Local governments across the country are preparing for a pivotal year in 2026. Leaders are navigating budget pressures, housing needs, public safety demands, and rapidly shifting economic conditions. In moments like these, communities benefit when resident voices are organized, verified, and ready to participate in meaningful dialogue.
A strong resident engagement panel is one of the most effective ways to build that ongoing civic voice. Benchmark surveys like The National Community Survey (The NCS) help launch this foundation by using mailed invitations and open participation to form a scientifically valid, representative resident panel.
But what many communities do not realize is that December and January are the perfect time to grow that panel even further.
Here is why the winter months create a unique opportunity, and how your team can use Polco’s content posts and outreach tools to build momentum going into the new year.
Polco’s benchmark surveys, including The NCS, use a probability-based random sample distributed through mailed invitations. These mailed surveys, paired with the open participation version, create a resident panel rooted in verified local households.
These residents are already:
This forms the backbone of a scientifically grounded engagement ecosystem. From there, governments can grow the panel into a long-term civic asset.
People think about their finances, neighborhoods, and priorities more often during the holidays and early new year. This is the perfect time to publish content posts that highlight:
The Polco Resident Feed displays this information in a clean, mobile-friendly stream that encourages quick participation.
When residents feel informed, they are more likely to subscribe and stay engaged.
Cities and counties often restart newsletters, social campaigns, council priorities, and community updates in early January. This provides a natural moment to include:
Polco’s Engage tools allow these posts to be shared across surveys, polls, and news-style content, creating a unified outreach strategy.
Cold weather, school breaks, and holiday downtime mean more residents are online. Data from community engagement programs consistently shows higher digital participation during December and January.
Publishing new posts, short polls, or survey follow-up updates during this season helps convert casual visitors into active panel members.
Most communities complete The NCS in the fall. That means results arrive near the end of the year, creating an ideal opportunity to:
Sharing results quickly after the survey reinforces trust and boosts willingness to join the panel. This best practice is documented in Polco’s post-survey action guidance.
Polco provides a structured, continuous engagement environment where governments can publish:
Because content automatically appears in the Resident Feed, residents regularly encounter new opportunities to engage and join the panel.
A strong resident panel sets the stage for:
Polco’s mission is to help communities make informed, resident-centered decisions. Growing your panel this winter creates the civic foundation needed for a smarter, more collaborative 2026.