A Q&A About the National Community Survey in Dedham

We recently shared information about a partnership with Polco to conduct the National Community Survey (NCS) in Dedham, and randomly selected households have already started to receive postcards and information about this comprehensive resident feedback initiative. To help answer additional questions about the NCS and its role in Dedham, we have compiled the following list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from Polco:

What is The National Community Survey (The NCS)®?

The NCS was among the first scientific surveys developed to gather resident opinion on a range of community issues. It provides robust benchmark comparisons among communities across the nation. It has been used in more than 500 jurisdictions across 46 states. Communities using The NCS have reported that the tool improved service delivery, strengthened communications with community stakeholders, and helped leaders identify clear priorities for use in strategic planning and budget setting. It is the only resident survey endorsed by the International City/County Management Association and the National League of Cities.

Background of Polco

Polco is an online community engagement platform that is conducting The NCS. Polco launches surveys and analyzes the data, providing local governments and other public sector leaders with important information needed to make decisions within the community. Hundreds of organizations nationwide use Polco for strategic planning, budgeting, and empowering resident voices.

Why is The NCS broken down into two surveys?

The Sampled Survey was designed to be as representative as possible of the population of the jurisdiction. A sampling of community households is randomly selected from a comprehensive list of residential addresses as an effort to reduce bias and get feedback from all areas within the community. The sampled group receives a paper invitation and survey packet in the mail, though they may opt to fill out the survey online. Their link is unique to their household and should not be shared. This effort is to gather accurate data from the residents who make up the community today.

  • The Open Participation Survey is offered to all residents so each voice in the community can be heard. It is identical to the Sampled Survey except that it asks if you are a resident of the community and which area of the community you live in.

How long will The NCS be open?

  • The Sampled Survey is open August 28 through October 9 at midnight.
  • The Open Participation Survey is open September 25 through October 9 at midnight.

Who can participate in the survey?

  • The Sampled Survey is for the randomly selected households only.
  • The Open Participation Survey is open to all residents.

How long will the survey take to complete?

It takes approximately 15-16 minutes to complete.

How can I be assured that my feedback will remain anonymous?

  • Your responses are confidential and no identifying information will be shared.
  • This is a confidential survey conducted by an outside firm, so your identity is completely secure. https://info.polco.us/your-privacy

What about leading questions or bias with the way questions are worded?

  • Every effort is made to pose questions as neutral as possible. The team of survey scientists put a tremendous amount of thought into this when developing the main survey. Because all opinions are welcome, the questions need to be a blend of easy to understand, simple to respond to, and neutral in the way they are asked. There are many methods with which this is accomplished, but one of the more noticeable ones are questions with "if at all" contained in the question.

Can I share my survey link with another person?

  • If you received a postcard invitation and paper survey in the mail, then this survey has a unique link for randomly selected households only and should not be shared.
  • We encourage everyone to share the Open Participation survey link with their neighbors. The survey will be open September 25 through October 9.

Who can I contact with additional questions?

For more information on this process, contact the Town at 781-751-9100 or visit our Deficit Reduction Plan page at https://beheard.dedham-ma.gov/deficit-reduction.