own home!

Check out their volunteer listings to find the right fit for you!

Volunteer with Community Justice

The Department of Community Justice offers a variety of volunteer, internship and job shadow experiences for community members, including:

SARP (Stabilization and Readiness Program) Assistant: Support program participants by listening, learning and sharing resources in a pro-social and skill building environment. SARP participants are adults on parole or probation in Multnomah County and are assigned to the Mental Health Unit for supervision.

Group Facilitator: Work with small groups of youth who are temporarily living in Juvenile Detention and help them develop skills that enrich their lives and support their unique interests. Examples include: Cultural Dance, Cooking, Leadership Development, Yoga, Basketball, Board Games, Arts & Crafts.

To find out more visit the DCJ website or contact Sarah Delepine at 971-990-8135 or sarah.delepine@multco.us