Home In the CommunityRegional Visioning and Cooperation Reality Check Guide

To learn more about Reality Check, view the short video on the Washington D.C. event prepared by ULI Washington.

Reality Check Guide

A Tool for ULI District Councils and Their Partners

Reality Check, a one-day, participatory, regional visioning exercise is an important tool available to District Councils to engage leaders in a regional dialogue on growth issues. ULI's Community Outreach staff are available to counsel each District Council to determine if they should explore Reality Check as part of their program of work and also during the exercise planning and implementation stages. To help District Councils undertake this complex yet rewarding outreach program, ULI staff created Reality Check: A Guide for ULI District Councils, which is intended to serve as a reference for ULI District Councils and other interested parties as they plan Reality Check exercises or comparable exercises in their regions. This guide also provides an opportunity to learn from the best practices and mistakes of previous regional visioning exercises. A collection of sample documents, agendas, reports, and other material accompany the guide to serve as examples of what has worked for other District Councils and their partners. 

For more information, contact Suzanne Cartwright, Director of Community Outreach, at 206-254-5617 or suzannec@uli.org

Reality Check: A Guide for ULI District Councils (PDF)

Appendices

• Reality Check Startup Checklist
• Reality Check Logo (pdf) and (jpeg) & narrow version (pdf) and (jpeg)
• Reality Check Roles and Responsibilities
• Reality Check Planning and Implementation Phases
• Sample Reality Check Major Tasks/Timeline
• Sample Reality Check Framework
• Sample Reality Check Budget (Los Angeles; Washington, DC; Maryland)
• Sample Reality Check Contract of Agreement between District Council and Other Sponsoring Organizations or Institutions
• Sample Reality Check Contract of Agreement between District Council and University
• Sample Reality Check Brochure (Washington, DC; Maryland)
• Sample Reality Check Press Release (Press Release; Postevent Press Release)
• Sample Reality Check Communications Strategy (Washington, DC, Communications Strategy; Maryland Communications Strategy; Washington, DC, Fact Sheet; Maryland Fact Sheet; Sample Communications Calendar; Sample Media Advisory; Sample Newsletter Article; Sample Support Letter)
• Sample Reality Check Sponsorship Opportunities Flyer (North Texas; Maryland)
• Sample PowerPoint Presentation Promoting Reality Check
• Sample Reality Check Volunteer Form
• Sample Reality Check Invitation (Washington, DC, Invitation; Washington, DC, Afternoon Event Invitation; Central Maryland Invitation)
• Sample Instructions for Facilitators (Guide, Script, Training PowerPoint Presentation) and Scribes/Computer Operators
• Sample Reality Check Participant Guidebook (Washington, DC; North Texas)
• Sample Reality Check Agenda for Day of Exercise
• Media coverage of Reality Check Exercises (Los Angeles – LA Times, October 11, 2002; Washington, DC – Washington Times, February 25, 2005; Maryland – Baltimore Sun, June 10, 2006 and Washington Post, June 22, 2006; North Texas – Fort Worth Star, June 30, 2005)
• Sample Reality Check Report (Los Angeles – Final Report, Summary; Washington, DC – Final Report, Final Results PowerPoint Presentation; North Texas – Final Report, Summary, Brochure; Maryland - Final Report)
• Sample Implementation Work Plans (Washington, DC – Memorandum, Case Statement; North Texas – Workplan, Summary)
• ULI in the Community, Case Studies for Action—ULI Los Angeles Reality Check on Growth
• Translating a Regional Vision into Action, ULI Community Catalyst Report #2

Reality Check Logo Files

Zip File (includes all five logo types)
Logotype A.eps
Logotype B.eps
Logotype C.eps
Logotype D.eps
Logotype E.eps