How do I tailor recruitment strategies to eligible families?
Narrative
In early 2020, Ashtabula County Community Action Agency (ACCAA) was working hard on recruiting families for the 2020-2021 program year. During this time, ACCAA identified an opportunity to use Census estimate data and the United States Postal Service (USPS) mailing routes to target their marketing efforts to eligible populations. The agency found that the map feature on the USPS website has filters based on Census data, which allows ACCAA to identify mail delivery routes that serve high populations of likely-eligible families and send recruitment materials along those routes specifically.
Action
The two filters that the agency used to advertise more efficiently were for income-eligible families with children ages 0 to 5. Before choosing the routes, the agency used Census Reporter, an independent website that creates place profiles and comparison pages to navigate Census data, including through visualizations like the one below:
This information allowed the agency’s data team to tailor its recruiting efforts to reach underserved and underrepresented populations in their program based on the income level, race, and ethnic makeup of Ashtabula County’s population.
Using the established USPS routes, the agency targeted public housing complexes, as well as other low-income areas that maximized the number of eligible families, and bundled recruitment mailers to be delivered on chosen routes through the website. Distributing mailers is one piece of ACCAA’s marketing efforts, which include putting advertisements in every school district’s publications, renting billboards displaying Head Start services for three months at a time, as well as additional outreach to families.
Results
The mailers have been correlated with an increase in program applications. In the months leading up to the mailing, ACCAA received only two online applications. After the mailing, which directed families to the online application, ACCAA received 53 online applications in six months. Out of all recruitment activities, the biggest spike was seen after the mailers.
Additional details
Audience: Leadership, management
Level of Analysis: Center, Grantee
Difficulty: Basic
Content Area: ERSEA, Family and Community Engagement
Data Sources: Census, USPS
Technical Appendix
Download step-by-step directions on how to navigate USPS’s website here.