Creative Commons - User contributions [en]

Grants/Enhancing Civic Engagement in Rural Minnesota

2010-06-30T21:20:48Z

Kristine Gloria: Created page with '{{Grant Application |Project Title=Enhancing Civic Engagement in Rural Minnesota |applicants=League of Rural Voters, Main Street Project, New America Foundation Media Policy In…'

{{Grant Application
|Project Title=Enhancing Civic Engagement in Rural Minnesota
|applicants=League of Rural Voters, Main Street Project, New America Foundation Media Policy Initiative
|contact person=Niel Ritchie, Steven Renderos, Tom Glaisyer
|coordinator=Niel Ritchie, Steven Renderos
|start date=2010/08/01
|end date=2011/01/01
|Affiliation=League of Rural Voters, Main Street Project, New America Foundation Media Policy Initiative
|Mainurl=http://www.leagueofruralvoters.org/, http://www.mainstreetproject.org/, http://mediapolicy.newamerica.net/home
|Affiliated=No
|description=While raw voter information is available online, it is unprocessed and is often overlooked by civic engagement groups as viable data to share with constituents. Additionally, while a handful of Minnesota C3 and C4 groups have converted the data to be more human readable, the information is then considered proprietary by each individual organization; segmenting the information and narrowing points of access for smaller non-partisan, non-profit organizations. We propose exploring the possibility of creating and applying CC-licenses to a comprehensive C3 database maintained by a partnership between the League of Rural Voters and the Main Street Project organizations. The goal will be achieved in two phases. The first phase, which will rely on potential awards received from the CC grant, will focus on research, coordination and planning of the project. The end product will include a formal recommendation on best practices for executing the development of this CC-licensed database. This also includes detailed findings on the rules of governing access to voter information, barriers to use and an assessment of capacity and interest in using voter files among groups. Phase two will focus on the implementation and maintenance of the recommendations.
|output=The final product of phase one will include a detailed report on the rules governing access to voter information specific to Minnesota, a look at barriers to access and use, an assessment of capacity and interest in using voter files among groups working with under-served communities. In addition, the research will include a review for the appropriate CC-license to be used. By conducting this research and providing a recommendation, we hope to encourage C3 & C4 organizations to rethink the rules of engagement with smaller non-partisan, non-profit organizations in their policy work, campaigns, as as organizing voter education and outreach.
|community=Some would argue that charitable 501(c)(3) organizations are the “sleeping giants” of the democratic process. These community organizations have credibility, trust, and access to potential voters who are often disengaged from the electoral process. As such, they can be the catalyst for a dramatic increase in voter participation through legal, permissible, nonpartisan voter engagement activities-- voter registration, voter education, and voter mobilization. In elections since 2000, Minnesota has led the country with the highest turnout of the voting eligible population. In 2004, Minnesota led the country in turnout, with 77% of eligible voters turning out compared to 60% in the nation as a whole. Yet, even as MN leads the nation in overall turnout, those most marginalized--communities of color, immigrants, the elderly and those that are low-income--continue to have a voter turnout that is lower than for the general population. The majority of voters tend to be higher income, older and more partisan.

In order to increase voter participation among marginalized constituents – whose needs are often the most urgent – Main Street Project would like to partner with NAF, LRV and CC to develop a database program to increase voter participation. As stated above, access to a more user friendly version of the data can become expensive and/or difficult to access due to copyright restrictions. Therefore, calling upon the resources of the League of Rural Voters, we propose to open up the information by creating a central repository for synthesized voter information.
|community relationship=At Main Street Project, we've learned that when community members focus on their strengths, they increase their capacity for problem solving. It's a long-term, movement building approach that supports change from the inside out. In the communities we work with, we build relationships and networks, work hand-in-hand with local organizations, support and train current and future leaders, and use culturally competent and linguistically accessible tools. Our goal is to create a culture of civic participation -- giving residents of all ages, cultures, economic and immigration status the opportunity to more fully participate in all aspects of community life. Over the past six years, we have developed significant, ongoing relationships with leaders in low income communities and communities of color in both rural and urban settings. Our recent Census outreach and education campaign trained dozens of outreach organizers and resulted in the distribution of some 35,000 copies of a multilingual "Guide to the 2010 Census" helping reassure immigrant communities that participation was important for the well-being of their communities and generating the second highest mail-in response in the country.

