6/14/2019

1

CAPLAW National Training Conference

June 19, 2019

Becoming Bolder Advocates

Jerralynn Ness, CCAPBoard PresidentCAPLAW Board

Denise Harlow, CCAP, NCRTChief Executive Officer

Community Action Partnership

Bryan Duncan, CCAP, NCRTExecutive Director; Board PresidentI‐CARE, Inc.; Community Action 

Partnership Board

Eleanor Evans, Esq.Executive Director; General Counsel

CAPLAW; Action for Boston Community Development, Inc.

Key Questions about Advocacy

• What does advocacy look like?

• How do we create a sense of passion and urgency around advocacy since it is truly the first directive of Community Action’s work?

• How do we overcome the fear advocacy?

• What’s in your advocacy toolkit?– What are the actionable items you have on hand to deploy at any minute to advocate at the state or national level?

6/14/2019

2

What is “Advocacy”?  

• Persuading others, including general public and policymakers of your position on wide variety of issues

• Influencing a decision

• Encouraging action to be taken

• Taking action to support or oppose legislation

• Commenting on proposed regulations

What is “Education”?

• Providing information about:

– CAA and other anti‐poverty programs

– Client demographics

– Client deeds

– Poverty issues

• To members of the public

• To legislators

6/14/2019

3

Why Advocate?

“The opposite of poverty isn’t wealth.  The opposite of poverty is justice”

Bryan Stevenson

6/14/2019

4

Poverty Today

• Income Disparities

• Wealth Disparities

• Racial Inequality

• Education Disparities

• Health Disparities

• Affordable Housing

• Aging of America

• Opioid Epidemic

Source: Equality of Opportunity Project

The Promise of Community ActionCommunity Action changes people’s lives, 

embodies the spirit of hope,                       improves communities, and                          

makes America a better place to live.  

We care about the entire community and            we are dedicated to helping people                   help themselves and each other.

6/14/2019

5

Community Action Network

1000+ Agencies  |  44 State Associations  | 50+ State CSBG Offices| National Partners

More than 15 million served

We work together to promote workable solutions that connect more families to opportunity 

Red, Blue, Purple States

Board and Staff on All Sides of

the Aisle

August 1964‐Signing of the Economic Opportunity Act

6/14/2019

6

Why Advocate?

Title II, Section 201 (a), of the Economic Opportunity Act The basic purpose of Community Action is:

"to stimulate a better focusing of all available local, state, private, and Federal resources upon the goal of enabling 

low‐income families, and low‐income individuals of all ages, in rural and urban areas, to attain the skills, knowledge, and motivations, and secure the opportunities needed for                 

them to become self‐sufficient."

Why Advocate?0E0 Instruction 6320‐1 

“The Act thus gives the CAA a primarily catalytic mission: to make the entire community more responsive to the needs and interests of 

the poor by mobilizing resources and bringing about greater institutional sensitivity. 

A CAA's effectiveness, therefore, is measured not only by the services which it directly provides, but more importantly by the 

improvements and changes it achieves in the community's attitudes and practices toward the poor, and in the allocation and focusing of 

public and private resources for antipoverty purposes.” (DR)

6/14/2019

7

Why Advocate?

The people served by Community Action Agencies need a voice in the public policy conversation

Tripartite board is the perfect combination

It can strengthen the agency

How Do We Advocate?

6/14/2019

8

Incorporate Advocacy inStrategic Planning

Consider including an advocacy goal 

Develop an action plan and budget to support

Tie to mission, vision, and values

Tie to community impact

Frame Your Approach

• What is the message?

• Who is your audience?

• Who best to relay the message?– Board member reaching out to an elected official? An Executive Director reaching out to a local funder?

• What tools are most effective? (studies etc.)

• What is your approach to advocating on a particular issue? (e.g., cooperative or adversarial)

6/14/2019

9

Local/State EngagementDevelop relationships at the state and local level

Come to the state Capitol

Attend local events – City Council, legislator meetings Host meetings with staff, families, board about legislative processHost meetings at agency with legislators & local leadersWrite an email, letter to the editor, make a call

Use social media

Communication and MessagingCommunication options  Ask the best way to communicate Face to Face – Still the best Social Media outlets:

o Twitter, Facebook, Website Email Snail mail – It still works, follow the rules Congress likes white space! Get to the point Videos, links  

6/14/2019

10

Communication and MessagingThe message is important Framing for member or other

policymakero Keep it localo Keep it real

Tell the real story of poverty, don’t reinforce stereotypeso Elderly, disabled, young childreno Working, earning wages

What does s/he like? Data, stories, both?o Data that tells the story of povertyo Keep it personal with real people

Engage at the Federal Level

6/14/2019

11

Federal Level Engagement

Develop Relationships at federal level Attend NCAF Spring Conference Host meetings with staff, families, board about 

legislative process Attend local meetings of Congress members Develop relationships with staff of your 

delegation Host meetings at agency with Congressional 

delegation and staff

Engaging Through State Associations

6/14/2019

12

Crafting and Carryingthe Message

6/14/2019

13

Community Action National Impact 

Report

6/14/2019

14

Maximizing Our Capacity to Serve

• If not us, who?

