BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Researchers from the Observing Civic Engagement project at the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs have been awarded a grant worth more than $900,000 from AmeriCorps to continue their studies.
Led by Associate Professors Brad Fulton and Matthew Baggetta, as well as Project Manager Julie Beasley, the Observing Civic Engagement project seeks to uncover how people interact within civil society organizations and how those interactions can strengthen organizations, promote civic engagement, and improve quality of life in communities. The support from AmeriCorps will allow OCE to continue its work, which includes more than 30 student research assistants collecting observational data from 25 nonprofit organizations in Bloomington.
“This project has been a great opportunity to involve students in high-impact learning experiences, connect with the broader Bloomington community, and publish award-winning research,” said Fulton, who is the project co-director along with Baggetta.
The OCE-Bloomington study was launched in 2020 with a grant from the IU Office of the Vice President for Research. In 2022, AmeriCorps provided additional support for the effort, and that support has continued, with more than $1.35 million committed to the research. The OCE team has published articles identifying best practices for civil society organizations seeking to increase engagement during in-person meetings, events, and activities.
The team has also presented unexpected findings from their early waves of data collection in Bloomington. They note that many of the civil society organization meetings and events they have observed have been very small—most often, there were just 2-to-10 people attending.
“But the other end of the distribution surprised us as well,” Baggetta said. “We’ve observed quite a few events with more than 100 people participating as well.”
Added Fulton, “These kinds of findings demonstrate how important it is to collect really detailed data on what actually goes on in civil society organizations.”
The project also provides real-world experience for students to build research skills while using an innovative adaptation of the data collection technique known as systematic social observation (SSO).
“Our research team has been developing this technique for almost 15 years,” Baggetta said. “It’s very exciting to see all that investment paying off now in this project.”
The research examines how being involved with civil society organizations can impact individuals, communities, and society as a whole.
AmeriCorps is an independent agency inside the federal government that creates a network of local, state, and national service programs to meet community needs in education, the environment, public safety, health, and homeland security.