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GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY

GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY. Our Washington Experience. Karen Reddick, National Credit Management Nancy Taylor, University of Kentucky. WHAT IS GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY?. When everyday citizens contact their own legislators to try to influence legislation and policy.

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GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY

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  1. GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY Our Washington Experience Karen Reddick, National Credit Management Nancy Taylor, University of Kentucky KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  2. WHAT IS GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY? • When everyday citizens contact their • own legislators to try to influence legislation and policy. • Groups ask their members to call and write their legislators about a piece of legislation. • Anyone – the common or ordinary people - can pick up the phone and ask their senator or congressman to support or oppose a pending bill. KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  3. COHEAO GRASS ROOTS EFFORT 2005 KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  4. UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY March 16, 2005 Mailed 3,892 letters to currently enrolled Perkins borrowers asking them to contact their legislators to save the Perkins Loan program. Employees of Enrollment Management wrote, faxed, and emailed senators and representatives. KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  5. July 2009 KASRO Sent a letter to every Kentucky representative and both senators advocating to keep the Perkins Loan program in its current campus-based format and for federal appropriations. First advocacy effort by KASRO Initiated by President Carol Babb KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  6. Why should I contact my legislators? • Let your legislators know where you stand! • The number of letters or calls on each side of an issue is an important indication of where people stand and frequently influence how a legislator will vote on a bill. • Grassroots lobbying is effective because the legislators are hearing directly from their constituents, who will be voting the next time they are up for re-election. KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  7. How do I contact legislators? • Best methods: • Fax • Email • Phone call • Form Letters • Personal Letters • Personal Visits KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  8. How do I find contact information? • U.S. SENATE • www.senate.gov • U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES • www.house.gov KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  9. How do I contact my state legislator? • KENTUCKY LEGISLATURE • www.lrc.ky.gov • INDIANA LEGISLATURE • www.in.gov/legislative • OHIO LEGISLATURE • www.legislature.state.oh.us • TENNESSEE LEGISLATURE • www.capitol.tn.gov KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  10. What do I say to legislators? • State your position clearly and politely. • If you are writing about a particular piece of legislation, try to provide the bill number. • End by asking them where they stand on the issue. • Provide your contact information, including your street address, so they can respond to you and will know that you are a constituent. KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  11. Form letters Fast Action • when time is of the essence. • Work is done for you. • Contains essential data. • Message is consistent. • BUT… Add your own information to: • Make it relevant to your institution • Demonstrate commitment • Show you are well informed KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  12. PHONE CALL • Gets attention • Effective way to be counted • Must be done in a timely manner • Must be brief and to the point KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  13. Personal letter • Most common • Most powerful • Write carefully • Have someone proof read. • Wait a day – read again – make sure it says what is needed. KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  14. How many letters does it take? • “How many letters do you have to receive before you consider assigning a staff member to work on a problem?” • Seven • Seventy • Seven hundred • Seven thousand • Average answer: SEVEN • Why? • Because those seven constituents could be the tip of the iceberg. No legislator wants to be caught by surprise if a problem is developing. • -Grassroots Advocacy Training Exchange • www.grassroots-advocacy.com/10lessf.html KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  15. Fax for letters • Effective and timely • Be sure to include: • Your postal address • Your name, title, phone, fax • Your email KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  16. E-mail • One of the best ways to communicate • Do not use abbreviations – be professional • Email both the Washington and local offices. • All of the legislators’ web sites • have links to their email addresses. KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

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  18. Correct salutation • The Honorable Senator Mitch McConnell • Dear Senator McConnell: • The Honorable Andy Barr • Dear Representative Barr: KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  19. Mailed letters • FOR SECURITY PURPOSES: • All letters to the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives are now pre-screened before being delivered to congressional offices, which means that all letters are delayed. KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  20. Personal visits • Can be done in your local area • Can be done in Washington DC • Contact the office for an appointment • Let them know the issue you want to discuss so you can meet with the legislative aide who handles the issue. • Sign the register. • Summarize your points. • Have a professional handout to leave. • Leave your contact information, preferably your business card. KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  21. KASRO MEMBERS ANSWER THE CALL • June 29, 2011 • KASRO members from 9 universities and 2 agencies participated in a conference call with Aaron Jones, legislative assistant to Congressman Harold Rogers • --- advocating for restoration of Perkins Loan cancellation reimbursement funds. “The college representatives coordinated their message and spoke eloquently about how Perkins Loans have helped their students…” Harrison Wadsworth COHEAO KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  22. GETTING TO THE HILL KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  23. hill visits 2013 COHEAO Annual Conference 2013 January 29, 2013 In just 4 hours……. attendees visited more than 50 offices from 15 different states. KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  24. HILL VISITS • Kentucky visits: • Rep. Ann Wagner (MO) • – Erik Rust (trial run) • Rep. Andy Barr (KY) • – Tate Bennett • Rep. Hal Rogers (KY) • – Aaron Jones • Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY) • – Megan Spindel • Sen. Rand Paul (KY) • - Front Desk • Sen. Mitch McConnell (KY) • – Katelyn Conner KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  25. Leave some information KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

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  28. Follow up letter • IMPORTANT STEP AFTER A VISIT • ALWAYS SEND A FOLLOW UP LETTER • THANK THEM FOR • THEIR TIME • SUMMARIZE POINTS FROM THE MEETING • SUPPLY ANY ADDITIONAL REQUESTED INFORMATION KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  29. You might just get a positive response KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

  30. WHAT CAN WE DO AS AN ORGANIZATION? • 1) WHEN COHEAO SENDS OUT A CALL FOR ACTION ON ANY FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE ISSUE THAT IMPACTS HIGHER EDUCATION: • PICK UP THE PHONE • SEND A FAX • SEND AN EMAIL • VISIT YOUR LEGISLATOR • KASRO SHOULD ADVOCATE AS A STATE ASSOCIATION ON BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL ISSUES THAT IMPACT HIGHER EDUCATION: • JULY 2009 – FIRST KASRO ADVOCACY LETTER • JULY 2009 – LAST KASRO ADVOCACY LETTER • STEP UP, KASRO! EVERY VOICE COUNTS! KASRO SPRING CONFERENCE 2013 CUMBERLAND FALLS

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