About

The PolicyOptions.org network seeks to establish a network of local community tanks that will make policy information, news, and research available on websites, weekly email news updates, and research. These community think tanks will feature local PolicyOptions Issue Briefs on topics of local interest that draw upon policies and program models from around the country and world. We believe that comprehensive, balanced, up-to-date information is critical to informed citizen action in shaping policy and planning program improvements.
 
Why does this matter?
 
Take any policy-related topic you hear frequently about in the news and conversation: the achievement gap in education, health care insurance, environmental sustainability, economic development, affordable housing. Within any set of issues there is a complex array of information, examples, and choices that impact the public on a daily basis. Yet it’s hard to sort through the overwhelming amount of information available — in newspapers, radio, TV, and on the Internet — to understand the nature of the issues and how best to improve people’s lives through policy choices.
 
For example:
 

• As a public official or employee of any governmental organization, you certainly are more aware of how to access and navigate the information and analysis pertaining to policy issues. Nonetheless, in many localities and states, good information and analysis is hard to find. Your agency or office does not have a dedicated research staff to gather it.

• As a staff members or volunteer in a non-profit organization, you may find yourself more focused on the day-to-day operations and sustainability issues pertaining to your work. You're unable to allocate time for research and understanding of how policy decisions are affecting you and your organization. PolicyOptions.org will help you wade through the information to find knowledge that is important.

• As a citizen (including students, faculty members, or administrators in educational institution), perhaps you are involved civically in ways to improve the quality of people or the environment in your community. Whether your work is community service, community-based research, or day-to-day program management, you need this information to understand the root causes of our communities’ problems, the current policies, and the potential solutions.

 
 
Goal of the PolicyOptions.org
 
The goal of the PolicyOptions.org network is to fill an important gap in our public life: the availability of accurate, balanced, comprehensive information and analysis about the issues that we care about and hope to impact through public policy and civic engagement.
 
We will tap the underutilized research capacity of institutions of higher education to create local and state level community think tanks. These campus-based community think tanks will be housed in participating college or university public policy or community outreach centers or institutes. These locally-focused bureaus will be linked through an affiliate structure to cover state issues and to a central national office that will cover national and international policy and program activity.
 
 
PolicyOptions.org Content
 
PolicyOptions.org websites, weekly email news updates will contain information on:
 

• PolicyOption Issue Briefs: including community-based research papers, research studies, links to other data sources, and a series of PolicyOption Issue Briefs that present the scope of the problem of a local, state, or national issue (such as health care or school reform), the past policy, current policy, proposed solutions, a glossary, and sources.

• Policy and Program News: including funding, legislation, regulations, reports, and a calendar of meetings and activities.

• Non-profit Resources: including job openings, conference and workshop calendar, funding opportunities, and listing of resource organizations and publications relevant to non-profit management.

 
 
PolicyOptions.org Network Development Plan
 
Beginning in September 2006, we will pilot PolicyOptions.org at three to five campus partners to demonstrate the viability of this initiative. Specifically, we will seek to test and evaluate our:
 

• information collection strategy for mobilizing college and graduate students into Community Information Corps to collect the new and resources content;
• policy analysis strategy of researching PolicyOption Issue Briefs in response to specific requests from local and state policymakers and other community leaders by (a) linking to faculty teaching public policy analysis courses through which students will write these papers and (b) recruiting for each major issue area policy experts who will function as a peer review to ensure that the Issue Briefs are accurate, comprehensive, and balanced;
• information use strategy for assisting individuals and organizations as they access this information for their decision-making, collaborative planning, grant writing, and public issue forums, leadership training, background for students in academic courses.
• technology strategy for storing and publishing this information available via our network of PolicyOption.org websites, email newsletters, RSS feeds;
• networking strategy for recruiting and supporting communities of people locally, nationally, even internationally who share interest and/or expertise in specific issue or geographical areas, and who contribute to the maintenance of the PolicyOptions.org content and help ensure it's accuracy, balance, and timeliness.

 
For our pilot phase, we have begun working with faculty from colleges and universities. But, we are always looking to involve others who might be interested in joining this initiative.

For more information, contact Robert Hackett — rhackett@bonner.org or by phone at 609-924-6663.