Communicating with Congress Project Overview

The Problem

For more than a decade CMF has been working to improve communications between citizens and Members of Congress. We have found that the Internet has made it easier and cheaper to contact Congress than ever before. However, technological developments have been so rapid that neither citizens and the organizers of grassroots advocacy campaigns (the senders) nor congressional offices (the receivers) have learned to use it in ways that facilitate truly effective communications between citizens and Members of Congress. As a result, while more messages are being sent to Congress, it seems that less actual communication is occurring.

Objectives

To improve the communications, CMF has undertaken a project to:
  • identify the perceptions, expectations, and practices of both sides of congressional communications;
  • provide information to educate and guide congressional offices, citizens, and the grassroots community;
  • promote changes in the attitudes and practices of both sides; and
  • facilitate collaboration and information-sharing that will result in more meaningful and manageable dialogue.

Phases

To accomplish these objectives, CMF has been conducting extensive research and engaging an ever-widening circle of stakeholders.

  1. Our research began with congressional offices and resulted in the 2005 report, Communicating with Congress: How Capitol Hill is Coping with the Surge in Citizen Advocacy.
  2. CMF then engaged small groups of targeted stakeholders in congressional communications, including thought leaders and technologists on and off Capitol Hill.
  3. These meetings led to the Communicating with Congress conference in 2007, when more than 200 stakeholder participants from both sides engaged in discussions about current processes and problems with communications between citizens and Members of Congress, as well as possible solutions.
  4. CMF then partnered with Zogby International on a nationwide survey of citizens to address their methods, reasons, and expectations for communicating with Capitol Hill, in the 2008 report Communicating with Congress: How the Internet Has Changed Citizen Engagement.
  5. With the 2008 report Communicating with Congress: Recommendations for Improving the Democratic Dialogue, CMF expanded our research and outreach to the public, who was invited to participate in the discussion of our concept of, and recommendations for, improved communications.
  6. In 2009, CMF is working with the project stakeholders to finalize the standards for this new model of improved communication and draft implementation plans for the senders' side and receivers' side of communications.

The Solution

CMF has gained insight through survey research, outreach, and dialogue with as many of the interested parties as possible. This has enabled us to incorporate a broad, inclusive perspective into our work. We hope this collaborative approach will result in a new model for communications between constituents and their elected officials which will have the support and commitment of as many people as possible.

It is CMF's goal that the model we propose will, if implemented, reduce or remove the current frustrations and barriers, facilitate increased citizen participation in the public policy process, and promote a meaningful democratic dialogue that benefits our country.

For more information about how you can participate in this project and be part of the solution, please contact CMF at cmf(at)cmfweb(dot)org or 202-546-0100.

Related Resources