Building Trust & Effectiveness in Congress
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New Member Resource Center

This center is for helping new Members successfully transition into Congress with beneficial resources on setting up a congressional office.

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Life in Congress

CMF and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) have partnered to conduct "Life in Congress," a groundbreaking research project with congressional staff and Members. The first report from this research, "Aligning Work and Life in the U.S. House and Senate," was released on October 24.

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#SocialCongress

This report represents the first research into how Congress uses
social media to gauge opinion and communicate with constituents.

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Setting Course

This comprehensive guide to managing a congressional office has specific chapters dedicated to helping freshmen set up their offices. As one Chief of Staff said,"The best thing a new Member and his or her staff can do is to sit down and read Setting Course cover to cover. Do yourself a favor, read it.”

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Hill Views on Advocacy

We surveyed congressional staff on their opinions and practices
related to constituent communications, including social media.
Contrary to popular belief, constituents trump lobbyists.

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Recent Updates

Congressional Management Foundation

Constituent Services: 8 Resources for Grantseekers

by Christine Rafla on February 13, 2013

Congressional offices field calls from constituents seeking grants and support all of the time. When your office is on the receiving end of such requests, you might want to point them to these eight resources on the legislative support pages of the Foundation Center's website.

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Tags:casework, constituents
 

Senate Budget Committee Listening to the Public

by Cameron Henton on February 01, 2013

New Senate Budget Committee Chair Patty Murray recently announced the launch of “MyBudget,” the committee’s new online effort to encourage members of the public to participate in the federal budget process. This new online tool allows the public to share their stories, budget priorities, and ideas with the committee as it writes a budget.

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Tags:citizen engagement, gold mouse, websites
 

Key Budgeting Questions for Freshman Members

by Cameron Henton on January 28, 2013

Opening a new congressional office is a difficult task for freshman legislators. You will be forced to develop a budget with little staff support, relevant information, or time. New Members and their limited staff must consider the most effective ways to allocate their money while considering the possibility of future budget cuts. CMF has compiled six key questions for New Members to consider when developing a mission and identifying the resources that will support that mission.

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Tags:congressional operations, methodology, Strategy & Planning
 

#SocialMedia Cheat Sheet: Great Tips to Apply to Constituent Outreach

by Christine Rafla on January 18, 2013

The 113th Congress looks as if it is quickly adapting to the changing world of social media. In fact, the vast majority of the newly elected Congress members (all but three, to be precise) have Twitter accounts. Read on to learn some useful tips on optimizing your communication through twitter.

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Tags:advocacy, citizen engagement, social media, twitter
 
Read More CMF Updates
 

CMF works internally with House and Senate offices to foster improved management practices. From interns to Chiefs of Staff to Members themselves, CMF provides services adapted to the unique congressional environment. Read more

Commonly Used Resources