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Using the Consumer Advocacy* Outreach Database

What is the Consumer Advocacy Outreach Database?

The Consumer Advocacy Database is a collection of names and email addresses of consumers who have demonstrated support (signed a petition, sent a letter, or signed up to receive updates on homeownership-related public policy issues at the state, local and national levels) in NAR-sponsored or supported issue advocacy or consumer outreach campaigns with state and local REALTOR^® Associations.

Who can use the Consumer Advocacy Outreach database?

NAR makes the data available to state or local REALTOR^® Associations for use in state and local consumer advocacy campaigns or communications.

How is the Consumer Advocacy Outreach database used?

NAR uses the database to send monthly emails to the entire Consumer Advocacy Outreach database to educate and engage them on current national and state-level home ownership issues. Consumers may also be asked to respond to consumer calls for action and to share the messages with their friends.

Associations use the database to contact consumers regarding public policy issues of interest, educating them on a legislative or regulatory issue and/or to urge a supportive action, like writing a letter, sending an email message to an official, signing a petition on line or sharing the message with another party.

What levels of government can the data target for action?

The data can target any level of local or state government, as long as there is an email address for purposes of sending a message. Thus, governors, mayors and city council, county council and state representatives among other elected officials may be targeted.

Are there any limitations to use the data?

For candidate campaigns.
For commercial purposes, or for general communications of the association (announcements, meetings, special events, etc.)
To sell a service or product directly to the public as a non-dues income source.
Shared with any other organization, affiliate or non-affiliated party with the association.
Shared with members.

How does a state or local association request the data?

Associations must submit a signed Association Agreement for Use of Consumer Advocacy Data at least 10 working days before the association plans to use the data on a state or local issues, legislative or regulatory campaign.

Upon receipt of the signed agreement, Erin Murphy will contact the association to discuss use and specific period of usage of the data, restriction(s) of data use, reporting requirements required by state law and other considerations that must be addressed.

Is there a cost to use the data?

Associations are charged for the messaging component of the data use, which is the actual sending of emails to a list of consumers.

Currently the cost is $5 per 1,000 names. As an example, if your association where using a list of 100,000 names for the campaign, the association would be charged $500 in total for each batch of 100,000 sent (100,000/1,000 x $5). To carry the example out one-step further, if the state or local campaign needed two messages sent over a two-month period, the cost to the association would then total $1000 ($500 x 2). TargetSmart, our vendor in their program, invoices the association directly.

How are names and emails captured in the database?

NAR securely stores the names and emails captured by or provided to the campaign. NAR maintains the data to insure accuracy for future use in advocacy related issues or legislative campaigns, not candidate campaigns.

Are there geographic limitations to the data?

Data requests for a state campaign or communication will be for all names of residents of the said in the database. For jurisdictions within a state, data will be limited to those names in the REALTOR^® Association’s geographic area of service.

If you have further questions about the Consumer Advocacy Outreach database, please contact Erin Murphy.

* For our purposes, advocacy consists of communications directed to specifically selected recipients intended and designed to convey a particular message and persuade them to support or oppose a legislative or other proposal under consideration.