Research & Experimentation Working Group

If funders and field organizations are to make the data-informed decisions needed to move civic engagement beyond election-cycle work, we must cultivate a shared understanding of research and develop a set of best practices for conducting experiments. To this end, in 2015 the Funders’ Committee for Civic Participation (FCCP) created a Research and Experimentation Working Group with goals to:

• Build a network of researchers interested in civic engagement.
• Foster collaboration between researchers and practitioners to create a common agenda, identify research priorities and develop a better understanding of field organization needs.
• Support creation of a clearinghouse accessible to grantmakers and grantees for key research findings.
• Ensure support for “translating” research results into materials funders can use.
• Create a forum for funders to share research priorities and funding strategies and align them when possible to create greater impact.

ABOUT THE RESEARCH

Employing strategies like empirical and qualitative studies, public opinion research and legal and policy analysis, the research will cover a broad spectrum of subjects including:

• Electoral issues such as campaign finance; election administration and protection; redistricting; and voter registration, education and turnout.
• Non-election activities such as civic education and leadership, organizing and engaging around the policymaking process, mobilizing and advocacy around specific issues or constituencies.
• Good-government policies, tools and strategies pertaining to immigration reform, budgeting, civil rights, rule of law, open government and government performance.

For more information, visit http://www.funderscommittee.org/resources/publications.