How to build a useful nonprofit audience survey

Decide how each answer will be used

Suppose you are deciding how to promote a community program. You may need to understand which channels people use, what prevents participation, and what information helps them plan. You probably do not need a detailed demographic profile of every respondent.

Before writing the form, create a simple three-column note: decision, information needed, and action the answer could change. Remove questions that do not connect to an action. This also makes the analysis more manageable for a small team.

Use this short question set as a starting point

1. Have you attended [program] in the past [clearly defined period]?
2. If yes, how often did you attend during that period?
3. Where did you first hear about the program? Include “I do not remember” and an open option.
4. Which, if any, of these things made attending difficult? Use neutral options, allow multiple answers where appropriate, and include “None of these”.
5. What information would help you decide whether to attend next time?
6. What is one thing you would keep or change?

Route people past questions that do not apply. A person who has never attended cannot meaningfully rate an on-site experience. Adapt the wording to your actual program rather than copying the example unchanged.

Ask one thing at a time

“Was the event welcoming and convenient?” combines two different ideas. Someone might feel welcome but find the timing inconvenient. Split the question if both answers matter. Avoid wording that invites praise, such as “How much did you enjoy our excellent program?” Use balanced response options and make optional questions visibly optional.

Test the draft with a few people who did not write it. Ask them what they think each question means and where they hesitate. Revise confusing wording before you distribute the survey.

Be explicit about who can respond

A link shared with newsletter subscribers produces feedback from people connected to that channel. It does not represent every resident or every potential participant. Record where you distributed the survey, when it was open, and who was eligible. Consider whether another route, such as an accessible paper option or a community partner, would help include relevant voices.

Explain the purpose, how responses will be used, and whether identification is optional. Avoid collecting personal information just because your form platform offers a field for it. If follow-up contact is useful, make it a separate choice.

Plan the analysis before collecting responses

Compare groups that relate to the decision: first-time and repeat participants, for example. Keep the denominator beside every percentage. If some respondents skip a question, its total will differ from the overall response count. For multiple-choice questions that allow several selections, explain why percentages can add to more than 100%.

For a small or self-selected sample, counts and recurring themes may be more useful than a precise-looking percentage. Preserve comments that disagree with the majority. Do not present an association as proof of cause, or describe a convenience sample as representative of the whole community.

Finish with actions and limits

A useful summary states what you heard, whose views are missing, and what your team will do next. For each recommendation, name the evidence behind it, the person who could act on it, and a simple measure of progress. Keep uncertainty visible. If the survey cannot answer the decision, a few focused interviews may be the next useful step rather than another round of questions.