Issue 120: Tell Us About It

From the president, tell us about it

As president of Resources for the Future, I spend a lot of time talking to people about RFF. These people have a stake in our research: they come from federal departments and state agencies; they work on Capitol Hill or for law firms or corporations or environmental groups. They want to know what research is in progress and what our people are thinking; their jobs require them to make decisions and to make good decisions they need good information. Along with many others who care deeply about the environment and natural resources, they value RFF's realistic and dispassionate analysis. These people—and you too, we assume, since you receive Resources—want to hear from us. And we want to hear from you.

Keeping RFF's constituencies informed about our work is a constant challenge. Even those of you who are familiar with RFF's work in one area—transportation and urban air quality, for example—may be surprised to learn we bring the same depth to a very different subject—the restructuring of the electric utility industry, say. We constantly discuss and review our research programs to make sure that our work is both necessary and meaningful. We are just as determined that our outreach efforts be timely and useful to you.

Last winter, RFF undertook a systematic review of our communication and outreach activities. We wanted to assess the way we deliver information about our research, as well as about RFF itself as an institution worthy of your interest and support. The first phase of this review has helped us to understand better who looks to us for information and what kinds of information you need.

We are pleased to hear how much you respect RFF for its rigor and objectivity. But we are hearing that you want more from us. More research reports replete with methodology and technical detail. More nontechnical summaries of research that can be quickly assimilated. More access to RFF's storehouse of current and completed research. More about what our experts think on issues of the day.

Currently, we are evaluating our print and electronic publications, so we can respond to our stakeholders' needs. This is not easy or quick. You will see some changes in the current issue of Resources, such as the expanded table of contents on the cover. This issue also includes an index of Resources for the past several years.

More changes are in the works, so now is a good time for you, as a Resources reader and as someone who shares RFF's concern about natural and environmental resources, to tell us how we are doing and what we could be doing better. If you have comments to make about Resources, our Internet site, or our other publications, we want to hear from you. Write to us at: Resources, Resources for the Future, 1616 P Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036-1400, or send us e-mail at: tellus@rflorg.

Conducting research and analyzing policy is only part of RFF's mission; the other part is putting that research and analysis into the hands of people who want to use it. This issue of Resources is in your hands right now. Let us know how you use it.

— Robert W. Fri