The League of Rural Voters has a 24 year history of working with rural communities to make the link between public policy and civic particiption. Our work with the national civic engagement coalitions has given us an understanding of the potential for increasing civic participation by allowing grassroots organizations to have access to voter file information and incorporating that into a targeted outreach plan. Our members are accustomed to receiving information and requests for taking action on issues and are often involved in non-partisan election activities.

NAF's Media Policy Initiative is a Knight Foundation-funded project examining the information needs in communities, which this project complements through the expansion of open government policies. Its staff and fellows possess significant knowledge of technology and intellectual property issues relevant to this project. Coordination of this project with similar projects in other states will enhance their scalability and broader impact.
|measurement=One measure of impact will be the extent to which under served communities are engaged in dialogue about overcoming barriers to civic participation. Contributors will gain a wider perspective on the challenges and opportunities in expanding the use of CC licenses in civic life and the opportunity for collaboration in participatory research.

For the larger community this project will have achieved impact if there is an increased volume of citizen engagement with state-level government initiatives. In addition, with the implementation of CC licenses, we can monitor usage rates and determine the type of information most used by the community. Lastly, this project - if successful - can be be used as a model for other state-level initiatives to engage with under-served communities.
|participants=The League of Rural Voter (LRV) participates in state and national coalitions with other C4 and C3 organizations as part of its effort to generate rural citizen interest in civic life. The League has community based leaders in dozens of rural Minnesota counties that regularly work with elections officials and carry out programs to increase turnout in elections. They also have experience working with voter files and third party vendors of information in organizing campaigns and understand the third party systems currently in place that both facilitate and limit access. Most importantly, the LRV has the capacity to facilitate the creation and implementation of the database in phase two.

MSP's media justice program director Steven Renderos has extensive experience with grassroots organizing and training in traditionally under-served communities. Our relationship-based approach links us to a significant statewide network that can help with project research and implementation. MSP will reach out to its 4-6 partner organizations that currently do not have access to and do not incorporate voter file information in their planning and work.

NAF's Media Policy Initiative will advise on questions related to open government policies and community engagement, as needed.
|impact=This project would explore the expansion of CC licensing of intellectual property produced by state government. Given that federal law entitles states to copyright protection, there is a need for clarity to affirm the right of the public to access, share and build upon public information produced by the states. By exploring the potential of CC licensing as applied to voter information, this project will advance the movement toward state-level open government through progressive intellectual property policy.
|tech needs=Technologies and tools needed to accomplish this project include (but are not limited to the following):
*Database management knowledge
*CC-license consultation
*Initial promotional initiatives to flag the availability of the information
*Research and monitoring of the project's progress
*The New America Foundation has extensive policy and technology expertise and will provide support as needed
|challenges=Access to voter information has been historically restricted in ways that vary from state to state. Recently, privacy concerns with some identifying drivers license information has caused the state to be even more restrictive on access to the data. This is a fundamental policy question that needs to be lifted up and examined in Minnesota and elsewhere. For underserved populations and their advocates, paying for access is a fundamental barrier: a democracy divide of sorts.

Convincing underserved communities and organizations with few assets that investing in the use of a voter file is one challenge. Working around third party vendors who add value and resell the data after adding on layers of complexity with census and economic data. We need to provide voter file training and support to participants.

Incumbent elected officials have the potential to help or hinder. Our experience has been that those already in office are less enthusiastic about expanding the
electorate than challengers. We need to explain the program to our partners and work to share information/data with other civic engagement coalitions.
|sustainability=Additional funding will for phase one will not be necessary beyond the initial reward as it is purely a discovery period of research. The development, implementation and maintenance outlined in phase II will require additional funding which will be determined at a later date.
|scalability=This project can be replicated by local advocacy groups in promoting civic engagement and open government initiatives on the local and state levels.
|resource needs= This project would require little support from Creative Commons, aside from some limited consultation.
|communication=The League of Rural Voters communicates 3400 Minnesota households (18,000 nationwide) via electronic newsletter. Likewise we use newsletters to communicate with the dozens of groups we partner with on an issue by issue basis. We also communicate with the public at large using earned media strategies; op-eds, letters to the editor and feature stories in non-metropolitan newspapers and on rural radio. We are new to Twitter but are slowly developing a presence there.

