Effective Grassroots Advocacy Prepared for Family Voices of California

1. Effective Grassroots AdvocacyPrepared for Family Voices of California Presented by Tony Anderson The Arc of California Prepared from resources from The Arc of the United States and the Disability Policy Collaboration of The Arc & UCP November 2009

2. Communicating with Congress: How Capitol Hill is Coping with the Surge in Citizen Advocacy By the Congressional Management Foundation

3. 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

4. Postal mail and e-mail to Capitol Hill Take Home Message: Congress gets LOTS of email • Approximately 10 million emails in 1995 to over 300 million in 2006

5. Effects of the Internet on Congress “Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree that e-mail and the Internet have…” Take home Message: The internet is a mixed bag. + Quantity + Involvement + Understanding + Responsiveness - Quality

6. Influence of individual communications "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

7. 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?" Take Home Message: Personal Interactions are most effective

8. What Staff Want in Constituent Communications "How helpful is it for messages from constituents to include the following?” Take Home Message: Most Important information: 1) Contact information 2) Specific legislation 3) Bill Number & Title 4) Impact on community

9. staff views on form communications "Most identical form communications campaigns are sent without the constituent's knowledge or approval." Take Home Message: Form letters are not effective. Staff think they are often fake.

10. Implications for citizens and the grassroots community • Quality is more persuasive than quantity. • The organization behind a grassroots campaign matters. • Grassroots organizations should develop a better understanding of Congress. • There is a difference between being noticed and having an impact.

11. 2008 Survey Results on Communicating with Congress • N = 10,000 citizens • Almost half of adult Americans contacted Congress in the last five years • Majority do not believe Congress is interested in what they have to say • Most want Members to keep them informed of their views and activities • The Internet has become the primary method of communications • A majority of people who contacted Congress had been asked to do so by a third party - primarily through interest groups

12. Principles, strategies, Resources & Tools

13. Committees – Where Members spend over 90% of their time in Washington 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 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

14. What committees do we focus on in California • 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

15. Time Your Efforts State Federal

16. Congressional Caucuses • Informal groups • Shared interests in specific issues or philosophies (e.g., countries, products, beliefs) • House disability related caucuses include: • Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus • Coalition on Autism Research and Education • Bipartisan Cerebral Palsy Caucus • Congressional Caucus on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders • House Long-Term Care Caucus • Congressional Down Syndrome Caucus

17. State Select Committees Senate • Autism (ASD) & Related Disorders • Disaster and Emergency Response Assembly • Select Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse • Select Committee on Disabilities • Select Committee on Workforce Development within the Developmentally Disabled Community

18. Recruit your Messengers Pecking Order Self-Advocates & Parents/Siblings Advocates Providers Paid Lobbyists

19. Don’t Work Alone • Join/Use Coalitions • Diverse Skills/Contacts • Power in Numbers

20. Coalitions Work! http://www.c-c-d.org/

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

23. Learn about your Members’ Personal Connection to the Issue • More likely to understand & care about the issues. • Most of our champions have a close personal connection (E.g. Kennedy, Sensenbrenner, Harkin).

24. Other opportunities to Connect • Invite to programs/events • Seek local media coverage • Participate in Campaigns * • Vote * Learn about lobbying restrictions for 501(c)3 non profits at: http://www.clpi.org/Make_a_Difference_Resource_Guide.aspx

25. Follow-up • Thank you • Confirm conversation • Confirm commitments • Ask to help Follow through is the Chariot of Genius Terry Lierman, Chief of Staff House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer

26. It’s Year Round • One visit a year isn’t enough • Don’t always ask for something • Publicity • Thank yous /Awards

27. Town 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

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

33. Advocacy ‘do’s and don’ts

34. Advocacy ‘do’s and don’ts • Don’ts • Arrive unexpectedly and be upset if your member can’t meet with you • Be late for the visit • Be Confrontational • Try to discuss several different issues • Talk only in terms of numbers and statistics • Give incorrect information • Try to answer questions you don’t know • Leave long issue papers or lobbying documents • Make a funny face or obscene gesture while your picture is being taken with your member • Forget to write a thank you letter • Ignore the member the rest of the year • Ignore the member the rest of the year • Dos • Make an Appointment • Be on time • Be positive and friendly • State Reason for Visit • Personalized the issues • Provide reliable data and facts to support your position • Provide Names of people who can be resources • Leave a written summary of your position • Have a picture taken with the official if possible • Write a thank you letter • Arrange for the member to meet people with disabilities/ families later in the year • Have others write letters

35. A Few More Tips for Change Agents in Influencing Public Policy

36. Understand the Needs of Policymakers and the Importance of Long Term Relationships • Self-Interest • Time (Balancing Priorities) • Trust • Know the viable Policy options.

37. Understand the Needs of Political Staff • Promote and protect the boss. • Help with sorting through information to get to what’s most important. • Be a resource for fiscal and program estimates. • Help identify Key players • Help in developing true policy options, drafting bills, etc. • Help in developing political strategy

38. Understand the Need for and the Role of An Organized Coalition in Exercising Power Over the Policymaker • Need for coalition • Composition of coalition members • Cohesion • Synergy • Skilled individuals • Leadership • Responsibility

39. Understand the Power of Personal Stories • Telling personal stories in isolation doesn’t work • Determine the policy objective, then frame the issue, then • Tie in the personal stories. • Demonstrate positive impact and give a before and after intervention story

40. Wrap up • Get involved • It’s your job • You are the expert • Much is at stake • It can be frustrating • Don’t ever give up

41. Questions? Tony Anderson, The Arc of California (916) 552-6619 www.arccalifornia.org tanderson@arccalifornia.org