[Jurisdiction Name, State], [Date] – The [City / County / State / Area Agency on Aging / State Agency on Aging] is conducting a comprehensive needs assessment of the area’s aging community. The goal of the assessment is to gather direct feedback from residents ages [55] and over to better understand the contributions that older adults make to their communities and to identify their challenges and unmet needs.
Feedback will be gathered through The Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults (CASOA). The survey will be sent to [10,000] randomly selected households within zip codes serving [Jurisdiction Name], in which at least one resident is known to be age [55] or over. Surveys will be sent the week of [April 8] and will include a cover letter with more information, as well as a postage-paid return envelope. [Jurisdiction Name] residents will also receive a postcard in advance, with the opportunity to complete the survey online. [The mailed survey will be in English, and a Spanish translation will be available online.] The survey will close on [date]. Community members with questions may contact the [City / County / State / Area Agency on Aging / State Agency on Aging] at [phone] or [email].
The [City / County / State / Area Agency on Aging / State Agency on Aging] is excited to partner on this assessment with Polco (www.polco.us), an innovative civic engagement platform that gives community members the opportunity to provide input directly to local leaders. Developed by the National Research Center (NRC) at Polco, the CASOA instrument has been administered in many other jurisdictions around the country. Data returned from this survey of local residents will be benchmarked against other communities nationwide. Residents’ responses are anonymous, and personal information is securely stored on Polco.
Residents are strongly encouraged to complete the survey to provide critical information to the [City / County / State / Area Agency on Aging / State Agency on Aging]. The CASOA results will be available in [Month Year], enabling resident feedback to be incorporated into the work plans of government, foundations, AAAs, nonprofits serving the aging population, and other organizations.
[Quote from local leader/official about the purpose of this survey assessment or specific details about how results will be used. Example: “This survey will help [City/County/other] staff identify priorities for the aging population in [community name] and influence budgeting and strategic plans for the upcoming year.”]
About Polco
Polco brings the voice of everyday residents to their community leaders with award-winning community engagement services, online polls, and survey research. Polco makes public participation in civic matters easier, allowing more residents to engage with their local governments’ decision-making processes. With Polco, leaders around the nation can make better-informed decisions for their communities with accurate and reliable feedback. Polco is committed to a strict privacy policy—participants’ individual data and votes are never shared. Learn more at info.polco.us.