AgdaPkt 2004-08-23 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

B. A~ 2 MEMBERSHIP SURVEY GIVES LEAGUE HIGH MARKS FOR ADVOCACY WORK Membership approval of the League has an increase from the benchmark survey that is increased over the past two years, according to a driven by a significant increase in those who say membership survey conducted earlier this year as they are "very familiar" with the program. part of the League's Grassroots Network (GRN). .. A healthy nine out of ten have a favorable The Network essentially consists of a field staff of impression of the GRN. 15 League "regional representatives~ hired in 2001 .. The League's regional representatives are in an effort to improve the effectiveness of the also well-known: three-quarters say they are League's legislative and grassroots advocacy familiar with their representative - moreover, half work. are "veryfamiliar.~ This survey is a follow-up to a "benchmark~ The survey also showed that members con- tracking survey last conducted in late 2001, which sider GRN actions to be important and effective in measured members' attitudes toward League enhancing members' grassroots advocacy efforts: advocacy activities and their expectations for the .. While members consider all activities by new Grassroots Network. the reps to be important, the most important are forming coalitions, organizing rapid-response The survey this year showed that overall teams. making presentations on legislative devel- evaluations of the League have increased since opments and organizing meetings. the benchmark survey, driven in part by a signifi- .. Four out of five members surveyed feel cant improvement in perceptions of the League's their efforts on pending legislation and state grassroots activity. Related findings: budget issues are more effective since the GRN - · Nine out of ten rate the League positively in fact. one-half feels they are "much more effec- for the job it is doing working with California cities, tive. ~ with a significant increase among those offering . Members recommend that regional repre- "excellent" evaluations. sentatives increase their interaction with members · Perceptions of League performance and also strongly suggest organizing meetings in related to key areas also have improved so that divisions. three out of five members believe the League is doing well in each. In particular, significant gains The League committed to conduct a total of were seen in evaluating grassroots activity by three surveys when the membership voted over- League members and protecting city revenues. whelmingly in 2001 to support the hiring of the regional representatives. The surveys - one in The survey also showed that the League - 2001, one in 2004 and one in 2006-07- are in- including its GRN - has positively impacted tended to help the board of directors set long-term members' legislative advocacy. Nearly all mem- goals and annual objectives for the program, and bers have personally engaged in some activity to provide the board with an objective means of influence legislation in response to a League evaluating whether the program is achieving these appeal. The vast majority feels the League en- goals. courages them to take action to influence legisla- tion - and since the benchmark survey there has The League bylaws call for a membership vote been a significant increase in the proportion who on or before December 31. 2007, on whether to believes the League encourages them "a great continue the Grassroots Network beyond Decem- deal." ber 31, 2008. To view an executive summary of As members have become more intimately the survey, please visit the League's website Advocacy page at www.cacities.org/advocacy. familiar with the GRN, their impression of it has remained highly favorable. Additional findings: · Three-quarters are familiar with the GRN - PAGE 2/PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Off'lCial Web Site--www.cacities.org