Main Street Project communicates monthly with over 3000 Minnesota supporters via newsletter, Facebook and Twitter.

The Media Policy Initiative (MPI) group of the New America Foundation consistently promotes community engagement by hosting & attending numerous events, webcasts and maintaining a strong social media presence. The New America Foundation and MPI are dedicated to exploring the most current and effective ideas to promote a healthy democratic environment.

|budget=CC MN.pdf
|legal=Yes
}}

File:CC MN.pdf

2010-06-30T21:20:27Z

Kristine Gloria: Line budget for Minnesota CC grant submission

Line budget for Minnesota CC grant submission

Grants/Creative Commons Licensing for the North Carolina General Assembly

2010-06-30T20:02:25Z

Kristine Gloria:

{{Grant Application
|Project Title=Creative Commons Licensing for the North Carolina General Assembly
|applicants=North Carolina Center for Voter Education, New America Foundation Media Policy Initiative
|contact person=Tom Glaiyser, Knight Media Policy Fellow, New America Foundation
|coordinator=Fiona Morgan, New America Foundation Research Associate
|start date=2010/08/01
|end date=2011/01/01
|Affiliation=North Carolina Center for Voter Education (NCCVE), New America Foundation (NAF)
|Mainurl=http://www.ncvotered.com/, http://mediapolicy.newamerica.net/home
|Affiliated=No
|description=This project would explore the potential benefits and challenges of Creative Commons licensing for information produced by the North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA). Inspired by the copyright policy the New York State Senate has adopted, participants would research existing policies and operating procedures relating to intellectual property rights and public information. The research would culminate in concrete policy recommendations to the NCGA. These recommendations would aim to clarify state policy in a way that advances public access to government information by affirmatively stating the rules of the road for would-be innovators or third-party collaborators interested in expanding public engagement with government.
|output=A detailed policy memo, including research and policy recommendations, on the potential uses of Creative Commons licensing for public information produced by the North Carolina General Assembly and published on its website, www.ncleg.net. This memo will be delivered to state legislators and other officials within state government. If appropriate, a representative of the participating organizations will give oral testimony to a legislative or executive body.
|community=The citizens of North Carolina would benefit through improved access to and engagement with public information. State government employees and officials will benefit through a clarification of state policy. In the long term, this project may benefit journalistic institutions through lowering the cost of reporting on state government. A 2009 survey by the American Journalism Review found that five of the state's eight major newspaper companies had reduced the number of reporters assigned to cover state government, and three had reduced their ranks to zero. CC licensing could spur open government innovation and improve digital access to government records, making it easier to cover the capitol from afar.
|community relationship=Damon Circosta, executive director of the North Carolina Center for Voter Education, is a respected voice in North Carolina government. He has strong relationships with legislators, legislative staff, other state government officials, a wide variety of nonprofit organizations committed to open government, and the state capitol press corp. The NCCVE has had proven success in lobbying for more open access to NCGA proceedings. Because of NCCVE's advocacy, the N.C. House in 2008 convened the House Select Committee on Televising House Sessions to study the feasibility of creating live broadcasts of floor sessions and other meetings in the House of Representatives and to review and assess current television access to state government and how it compares to other states and the federal government. Following that committee's findings, the N.C. House now webcasts and archives all floor sessions, and the N.C. Agency for Public Telecommunications is exploring ways to broaden public access to video footage of state government proceedings.

NAF's Media Policy Initiative is a Knight Foundation-funded project examining the information needs in communities, which this project complements through the expansion of open government policies. Its staff and fellows possess significant knowledge of technology and intellectual property issues relevant to this project. Coordination of this project with similar projects in other states will enhance their scalability and broader impact.

