“State of the Art” Advocacy Training

1. “State of the Art” Advocacy Training An Advocacy Webinar from MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger Have no fear! We’ll explain muting, Q&A and other details when we start.

2. Topics • About the Webinar • Welcome from MAZON • Factors that Influence Legislators at ALL Levels • Four Keys for Effective Advocacy (including the November elections) • The One Thing That Always Works • Your Action Steps

3. About the Webinar • Muting • Questions • Toolbar • Follow-up Materials • Recording

4. Who’s Speaking?

5. Welcome from MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger

6. Where are We Starting From? Let’s go to the polls!

7. What is “Advocacy”? When in doubt, turn to Wikipedia “Advocacy is the pursuit of influencing outcomes — including public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions — that directly affect people’s current lives. (Cohen, 2001)”

8. Advocacy at ALL Levels Key: The Process for Advocacy is the Same!

9. But Wait! I’m Not Allowed to Do Advocacy… Yes, you can More information at: www.clpi.org

10. Factors of Influence

11. Potential Factors: Personal Relationships Friends Staff Family Jobs / Development Issues in Their Districts The Media Money??? The Message Their Own Principles and Passions MOST IMPORTANT Their Constituents Representative Democracy reflects and amplifies the POWER of the Grassroots

12. But don’t just take my word for it!

13. Four Keys to Getting Legislators to “Listen Up!” What do you want? Who should you ask? How should you ask? Election Activities

14. What Do You Want? You must “Make the Ask” Two kinds of asks Policy Relationship Building

15. Federal Policy Asks (Examples) Child Nutrition Reauthorization Tell Congress: Stop Raiding Food Stamp Benefits! Assistance with an Administrative Agency See the Food Research and Action Center site for more information Key is to ask for something specific

16. State Policy Asks (Examples) Funding for low-income programs Assistance with a state administrative agency State-level efforts to promote access to fresh foods Contact MAZON for information about who is working on hunger issues in your state Other issues?

17. Relationship Building Asks Site Visit (with State or Federal legislators) Statement in Congressional Record (Federal focused) Newsletter Article Website statement / photos Food Stamp Challenge

18. Does this work?

19. Who Should You Ask: Know About Your Audience Who do they care about? Why are you relevant? What does the elected official care about? Does he or she have staff? Who are they? Resources Who represents you? (Congress.org offers information on Federal AND State legislators) What issues are they interested in? Federal State

20. How Should You Ask? Follow the SPIT Rule

21. How Should You Ask? Developing your Message Be Specific Be Personal (and Positive!) Your personal story matters! How does your work benefit the legislator’s constituents? What anecdotes can you develop to demonstrate the value you bring to the community?

22. How Should You Ask? Developing your Message Be Informative Be Trustworthy … Oh, and be brief: The Five Minute / One Screen Rule (it doesn’t go with the acronym, but it’s still important)

23. Message Delivery Strategies:  How to Structure a Group Lobby Visit • Constituent focus • Coordination • Who will speak • Who will facilitate • Who has the best story associated with your policy issues? • Make the Ask

24. Three Things You Can Do in an Election Year

25. Make Sure You Know the Rules • Main rule: Non-partisan, voter registration oriented activities are OK. “Electioneering” (i.e., picking a preferred candidate) is not. • See the CLPI site’s FAQ on elections

26. Learn About the Candidates and Issues • Ballot Initiatives Strategy Center: www.ballot.org • Congress.org: www.congress.org • Open Secrets: www.opensecrets.org • Vote Smart: www.vote-smart.org • League of Women Voters: www.lwv.org • Independent Sector: www.independentsector.org/election_resources

27. Voter Drives / GOTV • Why: Getting like-minded people out to vote will only help your cause. • Your role – Provide resources: • Flyers • Business cards • Online and voice mail greetings • The role of your volunteers, visitors, and supporters: Distribute far and wide • The message? Register and Vote!

28. Persistence Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and Determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “Press On”, has solved and will always solve the problems of the human race. Calvin Coolidge The One Little Thing That Makes ALL the Difference

29. Persistence can grind an iron beam down into a needle.

30. How can YOU be more persistent? Participate in calls to action made by colleagues like FRAC, Feeding America and state and local advocacy groups Set up a local site visit or district meeting Ask elected officials to submit statements (Global Child Nutrition Month; Recent Awards, etc.) Connect with legislators in DC (the PB&J summit is a perfect example!)

31. Advocacy Partners • Center on Budget and Policy Priorities • http://www.cbpp.org •  (202) 408-1080 • Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). • http://frac.org • (202) 986-2200 • Coalition for Human Needs • http://www.chn.org/ • (202) 223-2532 • Feeding America • http://feedingamerica.org • (312) 263-2303

32. Wrap Up and Q&A