Effective Grassroots Effective Grassroots AdvocacyAdvocacy

Prepared for Family Voices of CaliforniaPrepared for Family Voices of California

Presented by Tony AndersonPresented by Tony AndersonThe Arc of CaliforniaThe Arc of CaliforniaPrepared from resources from The Arc of the United States and the Disability Policy Prepared from resources from The Arc of the United States and the Disability Policy Collaboration of The Arc & UCPCollaboration of The Arc & UCP

November 2009

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Communicating with Congress: Communicating with Congress: How Capitol Hill is Coping with How Capitol Hill is Coping with the Surge in Citizen Advocacythe Surge in Citizen Advocacy

By the Congressional Management By the Congressional Management FoundationFoundation

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What Works? Ask the Experts

Survey completed by 350 staff from more than 200 House and Senate Offices

http://www.cmfweb.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=63

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Postal mail and e-mail to Postal mail and e-mail to Capitol HillCapitol Hill

Approximately 10 million emails in 1995 to over 300 million in 2006

Take Home Message:

Congress gets LOTS of email

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Take home Take home Message:Message:

The internet is a The internet is a mixed bag.mixed bag.

+ Quantity + Quantity + Involvement+ Involvement+ Understanding+ Understanding+ Responsiveness+ Responsiveness- Quality- Quality

“Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree that e-mail and the Internet have…”

Effects of the Internet on Congress

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Influence of individual Influence of individual

communicationscommunications "If your Member/Senator has not already arrived at a firm decision on an issue, how much influence might the following Individualized written communications directed to the Washington office have on his/her decision?"

Take Home Message:

Most forms of individualized written communications work

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Take Home Take Home Message:Message:

Personal Personal Interactions Interactions are most are most effectiveeffective

Influences on Member Decision-making

"If your Member/Senator has not already arrived at a firm decision on an issue, how much influence might the following advocacy strategies directed to the Washington office have on his/her decision?"

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What Staff Want in What Staff Want in Constituent Constituent CommunicationsCommunications

Take Home Message:Take Home Message:

Most Important Most Important information:information:

1) Contact 1) Contact informationinformation

2) Specific legislation2) Specific legislation

3) Bill Number & Title3) Bill Number & Title

4) Impact on 4) Impact on communitycommunity

"How helpful is it for messages from constituents to include the following?”

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staff views on form staff views on form communicationscommunications

Take Home Take Home Message:Message:

Form letters Form letters are not are not effective. effective. Staff think Staff think they are they are often fake.often fake.

"Most identical form communications campaigns are sent without the constituent's knowledge or approval."

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Implications for citizens Implications for citizens and the grassroots and the grassroots communitycommunity Quality is more persuasive than Quality is more persuasive than

quantity.quantity. The organization behind a The organization behind a

grassroots campaign matters. grassroots campaign matters. Grassroots organizations should Grassroots organizations should

develop a better understanding of develop a better understanding of Congress. Congress.

There is a difference between There is a difference between being noticed and having an being noticed and having an impact. impact.

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2008 Survey Results on 2008 Survey Results on Communicating with Congress Communicating with Congress

N = 10,000 citizens N = 10,000 citizens Almost half of adult Americans contacted Almost half of adult Americans contacted

Congress in the last five yearsCongress in the last five years Majority do Majority do notnot believe Congress is interested in believe Congress is interested in

what they have to saywhat they have to say Most want Members to keep them informed of Most want Members to keep them informed of

their views and activitiestheir views and activities The Internet has become the primary method of The Internet has become the primary method of

communications communications A majority of people who contacted Congress had A majority of people who contacted Congress had

been asked to do so by a third party - primarily been asked to do so by a third party - primarily through interest groups through interest groups

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Principles, strategies, Principles, strategies, Resources & ToolsResources & Tools

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Committees – Where Members Committees – Where Members spend over 90% of their time in spend over 90% of their time in WashingtonWashington

Agriculture Appropriations *Armed Services Budget Education and Labor *Energy and Commerce *Financial Services Foreign Affairs Homeland Security House Administration Judiciary Natural Resources Oversight and Government Reform Rules Science and Technology Small Business Standards of Official Conduct Transportation and Infrastructure *Committee on Veterans' Affairs Committee on Ways and Means *Joint Economic Committee Joint Committee on Taxation Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence   Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Appropriations *Armed Services Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs *Budget Commerce, Science, and Transportation Energy and Natural Resources Environment and Public Works Finance *Foreign Relations Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions * Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Judiciary Rules and Administration Small Business and Entrepreneurship Veterans' Affairs Indian Affairs Select Committee on Ethics Select Committee on Intelligence Special Committee on Aging Joint Committee on Printing Joint Committee on Taxation Joint Committee on the Library Joint Economic Committee

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What committees do we focus on in What committees do we focus on in CaliforniaCalifornia

Senate • Appropriations• Budget • SubBudget

: Education • SubBudget

: Human Services  

• Education • Health

Human Services • Judiciary • Transportation• Housing • Public Safety

Assembly• Appropriations• Budget• SubBudget: Education • SubBudget

: Human Services • Education• Health• Human Services• Judiciary• Transportation• Housing• Public Safety

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Time Your Efforts

Federal State

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Congressional Congressional CaucusesCaucuses Informal groups Informal groups Shared interests in specific issues or Shared interests in specific issues or

philosophies (e.g., countries, products, philosophies (e.g., countries, products, beliefs) beliefs)

House disability related caucuses include:House disability related caucuses include:– Bipartisan Disabilities CaucusBipartisan Disabilities Caucus– Coalition on Autism Research and EducationCoalition on Autism Research and Education– Bipartisan Cerebral Palsy CaucusBipartisan Cerebral Palsy Caucus– Congressional Caucus on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Congressional Caucus on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum

DisordersDisorders– House Long-Term Care Caucus House Long-Term Care Caucus – Congressional Down Syndrome CaucusCongressional Down Syndrome Caucus

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State Select State Select CommitteesCommitteesSenateSenate Autism (ASD) & Autism (ASD) &

Related Disorders Related Disorders Disaster and Disaster and

Emergency Response Emergency Response

AssemblyAssembly Select Committee on Select Committee on

Alcohol and Drug Alcohol and Drug Abuse Abuse

Select Committee on Select Committee on Disabilities Disabilities

Select Committee on Select Committee on Workforce Workforce Development within Development within the Developmentally the Developmentally Disabled Community Disabled Community

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Recruit your Recruit your MessengersMessengers

Pecking OrderPecking Order

Self-Advocates & Parents/SiblingsSelf-Advocates & Parents/Siblings

AdvocatesAdvocates

ProvidersProviders

Paid LobbyistsPaid Lobbyists

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Don’t Work AloneDon’t Work Alone

Join/Use CoalitionsJoin/Use Coalitions

Diverse Skills/ContactsDiverse Skills/Contacts

Power in NumbersPower in Numbers

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Coalitions Work!Coalitions Work!

http://www.c-c-d.org/

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The Coalition for the The Coalition for the Preservation of the Lanterman Preservation of the Lanterman Act “The Lanterman Act “The Lanterman Coalition”Coalition”

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Learn about your Members’ Learn about your Members’ Personal Connection to the Personal Connection to the IssueIssue

More likely to understand & care More likely to understand & care about the issues.about the issues. Most of our champions have a close Most of our champions have a close

personal connection (E.g. Kennedy, personal connection (E.g. Kennedy, Sensenbrenner, Harkin).Sensenbrenner, Harkin).

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Other opportunities to Other opportunities to ConnectConnect

Invite to programs/events Invite to programs/events

– Seek local media coverageSeek local media coverage

Participate in Campaigns *Participate in Campaigns *

VoteVote

* Learn about lobbying restrictions for 501(c)3 non profits at: http://www.clpi.org/Make_a_Difference_Resource_Guide.aspx

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Follow-upFollow-up

Thank youThank you

Confirm conversationConfirm conversation

Confirm commitmentsConfirm commitments

Ask to helpAsk to help

Follow through is the Chariot of Genius

Terry Lierman, Chief of Staff House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer

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It’s Year RoundIt’s Year Round

One visit a year isn’t enoughOne visit a year isn’t enough

Don’t always ask for somethingDon’t always ask for something

PublicityPublicity

Thank youThank youss /Awards /Awards

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Town Hall MeetingsTown Hall Meetings

Offer face to face interactions with Members & staff

Help to get your message to your fellow community members.

Photo ops

Sign up for alerts on your members’ web sites

Getting and Keeping Getting and Keeping Connections - Social Connections - Social Networking – Web 2.0 – etc.Networking – Web 2.0 – etc.

Example

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Advocacy ‘do’s and Advocacy ‘do’s and don’tsdon’ts

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Advocacy ‘do’s and Advocacy ‘do’s and don’tsdon’ts

DosDos1.1. Make an AppointmentMake an Appointment2.2. Be on timeBe on time3.3. Be positive and friendlyBe positive and friendly4.4. State Reason for VisitState Reason for Visit5.5. Personalized the issuesPersonalized the issues6.6. Provide reliable data and facts to Provide reliable data and facts to

support your positionsupport your position7.7. Provide Names of people who can be Provide Names of people who can be

resourcesresources8.8. Leave a written summary of your Leave a written summary of your

positionposition9.9. Have a picture taken with the official if Have a picture taken with the official if

possiblepossible10.10. Write a thank you letterWrite a thank you letter11.11. Arrange for the member to meet people Arrange for the member to meet people

with disabilities/ families later in the with disabilities/ families later in the yearyear

12.12. Have others write lettersHave others write letters

Don’tsDon’ts1.1. Arrive unexpectedly and be upset if Arrive unexpectedly and be upset if

your member can’t meet with youyour member can’t meet with you

2.2. Be late for the visitBe late for the visit

3.3. Be ConfrontationalBe Confrontational

4.4. Try to discuss several different issuesTry to discuss several different issues

5.5. Talk only in terms of numbers and Talk only in terms of numbers and statisticsstatistics

6.6. Give incorrect informationGive incorrect information

7.7. Try to answer questions you don’t knowTry to answer questions you don’t know

8.8. Leave long issue papers or lobbying Leave long issue papers or lobbying documentsdocuments

9.9. Make a funny face or obscene gesture Make a funny face or obscene gesture while your picture is being taken with while your picture is being taken with your memberyour member

10.10. Forget to write a thank you letterForget to write a thank you letter

11.11. Ignore the member the rest of the yearIgnore the member the rest of the year

12.12. Ignore the member the rest of the yearIgnore the member the rest of the year

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A Few More Tips for Change A Few More Tips for Change Agents in Influencing Public Agents in Influencing Public PolicyPolicy

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Understand the Needs of Understand the Needs of Policymakers and the Policymakers and the Importance of Long Term Importance of Long Term RelationshipsRelationships

Self-InterestSelf-Interest Time (Balancing Priorities)Time (Balancing Priorities) TrustTrust Know the viable Policy options.Know the viable Policy options.

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Understand the Needs Understand the Needs of Political Staffof Political Staff Promote and protect the boss.Promote and protect the boss. Help with sorting through information Help with sorting through information

to get to what’s most important.to get to what’s most important. Be a resource for fiscal and program Be a resource for fiscal and program

estimates.estimates. Help identify Key playersHelp identify Key players Help in developing true policy Help in developing true policy

options, drafting bills, etc.options, drafting bills, etc. Help in developing political strategyHelp in developing political strategy

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Understand the Need for and the Understand the Need for and the Role of An Organized Coalition in Role of An Organized Coalition in Exercising Power Over the Exercising Power Over the PolicymakerPolicymaker

Need for coalitionNeed for coalition Composition of coalition membersComposition of coalition members CohesionCohesion SynergySynergy Skilled individualsSkilled individuals LeadershipLeadership ResponsibilityResponsibility

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Understand the Power Understand the Power of Personal Storiesof Personal Stories Telling personal stories in isolation Telling personal stories in isolation

doesn’t workdoesn’t work Determine the policy objective, Determine the policy objective,

then frame the issue, then then frame the issue, then Tie in the personal stories.Tie in the personal stories. Demonstrate positive impact and Demonstrate positive impact and

give a before and after give a before and after intervention storyintervention story

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Wrap upWrap up

Get involvedGet involved

It’s your jobIt’s your job

You are the expertYou are the expert

Much is at stakeMuch is at stake

It can be frustratingIt can be frustrating

Don’t ever give upDon’t ever give up

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Questions?Tony Anderson, The Arc of California

(916) 552-6619www.arccalifornia.org

tanderson@arccalifornia.org