Fiona Morgan is a former reporter for the Independent Weekly who has produced award-winning coverage of the North Carolina legislature. Her writing about intellectual property issues has won an award from the North Carolina Bar Association in 2005. She has extensive contacts within government, media and nonprofit instituions in the state. She is currently a Master of Public Policy candidate at Duke University.
|measurement=This project will have achieved impact if the North Carolina General Assembly implements the recommended policies. A clarification of intellectual property policy may spur efforts to expand the video broadcast or webcast of NCGA proceedings, which would greatly benefit the people of North Carolina. This would be evidence if the N.C. Senate began broadcasting or webcasting its floor sessions, or if both chambers agreed to broadcast or webcast committee meetings.

Additional impact would be evident if other agencies within the State of North Carolina adopted similar policy recommendations.Further impact would be evident if additional state legislatures adopted policies modeled after those in North Carolina. In broader terms, the project's success will be reflected in increased public discussion of intellectual property policies toward public information and the role of such policies in fostering a more open state government, in North Carolina and across the country.
|participants=Fiona has had preliminary conversations with stakeholders in the NCGA, including the office of the Speaker of the House, a technologist, and the legislative librarian, as well as law professors at the University of North Carolina with particular knowledge of public records law in the state. She will further engage members and staff of the N.C. House and Senate; staff at the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, which oversees the state library and open records policies; and scholars at the UNC School of Government (SOG), who can speak to institutional challenges, and School of Information and Library Science (SILS), who can speak both to challenges and to potential uses of the information. She will conduct in-person, phone and email interviews and may invite participants to collaborate using Google Docs or a similar system.

Damon Circosta will be available for ongoing consultation as the project progresses. He will connect Fiona with his extensive contacts in Raleigh and offer his input about the feasibility of the project and its broader utility toward open government objectives.

Staff and fellows at MPI will share their expertise and offer administrative support, networking the research in North Carolina with similar research in Minnesota.
|impact=This project would explore the expansion of CC licensing of intellectual property produced by state government. Given that federal law entitles states to copyright protection, there is a need for clarity to affirm the right of the public to access, share and build upon public information produced by the states. The New York State Senate has demonstrated one model, yet specific institutional and legal conditions mean one state's experience does not perfectly translate to others. By exploring the potential of CC licensing within the North Carolina General Assembly, this project will advance the movement toward state-level open government through progressive intellectual property policy. Setting down the rules of the road for NCGA information may provide an incentive to third parties to innovate software or other tools that will allow citizens and members of the media to access and engage with government.
|tech needs=This is a research project that requires little in the way of technical tools or expertise.
|challenges=Preliminary conversations with legislative staff indicate there is concern among legislators that audio or video recordings of floor debate could be used in political advertising (e.g. statements made by legislators and taken out of context). That concern has stymied support for NCCVE's proposal to produce ongoing video coverage of legislative floor sessions, modeled after C-SPAN. Our research would examine ways that creative commons licensing could address this problem, such as the New York State Senate did in adopting the CC+ protocol, which allows for commercial and non-commercial use of video content so long as it is not for political fund raising purposes.

An additional concern may be the provision of taxpayer-produced material for private-third party commercial ventures, as some stakeholders may view this as a form of subsidy. Our research would examine ways to balance public access and entrepreneurial interests by considering the benefits and drawbacks of commercial and non-commercial licenses, the potential of entrepreneurial efforts to innovate public access to information, and precedents, such as the publication of state statutes by private firms such as Lexis-Nexis.
|sustainability=Additional funding will not be necessary. It will be up to government officials to decide whether to adopt our recommendations.
|scalability=If the NCGA adopts these policy recommendations, other agencies within the State of North Carolina may follow. County and state governments may also follow.

While other states may face different institutional and legal challenges, this project may spur adoption of CC licensing in other states by building a deeper understanding of how CC licensing can benefit state governments and their constituents. A complementary project MPI proposes for Minnesota would expand that comparative understanding and scalability.
|resource needs=This project would require little support from Creative Commons, aside from some potential consultation regarding the New York State Senate project and how it may be applicable.
|communication=NCCVE has a web site, mailing list and Twitter account that it uses to communicate with its members. NCCVE is dedicated to providing voters with direct access to information through research, broadcast and online access to public debate. The Media Policy Initiative (MPI) group of the New America Foundation consistently promotes community engagement by hosting & attending numerous events, webcasts and maintaining a strong social media presence. The New America Foundation and MPI are dedicated to exploring the most current and effective ideas to promote a healthy democratic environment.

