SERVES: Community Organizations, Government Agencies, and University of Minnesota Faculty and Staff

PURPOSE: The Minnesota Center for Survey Research (MCSR) provides survey research services to University faculty and administration, state and local government agencies, and nonprofit organizations working on issues of public policy in Minnesota. MCSR also provides consultation in areas such as study and questionnaire design, survey administration, data file construction, and data analysis.

During the past two years, MCSR conducted 38 major survey projects and collected data from over 29,000 people and companies. In addition, MCSR provided partial support for another 35 surveys. The center served a total of 97 clients (40 from the University and 57 from outside the University). A selected list of past survey projects is available online.

Each year, MCSR conducts two omnibus telephone surveys—one of 800 households in the metropolitan area, and one of 800 households throughout the state. Omnibus surveys keep costs low by allowing government agencies and nonprofit organizations to each ask a few questions as part of a larger survey. In the past two years, 16 clients were served by the Minnesota state survey, and 10 by the metropolitan survey.

Although MCSR is self-supporting and charges for its survey research services, it provides a limited amount of free survey research consulting to individuals and organizations. During the last two years, MCSR provided 202 hours of unpaid consulting to 164 individuals and organizations (119 hours to government agencies and nonprofit organizations, and 83 hours to individuals inside the University of Minnesota). As an additional service, MCSR awards a free question on each of its omnibus surveys to the faculty member who submits the most important public policy question.

MCSR is located at 1313 Fifth Street SE, Suite 108, Minneapolis, MN 55414.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

contact MCSR director Rossana Armson by phone at 612-627-4282 or by e-mail.

view past MCSR survey projects