Records Management 101: RM makes FOIA Possible

FOIA is often described as a transparency tool — but FOIA is really a mirror.

It reflects the health of an agency, as well as the agency’s Records Management practices,

If records are

• Scattered across inboxes
• Buried in personal drives
• Unscheduled or over-retained
• Stored in systems no one understands

…FOIA cannot function.

Not well. Not consistently. Not lawfully.

Strong RM means

• Faster searches
• More accurate responses
• Fewer backlogs
• Better public transparency

Weak RM means FOIA becomes slower, riskier, and less reliable.

FOIA doesn’t begin with a request.

It begins with how records are created, stored, and managed.

Want the full breakdown?

Listen to Episode 4 of All About FOIA with Dr. Moya: Records Management 101: The Backbone of Government Information.

Related reading: More insights from Dr. Moya Hill | Explore the Unified Information Governance Model