To this day, one of the most interesting projects we’ve ever done. It is rare for government entities to come together collaboratively on a survey research project. It is even more uncommon when it comes to passing money measures. This, however, was exactly what happened here. Rather than compete on the ballot, they worked collaboratively with Nelson Research and put together a survey instrument that determined what projects the community felt were the highest priority, then used the data to put together proposals that reflected those priorities. The data determined that the school district should go out first with their requests, which they did with great success.
Lesson Learned: Due to this collaboration, they significantly improved overall community perceptions, avoided competition on the ballot and created a greater chance for success when it came to passing their individual money measures.