|budget=CC NC.pdf
|legal=Yes
}}

Grants/Creative Commons Licensing for the North Carolina General Assembly

2010-06-30T20:02:04Z

Kristine Gloria:

Grants/Creative Commons Licensing for the North Carolina General Assembly

2010-06-30T18:19:38Z

Kristine Gloria: Created page with '{{Grant Application |Project Title=Creative Commons Licensing for the North Carolina General Assembly |applicants=North Carolina Center for Voter Education, New America Foundatio…'

{{Grant Application
|Project Title=Creative Commons Licensing for the North Carolina General Assembly
|applicants=North Carolina Center for Voter Education, New America Foundation Media Policy Initiative
|contact person=Tom Glaiyser, Knight Media Policy Fellow, New America Foundation
|coordinator=Fiona Morgan, New America Foundation Research Associate
|start date=2010/08/01
|end date=2011/01/01
|Affiliation=North Carolina Center for Voter Education (NCCVE), New America Foundation (NAF)
|Mainurl= http://www.ncvotered.com/, http://mediapolicy.newamerica.net/home
|Affiliated=No
|description=This project would explore the potential benefits and challenges of Creative Commons licensing for information produced by the North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA). Inspired by the copyright policy the New York State Senate has adopted, participants would research existing policies and operating procedures relating to intellectual property rights and public information. The research would culminate in concrete policy recommendations to the NCGA. These recommendations would aim to clarify state policy in a way that advances public access to government information by affirmatively stating the rules of the road for would-be innovators or third-party collaborators interested in expanding public engagement with government.
|output=A detailed policy memo, including research and policy recommendations, on the potential uses of Creative Commons licensing for public information produced by the North Carolina General Assembly and published on its website, www.ncleg.net. This memo will be delivered to state legislators and other officials within state government. If appropriate, a representative of the participating organizations will give oral testimony to a legislative or executive body.
|community=The citizens of North Carolina would benefit through improved access to and engagement with public information produced by state government. State government employees and officials will benefit through a clarification of state policy. In the long term, this project may benefit journalistic institutions through lowering the cost of reporting on state government. A 2009 survey by the American Journalism Review found that five of the state's eight major newspaper companies had reduced the number of reporters assigned to cover state government, and three had reduced their ranks to zero. CC licensing could spur open government innovation and improve digital access to government records, making it easier to cover state government from afar.
|community relationship=Damon Circosta, executive director of the North Carolina Center for Voter Education, is a respected voice in North Carolina government. He has strong relationships with legislators, legislative staff, other state government officials, a wide variety of nonprofit organizations committed to open government, and the state capitol press corp. The NCCVE has had proven success in lobbying for more open access to NCGA proceedings. Because of NCCVE's advocacy, the N.C. House in 2008 convened the House Select Committee on Televising House Sessions to study the feasibility of creating live broadcasts of floor sessions and other meetings in the House of Representatives and to review and assess current television access to state government and how it compares to other states and the federal government. Following that committee's findings, the N.C. House now webcasts and archives all floor sessions, and the N.C. Agency for Public Telecommunications continues to explore ways to broaden public access to video footage of state government proceedings.

NAF's Media Policy Initiative is a Knight Foundation-funded project examining the information needs in communities, which this project complements through the expansion of open government policies. Its staff and fellows possess significant knowledge of technology and intellectual property issues relevant to this project. Coordination of this project with similar projects in other states will enhance their scalability and broader impact.

Fiona Morgan is a former reporter for the Independent Weekly who has produced award-winning coverage of the North Carolina legislature. Her writing about intellectual property issues has won an award from the North Carolina Bar Association in 2005. She has extensive contacts within government, media and nonprofit instituions in the state. She is currently a Master of Public Policy candidate at Duke University.
|measurement=This project will have achieved impact if the North Carolina General Assembly implements the recommended policies. A clarification of intellectual property policy may spur efforts to expand the video broadcast or webcast of NCGA proceedings, which would greatly benefit the people of North Carolina. This would be evidence if the N.C. Senate began broadcasting or webcasting its floor sessions, or if both chambers agreed to broadcast or webcast committee meetings.

