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Question:
I am a volunteer leader in a large HOA. I would like to conduct a member survey to steer future investment in amenities. I am having a hard time finding a consultant to help create and implement this survey. Where might I look to find such help? (I live in Delaware)
Answer:

 
          Thank you for writing to us with your important question. We certainly respect the work you are doing as a volunteer leader,  and appreciate your desire  to conduct a member survey.
           In our experience, many ingredients go into a good survey. In particular, we think it will help you to work together with a small group of others in your HOA so that your questions will ask what you really want to know.  It also will help if your survey is clear and specific, not overly long, and has a friendly tone, for all these qualities will both increase return percentage and help get members more involved in what you are doing.  If you can pilot-test the survey on a small group before making it available to all members, so much the better.
        Beyond that, you can find some further information on surveys in Chapter 3, section 13 of the Community Tool Box, on Conducting Surveys. See https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment/assessing-community-needs-and-resources/conduct-surveys/mainnks.  Other sections in Chapter 3 may be useful to you as well.
         As for a consultant, while we have no specific suggestions, in your place we might look to local universities or colleges, in particular to their psychology or sociology departments, to see if someone there might help you. Or perhaps there are other HOAs, or a national group of HOAs, who have done something similar and whose survey you could borrow from or adapt. Why reinvent the wheel?   
          Thanks again for writing. We hope this may be helpful to you, and that your survey turns out to be a productive one for all concerned.  

Question Date: Thu, 12/30/2021