Using the Information

Once you’ve gathered your facts and figures, quotes and personal stories, expert opinions, and research reports and studies, there’s a lot you can do with this information. You can

• Frame the debate. For example, if you found that other localities have adopted effective solutions to the problem, you can make a powerful case for doing the same in your community. Instead of focusing only on the problem, you can frame the issue as why our community isn’t doing as much as other communities have done to address the problem.
• Put together an action plan. Summarize the facts, compile your policy recommendations, and put forward a proposal for positive change.
• Write a report. Cite other resources when you can. And use your best quotes from interviews. You don’t want your voice to be heard too much; a variety of voices shows that you did your homework, shows that a problem is of broad public importance, shows public support for corrective action, and gets the attention of the media and public officials. If it’s a long report, prepare a summary that journalists, public officials, and policy makers and their staff can read quickly. For more on writing policy reports, order a copy of The Big Idea: a step-by-step guide to creating effective policy reports (2002) from the Center for an Urban Future at https://secure12.cfxhosting.com/nycfutureorg/content/bigidea/index.cfm.
• Create visuals. Whether a video, photographs, or charts, visuals capture people’s imagination. Besides, different people digest information in different ways. If they can see it or hear it, they’ll usually remember it. Particularly with numbers, charts, graphs, or tables make the information more accessible.
• Write some case studies. There’s nothing more powerful than knowing how a problem affects real people’s lives. A compelling story can captivate—and capture your audience.
• Use it to organize. What information did you find that will get people excited about your issue? Make them outraged about the situation? Urge them to action?
• Educate the public. You want as many people as possible to know what you know so that they are on your side and will talk to other people about the problem. Public awareness will benefit your organizing and coalition building, and it will help you persuade your elected officials.
• Develop fact sheets and talking points. You don’t want to overwhelm people with all the information you have at one time. But you can get key people up to speed with a one-page to two-page fact sheet and a few bulleted points about the main messages.
• Draft a news release or hold a news conference. Did you uncover something particularly compelling or controversial that might grab the media’s attention? Make sure you pick your most persuasive spokespersons to quote in the release and speak at the news conference. (more on this in the Media section).
• Take it to a hearing. What did you find that might be persuasive to your public officials? Relevant to something being discussed at a public meeting or voted upon? Likely to get news coverage during the public comment portion of a meeting while the media are there covering another agenda item?
• Start a newsletter. As you begin to gather information, you might include bits and pieces in a newsletter to get people’s attention. Then, in subsequent newsletters, keep them engaged as you uncover more information and the story unfolds.
• Put it in a proposal. What have you learned that might interest a foundation in some part of your strategy? Maybe it will fund the publication of your action plan or report, provide media training, or support public education.