Additional impact would be evident if other agencies within the State of North Carolina adopted similar policy recommendations.Further impact would be evident if additional state legislatures adopted policies modeled after those in North Carolina. In broader terms, the project's success will be reflected in increased public discussion of intellectual property policies toward public information and the role of such policies in fostering a more open state government, in North Carolina and across the country.

|participants=Fiona has had preliminary conversations with stakeholders in the General Assembly, including the office of the Speaker of the House, a technologist, and the legislative librarian, as well as law professors at the University of North Carolina with particular knowledge of public records law in the state. She will further engage members and staff of the N.C. House and Senate; staff at the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, which oversees the state library and open records policies; and scholars at the UNC School of Government (SOG), who can speak to institutional challenges, and School of Information and Library Science (SILS), who can speak both to challenges and to potential uses of the information. She will conduct in-person, phone and email interviews and may invite participants to collaborate using Google Docs or a similar system.

Damon Circosta will be available for ongoing consultation as the project progresses. He will connect Fiona with his extensive contacts in Raleigh and offer his input about the feasibility of the project and its broader utility toward open government objectives.

Staff and fellows at MPI will share their expertise and offer administrative support, networking the research in North Carolina with similar research in Minnesota.
|impact=This project would explore the expansion of CC licensing of intellectual property produced by state government. Given that federal law entitles states to copyright protection, there is a need for clarity to affirm the right of the public to access, share and build upon public information produced by the states. The New York State Senate has demonstrated one model, yet specific institutional and legal conditions mean one state's experience does not perfectly translate to others. By exploring the potential of CC licensing within the North Carolina General Assembly, this project will advance the movement toward state-level open government through progressive intellectual property policy. Setting down the rules of the road for NCGA information may provide an incentive to third parties to innovate software or other tools that will allow citizens and members of the media to access and engage with government.
|tech needs=This is a research project that requires little in the way of technical tools or expertise.
|challenges=Preliminary conversations with legislative staff indicate there is concern among legislators that audio or video recordings of floor debate could be used in political advertising (e.g. statements made by legislators and taken out of context). That concern has stymied support for NCCVE's proposal to produce ongoing video coverage of legislative floor sessions, modeled after C-SPAN. Our research would examine ways that creative commons licensing could address this problem, such as the New York State Senate did in adopting the CC+ protocol, which allows for commercial and non-commercial use of video content so long as it is not for political fund raising purposes.

An additional concern may be the provision of taxpayer-produced material for private-third party commercial ventures, as some stakeholders may view this as a form of subsidy. Our research would examine ways to balance public access and entrepreneurial interests by considering the benefits and drawbacks of commercial and non-commercial licenses, the potential of entrepreneurial efforts to innovate public access to information, and precedents, such as the publication of state statutes by private firms such as Lexis-Nexis.
|sustainability=Additional funding will not be necessary. It will be up to government officials to decide whether to adopt our recommendations.

|scalability=If the NCGA adopts these policy recommendations, other agencies within the State of North Carolina may follow. County and state governments may also follow.

While other states may face different institutional and legal challenges, this project may spur adoption of CC licensing in other states by building a deeper understanding of how CC licensing can benefit state governments and their constituents. A complementary project MPI proposes for Minnesota would expand that comparative understanding and scalability.
|resource needs=This project would require little support from Creative Commons, aside from some limited consultation regarding the New York State Senate project and how it may be applicable.

|communication=NCCVE has a web site, mailing list and Twitter account that it uses to communicate with its members. NCCVE is dedicated to providing voters with direct access to information through research, broadcast and online access to public debate. The Media Policy Initiative (MPI) group of the New America Foundation consistently promotes community engagement by hosting & attending numerous events, webcasts and maintaining a strong social media presence. The New America Foundation and MPI are dedicated to exploring the most current and effective ideas to promote a healthy democratic environment.

|budget=CC NC.pdf
|legal=Yes
}}

File:CC NC.pdf

2010-06-30T18:18:05Z

Kristine Gloria: The following outlines projected costs for the N.C. General Assembly project.

The following outlines projected costs for the N.C. General Assembly project.