Published in Issue 4 – 2009 of the Alliance for Children & Families Magazine

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More than 76,000 residents of Cook County, Ill., which includes Chicago, are estimated to have been missing for nearly a decade.¹ They rent apartments, ride public transportation, and send their children to public school. Yet, according to the 2000 census, they don’t exist because they were never counted.

The 21st Century Potential of Constituency Voice is designed to assist nonprofits in understanding why many current practices used to solicit feedback from constituents – are considered unhelpful. 

The paper also examines whether comparative data could be utilized to improve feedback efforts.

The paper focuses on three specific questions asked by leaders from Alliance and UNCA member agencies, as well as strategic grantmakers:

Molly Greenman, president and CEO of the nonprofit Family & Children's Service's, offers her frank and succinct take on why she thinks the answer is yes.

"We pay attention to the people we say we are here to serve and are informed by their knowledge of what they need to support their families. In order to do that, you just need to be willing to change." 

Supporting the 2010 census need not require significant funds. There are many simple, yet highly meaningful activities members of the Alliance and UNCA can engage in: