Public Affairs / COMPETITOR SOLUTIONS / TRAINING / PRESENTATIONS

Public Affairs Research

Public sector bodies, political groups, and non-profit agencies share a need to collect information, develop policies, conduct mandate reviews, and generate campaign or PR strategies. This requires up-to-date data on current affairs, public perception, population demographics, and more - public affairs research. Quantitative and qualitative studies ranging from opinion surveys, tracking studies, environmental scans, news/literature reviews, and database management all have relevance in this context. Burkhardt Research Services provides each of these services.

Completed studies at Burkhardt Research Services range from a national U.S. health care quantification study used in developing a bill that went to committee in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008 to community input surveys for a Canadian municipality. These studies are supplemented by professional experience working on political campaigns in both the U.S. and Canada.  We also provide valued working knowledge of domestic political operating dynamics of BOTH the U.S. and Canada. Come to us for one stop navigational knowledge of how government services and the political process happens on each side of the 49th parallel.  Contact us for discussion and analysis of the U.S. electoral college, Canada’s parliamentary system of government, Canadian government ministries and U.S. government departments, and grassroots campaign research.

Package Report Options and Tailor-Made Projects

Each customer is unique and we treat you as such! We work with each client to develop a project plan that meets your specifications. Everyone receives the same level of quality – custom-made to meet your needs. If you prefer an off-the-shelf solution, we will accommodate that also; ask us about a “standard rate option” for which we will produce reports reflective of our most common components at a median range.

Level One

GOVERNMENT SERVICES
Price: Competitively priced for local market conditions.

Public consultations provide local governments and other stakeholders with input on the wishes of local communities pertaining to topics of public interest. Objective, scientifically-valid input from all relevant stakeholders is what you get when you choose Burkhardt Research Services to do your public consultations. We are your transparent “no bias” solution.

• Local Public Input Surveys – we provide independent, third-party consultation to identify community perceptions and preferences on local topics. Gauge community perceptions on proposed zoning by-law changes, voting preferences, business views, policy issues, and social-community development topics. How do residents in your community want their community managed?

• Community Prioritization Studies – Identify what your community expects regarding community planning, program and service management, budget allocations, and balancing thereof. Do priorities vary within individual segments of your community (geographic breakdowns, demographic groups, business versus residential, etc.)?

• Emerging Viewpoints – when a single topic becomes a significant “flashpoint” in your community, take the time to understand the topic and gain context on community viewpoint(s). We provide an appropriate mix of literature reviews and community consultations. We take no position on topics in your community; rather, we provide the context necessary for governments and communities to understand both the subjects and community views on those subjects.

• Corrections – Several members of our team have been active in various institutional and community-based aspects of U.S. and Canadian Corrections since the mid-1990's. This experience - combined with our experience in market research delivery to the private and public sectors - positions us to deliver meaningful data collection and analysis relevant to corrections. This is demonstrated in our corrections-related white papers (see: publications), by the national quantitative health care/education study we executed that was quoted in a bill that made it to committee in the 110th U.S. Congress, and in team member Alison Granger-Brown's corrections-related presentations on multiple continents on corrections-specifics topics. Talk to us about your corrections-related market research and community engagement projects.

• Cross-border Issues - how knowledgeable are you about cross-border issues (US/Canada)? How are issues on the other side of the border going to impact you? Our staff have lived, worked, and conducted market research in both the U.S. and Canada - making us invaluably knowledeable and capable of dealing with (and articulating) cross-border topics. Come to us for reports, comparison studies, quantitative analysis, advice, and strategy development pertaining to issues in, around, and across the 49th parallel.

Includes print copies, a CD or DVD master copy of data results, select cross-tabulations, and – as requested – analysis of results.

Level Two

NON PROFIT AGENCIES

Price: Competitively priced according to industry standards.

Burkhardt Research Services works with non-profit clients throughout North America – particularly in the areas of healthcare, community development, social services, and social justice, and criminology/justice. Our professional services and civic engagement date back to the 1990s. Our team assigned to non-profits have formal training in business administration, social services, and criminology.

• Stakeholder Input – Meeting the needs of your stakeholders is fundamental for non-profit agencies. How well are you measuring up? How do your members, clients, community support systems, funding agencies, and other interested parties view the quality of your agency and your service delivery? What areas could use improvement? What types of improvement? Burkhardt Research Services provides member surveys, in-depth interviews, and community consultation initiatives to better understand representative stakeholder views, needs, and priorities for our non-profit clients. Functional reporting of stakeholder consultation - with unbiased data cross-tabulation and analysis - is provided as our final deliverable.

• Membership Demographics - What are the demographic characteristics of your membership, target market, or industry? What types of current or potential member services do your members (and potential members) value most? Is there room for membership recruitment within your industry? Burkhardt Research Services provides member surveys, industry surveys, and member database development/maintenance with demographic tracking functionality. Functional reporting of survey results and database cross-tabulation (analysis) are key services we provide.

• Business Development – Is there a “business or operations” aspect of running your non-profit function that needs assistance? Do funding grant applications, annual operating plans, strategy-building sessions, or annual reports make you want to run for the door? We can help. Our team has worked in both business and social service contexts, including a team member with an MBA, so we can “fill in your gaps – freeing you up to focus on what you do best.

• Public Affairs Research – Keep abreast of the public context for your priority issues in order to advocate for your priority issues or interest group. Gauge public awareness or public interest regarding the issues addressed by your non-profit. Track local, regional, and national government commitments, spending, and follow-through surrounding your priority concerns – thus enabling you to promote government transparency and accountability. Burkhardt Research Services conducts public awareness studies so you can promote the issues relating to your segment of the public good. Contact us for more information.

Receive your final reports however you need them - in print, pdf, CD or DVD master copies, and/or electronic distribution.
 

Level Three

POLITICAL CAMPAIGNING

Price: Competitively priced according to industry standards.

Deep and forward-looking knowledge of constituent demographics, public perception, issues analysis, policy development, and messaging strategy are do-or-die critical for elected officials and campaigns. What’s happening with public policy issues, social and business topics, cross-border issues (US/Canada), and public sentiment? What is happening along the campaign trail? Don’t be de-railed – be informed.

The Burkhardt Research Services team includes staffers who have worked on political campaigns in both the U.S. and Canada. Our services are based upon a practical blend of real-world political experience and nine years in competitor-oriented market research (competitive intelligence). We deliver results!

• Membership Databases – Is your database current with the functionality necessary for your phone bank crews to help win an election? What percentage of voters can you afford to lose (i.e., not reach) in the next election cycle? Our team has real-world election cycle experience working with campaign databases.  We'll update and/or increase the functionality of your database.

• Constituent Demographics – Keep current on the evolving demographics of local, regional, and national constituents. Track the demographics of political engagement. We were once a nation of Republican Northerners and pro-slavery Democrats - let's strategize about party demographics going into current campaigns and future election cycles. How could you be using your membership databases for more effective membership tracking (age, education, voting records, affiliations, etc)?  Do you require more analysis of regional voting patterns? Do you have the most effective news synthesis program(s) available to you? Contract with Burkhardt Research Services to increase your knowledge of election-related news and demographics.

• Cross-border Issues - How knowledgeable are you about cross-border issues (US/Canada)?  How are issues on the other side of the border going to impact you? Our staff have lived, worked, and conducted market research in both the U.S. and Canada - making us invaluably knowledeable and capable of dealing with (and articulating) cross-border topics. Come to us for reports, comparison studies, quantitative analysis, advice, and strategy development pertaining to issues in, around, and across the 49th parallel.

• The Expat vote - Did you know that between six and ten million Americans live abroad? Collectively, that's a higher level of eligible voters than there are in many states (the U.S. Census estimated going into 2010 that only 17 states would have populations of six million or more in 2010). What do you know about your voters who live abroad? How much do you know about voting rights legislation for Americans living abroad? Our Managing Director worked as a campaign staffer in President Obama’s presidential campaign (’08) – targeting GOTV activities for Americans living abroad. Come to us for demographic data on your abroad voters, strategy development on the Abroad vote, and tactical strategies for reaching and working with voters abroad.

• Investigative Research – Burkhardt Research Services is here to provide your researcher-in-residence investigative journalism on topics relevant to your office or campaign. Literature searches to provide background context, white paper studies or weekly summaries on specific topics, delving into emerging stories - when you need to know, we’re here to investigate.

Results delivered in formats appropriate to the project - electronic databases, print and/or pdf reports.
 

Level Four

PACKAGED STUDIES

Price: Purchase prices individually listed for each packaged study.

Our pre-packaged studies and white papers deliver the information you need when you need it. Packaged research and reports deliver knowledge on competitive intelligence, self-employment, professional advancement, politics, and corrections. Check out our reports here.

Level Five

OMNIBUS STUDIES

Price: Typically $1,000 - $2,000 per question for community phone surveys of 1,000 or more representative respondents. Cross-tabulation costs may be charged.
What do you, as a politician, political group, or non-profit agency need to know about your constituents or the community at large? What are public perceptions on “hot button” subjects? How are community perceptions evolving across election cycles? How do viewpoints vary between demographic groups and/or communities?

Our omnibus studies make survey input simultaneously affordable for multiple clients. We bring together a collection of individual questions from multiple clients – each sharing some form of commonality such as questions targeted at specific sectors of a particular community or industry – to make studies more affordable for everyone.

Includes print copies, a CD or DVD master copy of data results, select cross-tabulations, and – as requested – analysis of results.