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The Frause research team’s first step was to conduct secondary research: an analysis of existing, related research the City of Olympia – and other cities – had implemented. Information gleaned from this analysis provided a framework for the development of a questionnaire that addressed issues such as existing fertilizer practices and how respondents felt about adopting new practices that would help protect groundwater quality. Four key fertilizer practices were targeted. Barriers to adoption of the new practices were tested to assess levels of potential resistance. To maximize limited resources, a single neighborhood in the Shana Park area was selected to participate in the research. The survey was set up to be conducted online, and the homeowners association for the selected neighborhood agreed to distribute the questionnaire to residents. Printed copies of the questionnaire were made available to residents without email access.

Almost 26 percent of the residents in the selected neighborhood participated in the online survey, a very respectable completion rate. The City of Olympia learned that barriers to one of the desired fertilizer practices were very weak, and also discovered a strong belief by respondents that another of the desired practices would damage lawns. Other findings included a significant interest by respondents in several tools the city could provide to encourage adoption of desired practices. Information secured through the research was used to prepare a community-based social marketing plan designed to help protect groundwater quality.