• If not for CSBG…

• This is our moment in time…

What You Can Do!• Advocate!  Educate! • Invite members of Congress/state legislators to your CAA

• Visit your members of Congress/state legislators– Bring volunteers, board members, customers– Bring data

• Letters to the Editor• Social Media• Speaker opportunities at community events• Ensure that your ED/CEO’s salary is at least 1% funded through discretionary sources (non‐governmental).

6/14/2019

15

Board Motion Supporting Community Action Core Advocacy Principles

• We support the following federal programs and empower our Executive Director to engage in advocacy on these issues:

– Community Services Block Grant

– Weatherization

– LiHEAP

– Head Start

CSBG Talking Points– Trust: During a time of great distrust of institutions, Community Action remains a trusted and valued community asset

– Local Control and Flexibility: Needs and available resources are different in Statesville North Carolina; Watertown, New York; Seattle, Washington; Fresno, California; and Seymour, Indiana

– Local Knowledge ‐ Local Needs ‐ Local Solutions: Every CAA conducts a community assessment of the needs in its service area and develops a strategies unique to its community

6/14/2019

16

CSBG Talking Points

– Partnerships: CAAs partner with numerous public and private sector organizations and individuals, so that local communities benefit from a broad but coordinated range of resources and initiatives

– Local Boards: CAAs are led by broadly representative boards

CSBG: Words/Phrases to Use

• Trust

• Accountability

• Local control

• Local board with array of private and public members and representatives from the low‐income community

• Community needs assessment

• Flexibility

• Partnerships

• Innovative responses to local concerns

• Results/outcomes

• People impacted

• Moving people out of poverty rather than running a collection of programs

• This is how my life changed because of … (outcomes vs. outputs)

6/14/2019

17

Becoming Bolder AdvocatesRole Play

6/14/2019

18

35

SUBMIT YOUR WORKSHOP EVALUATION

• Conference App (preferred)

• Select workshop session in Agenda

• Click Rate to evaluate

• Paper Evaluations (limited)• Raise hand for paper evaluation

• Return to monitor

Feedback not publicly shared

2019 CAPLAW National Training Conference

Becoming Bolder Advocates Role Play THE CONGRESSIONAL VISIT AND CSBG ASK

ROLES 1. Executive Director/CEO of RCAP, Rockies Community Action Agency (RCAP) 2. Board Member or RCAP, President of a local bank 3. Former Customer of RCAP, Originally came to RCAP for fuel assistance services and ended up

receiving a number of additional services – including job training, tax preparation that enabled him/her to obtain the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, placement of his/her three-year old in Head Start and participation in RCAP’s business incubator. As a result of these services, s/he was able to save money, attend barber/cosmetology school and open his/her own barbershop/beauty salon. (This is an example-you can change the story if it works better for you)

4. Congressional Member, Conservative Republican 5. Congressional Staffer, Chief of Staff SET-UP Location: Congressional member’s local office Intent of Visit: The RCAP representatives are there to: (1) familiarize the Congressional Member about RCAP and (2) ask for their support for CSBG funding at $750 million.

WORDS AND PHRASES TO USE

• Trust

• Accountability

• Local control

• Local board with array of private and public members and representatives from the low-income community

• Community needs assessment

• Flexibility

• Partnerships

• Innovative responses to local concerns

• Results/Outcomes

• People impacted

• Moving people out of poverty rather than running a collection of programs

• Community Services Block Grant

• $750 million

• This is how my life changed because of … (Outcomes vs. Outputs)

2019 CAPLAW National Training Conference

SCENARIO/SCRIPT (15 min.) [RCAP team walks into the office and the meeting begins] Congressional Member and Staffer: Welcomes the RCAP team.

RCAP Team: Introduce yourselves

RCAP Executive Director: Gives a folder of information about RCAP and its impact. Talks briefly about RCAP and CSBG.

Congressional Member: Asks Board Member why s/he sits on the board.

RCAP Board Member: Responds.

Congressional Member: Asks Customer how RCAP has made a difference in her/his life.

RCAP Customer: Responds.

RCAP Board Member: Asks Congressional Member to support CSBG funding at $750 million in the budget for Federal Fiscal Year 2019.

Congressional Member: Responds by saying that as a fiscal conservative, s/he is looking for areas to cut in the federal budget and is hesitant to come out in support of CSBG funding at current levels.

RCAP Customer: Explains how RCAP helped him/her become self-sufficient and how, without CSBG funding, s/he would still be unemployed and dependent on TANF, SNAP and other federal programs.

Congressional Member and Staffer: Asks 2-3 more questions.

RCAP Team: Answers questions and makes case for supporting CSBG. [Meeting is winding down – Chose Your Own Adventure!] RCAP Executive Director: Invites the Congressional Member to give out diplomas at RCAP’s workforce training graduation next month. [Adventure One] [Adventure Two] [Adventure Three] Congressional Member: Not answer invite.

Congressional Member: Says no.

Congressional Member: Says yes.

RCAP Executive Director: Asks for commitment to support CSBG at $750 million.

RCAP Executive Director: Express thanks for time and share that you will be in touch about other events you hope s/he will consider attending.

RCAP Executive Director: Express thanks for time and share that you will be in touch about the graduation ceremony.

RCAP Team: Thank Congressional Member and Staffer for taking the time to meet and express hope that s/he will support full funding for CSBG. Exit and Scene!