In the Fall of 2004, with the generous support of The Atlantic Philanthropies, City Year launched an important study to assess and analyze the impact the organization has had on corps members in the fifteen years since its founding.

City Year alumni continue to give back even after they complete their "City Year".

Across the country, a movement began as alumni from the 80s, 90s and 00s networked and reconnected to participate in a study designed to reveal how City Year alumni serve their community, vote, and contribute to ensure a better future. Alumni answered the call in record numbers as 2,177 former corps members submitted completed surveys. In addition, more than 100 others participated in a separate, more in-depth analysis of alumni. Policy Studies Associates (PSA) – an independent research and evaluation firm based in Washington, DC – is City Year´s partner in the study.

Over the next six months the responses will be reviewed, analyzed and summarized, but even before the results are known, the survey is making news. The response rate of 45% sets a record high for a study of the citizen service movement. The overwhelming response to the survey was a result of incredibly hard work by City Year staff around the country. Leading response rates were achieved at City Year New Hampshire (80%), City Year Seattle (61%), and City Year Washington, DC and City Year Columbia (both at 50%). City Year Boston – the organization´s first site and the one with the most alumni, reached an impressive 737 alumni who completed the survey. These efforts contribute to City Year having the largest and most rigorous evaluation ever done on the impact of citizen service.

City Year alumni and corps work to build the Network.

The survey is designed to learn from alumni whether and how City Year influenced their education, career choices and levels of civic participation. Completing the survey and learning from the findings is an important endeavor. In addition, the progress toward a full census, and connecting with all City Year alumni is a powerful legacy of the survey.

The Alumni Study also served as a catalyst for many sites to reengage alumni in their work, including some who had been out of touch since the early days of City Year´s founding. Some impressive firsts include:

• City Year Detroit hosted its first ever alumni event with over 40 alumni in attendance who viewed a special video from their founding corps year;
• City Year Rhode Island used the momentum garnered during the Alumni Study to officially launch its alumni chapter, and has already hosted 4 events this year; and
• City Year San Antonio also hosted its first ever alumni event with over 40 alumni including a special guest, former Executive Director Maria Ferrier.

While a major milestone has already been reached with the completion of the survey process, the study results – to be released in fall 2005 – are eagerly awaited by all who are committed to strengthening the power of citizen service.