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Ten years ago, the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) created the Gold Mouse Awards to recognize the best websites on Capitol Hill. Learn how and why this competition was started, and hear from Rep. Mike Honda, the only six-time award winner in Congress.

In 1998, the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) embarked on a ground-breaking research project: to study best practices in congressional websites with the goal of providing Congress with guidance on how to use this emerging technology to improve constituents' communication with, and understanding of, the institution. Three years later the initiative was boosted by a two-year grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts to create the Congress Online Project, in association with The George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management.

"The Internet changed everything." This phrase is prevalent in our society, whether it refers to commerce, personal relationships, or even our democratic processes. The system and paradigm built over the years for citizens to interact with Members of Congress is not immune to this change.

Part of the expanded mission of CMF through the Partnership for a More Perfect Union is to build a better understanding of how Congress works in the public mind. That job gets a little harder when solid mainstream news organizations perpetuate misperceptions about how Congress works. The Washington Post recently published a column on congressional recesses, which engendered this Letter to the Editor from CMF's President and CEO, Bradford Fitch.

I'll admit it, I was a bit slow to "get" social media. Intellectually, I understood the viral and interconnected nature of the media. But I was schooled in mainstream media. When I started in radio we still spun records and spliced tape with a razor blade. I read the articles and heard the mantra: it's not simply the number of your followers that count on Twitter, but who is following you, and how much influence they have. This lesson hit home for me during a recent trip to San Francisco.

Normally the launching of a new website wouldn't warrant a lot of heralding – websites get launched every day. The Congressional Management Foundation's new website, CongressFoundation.org, is a bit different. More than a new online resource, CongressFoundation.org represents the expanding mission of CMF into some exciting new areas.

When used correctly, online communications can be remarkably effective in fostering increased citizen engagement with politics and policy. Through our own research, we have found that online town hall meetings have the potential to be a powerful tool for strengthening the relationship between Members and their constituents.

Our Gold Mouse evaluations commence today! Our evaluators are beginning the process of reviewing the websites of Congress in order to determine which are deserving of the Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Mouse Awards. This is a substantial undertaking which allows us to accurately track and analyze how Congress connects to citizens online. Just how big is it? To give you an idea, we present an estimate of the 112th Congress Gold Mouse Project by the numbers:

With one week until Gold Mouse evaluations commence, many congressional offices are wondering what they can do to improve their website quickly. Here are some ways to make it better fast!

Offices now have an extra 2 weeks to finish any last minute changes to their websites. Evaluations will begin June 15! To help you prepare, we have compiled an extensive FAQ.