NCoC is committed to continuous promotion of research and discussion on civic engagement, including partnerships with government and the use of new media to participate in political processes. On March 8 at 1:30 p.m. Eastern, NCoC and SparkAction invite you to join a special presentation of the Congressional Management Foundation’s (CMF) latest “Communicating with Congress” research. Registration is available below.

The Internet has made it easier and cheaper to contact Congress than ever before. However, technological developments have been so rapid that neither the senders (the citizens and campaign organizers), nor the receivers (the congressional offices), have learned to use it in ways that facilitate truly effective communications. As a result, while more messages are being sent to Congress, it seems as though less actual communication is occurring.

For more than a decade, CMF has been working to improve communications between citizens and Members of Congress, and has just released a new study entitled “Communicating with Congress: Perceptions of Citizen Advocacy on Capitol Hill.” In addition to updating research on how the Internet affected congressional communications, the study was the first to assess how social media is integrated in congressional offices – both to communicate legislators’ views, and to understand constituents’ opinions.

CMF will host a presentation of the key findings of the report for NCoC and SparkAction partners on March 8 at 1:30 p.m. Eastern. Participants of the session will learn:
• What congressional staff believe are the most effective communications tactics for influencing undecided Members of Congress.
• How and whether the Internet has made legislators more responsive and accountable to constituents.
• The differences in impact between different forms of communications (e-mail, postal mail, in-person visits, and social media).

Overall, participants will take away a broader understanding of congressional decision-making and communications, allowing them to be more effective in their grassroots advocacy work.

Participation is limited to 100 registrants. Please secure your spot by registering via the link in the “More Information” section above.