Advocacy 101: Making Your Voice Heard Influencing Lawmakers on the Issues You Care About

2 What is RESULTS? RESULTS is a movement of passionate, committed everyday people. Together we use our voices to influence political decisions that will bring an end to poverty.

Empowering People RESULTS volunteers receive training, support, and inspiration to become skilled advocates. 700 active volunteers in over 100 communities around the country Everyday people who want to make a difference In 2017 so far, our activists have… Met face-to-face with U.S. Representatives 128 times and senators 35 times on poverty and health care in the U.S. (349 face-to-face meetings if you include global poverty issues) Over 329 strategic media placements, including editorials, Op-eds, and letters to the editor on protecting Medicaid and other basic assistance programs (550 total if you include global poverty issues)

RESULTS Advocacy Training 4 Advocacy Is Essential Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. — Margaret Mead RESULTS Advocacy Training

RESULTS Advocacy Training 5 Introductions Your Name? Where are you from? What kind of advocacy have you done? RESULTS Advocacy Training

Influencing Lawmakers – How Do You Do It? Where do members of Congress get information about an issue or legislation? Constituents Staff Media Colleagues Paid Lobbyists How do RESULTS volunteers influence members of Congress? Sending e-mails Writing letters Making phone calls Generating media Getting to know policy aides and schedulers Organizing others in your community to take action Meeting face-to-face with members of Congress Difficulty Influence RESULTS Advocacy Training

7 Advocacy Works!

I don’t have much time. What can I do? 8 I don’t have much time. What can I do?

9 Send an E-mail Very easy – RESULTS has pre-written e-mails you can use at: http://www.results.org/take_action/us_poverty_actions_and_news/ Can also send e-mails through most lawmaker’s websites. Find contact info at: http://capwiz.com/results/dbq/officials/ Be brief; explain why you care about the issue Make a specific request (vote NO on ACA repeal or support a $2 billion increase in Head Start funding) Ask for a response Have even more impact by e-mailing the policy aide directly U.S. House: aidefirstname dot aidelastname at MAIL dot HOUSE dot GOV (e.g. jane.smith@mail.house.gov) U.S. Senate: Aidefirstname underscore aidelastname at SENATORLASTNAME dot SENATE dot GOV (e.g. john_smith@blunt.senate.gov)

Letters to Member of Congress 10 Letters to Member of Congress Introduce yourself as a constituent and RESULTS volunteer Tell them up front what issue you want to discuss Keep the letter relatively brief (no more than one page) Hand-writing your letter makes it more personal and gets their attention Close the letter by asking them to take specific action (e.g. support the expansion of the EITC for childless workers, oppose efforts to cut or block grant SNAP) Ask them to send you a prompt response to your letter Write individual letters to both senators and your representative and FAX THEM to their DC offices as soon as you can

Letters to the Editor (LTEs) 11 Letters to the Editor (LTEs) LTEs are the easiest way to get published and papers like to publish them Short, focused letter stating your position (use the EPIC Laser Talk) Gives the paper a sense of what’s important to readers Keys to getting a LTE published Brevity: 150-250 words are what most papers allow – the shorter the better Mention a recent story or issue covered in the paper Make a local connection: how does it affect the community Keep it simple: Stick to one issue Mention lawmakers BY NAME

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Make a Phone Call Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 13 Make a Phone Call Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 Introduce yourself as a constituent and RESULTS volunteer Have a brief script of what you want to say (short paragraph) – use the EPIC Laser Talk Practice a few times before you call Briefly explain the issue and give them a specific request (yes or no question) Have even more impact by e-mailing the policy aide directly Be prepared to answer questions Practice with a friend before calling Offer to be a resource on the issue

14 Being Effective In time, we learn to effectively advise policy makers, guiding them towards decisions that improve access to health, education, and economic opportunity. Just in the last few years, RESULTS volunteers helped… Expand and protect the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit Protect SNAP (formerly the Food Stamp Program) from deep cuts Increase and protect investments in Head Start and child care Ensure that health care reform expanded coverage (Medicaid expansion) and access to care (community health centers)  

Advocacy Makes a Difference! RESULTS volunteers – and millions of other Americans – stood up for health care and it worked Advocates stopped Senate leaders from getting 50 votes on four different health bills that would have decimated Medicaid Advocates stopped Congress from taking health coverage away from 16 to 32 million people Focused, strategic actions coupled with stories made a difference! endless threats to healthcare/Medicaid. How we defeated bills. Takeaways (this is from what you sent me): Need to stay unified and on message; personalize/stories; sense of movement along with surgical action; win, not just show of strength; race and gender—discriminatory impact. RESULTS members with Sen. Susan Collins (R- ME), July 25, 2017

Anti-Poverty Programs Make an Impact! 16 Anti-Poverty Programs Make an Impact! The impact of safety net programs is often ignored…

New Data: Hunger and Poverty in the United States 17 New Data: Hunger and Poverty in the United States New U.S. Census poverty data released September 12: The 2016 poverty rate was 12.7 percent Poverty was down nearly 1 percent between 2015-16 = 2.5 million fewer Americans in poverty 18 percent of children were below the poverty line – including 30.8 percent of Black children and 26.6 percent of Hispanic children -Recent House budgets proposed cutting SNAP by 20 percent, or $125-$150 billion (over 10 years). -93 percent of federal SNAP spending is for food, which means large SNAP budget cuts would need to come from deep benefits & eligibility cuts affecting millions -If similarly large cuts are “reconciled” to the Ag Committees, the only way to achieve it is through a block grant -House budgets also included a recommendation to block grant SNAP -Block granting SNAP would essentially end the program -Eliminates automatic response to recessions, natural disasters, rising food prices, etc. -Allows states to shift funds to other purposes

18 -Recent House budgets proposed cutting SNAP by 20 percent, or $125-$150 billion (over 10 years). -93 percent of federal SNAP spending is for food, which means large SNAP budget cuts would need to come from deep benefits & eligibility cuts affecting millions -If similarly large cuts are “reconciled” to the Ag Committees, the only way to achieve it is through a block grant -House budgets also included a recommendation to block grant SNAP -Block granting SNAP would essentially end the program -Eliminates automatic response to recessions, natural disasters, rising food prices, etc. -Allows states to shift funds to other purposes

Hunger and Poverty by Race 19 Hunger and Poverty by Race From new U.S. Census poverty data: More than 1 in 5 Black Americans live below the poverty line Almost 1 in 4 Hispanics Only 8.8 percent of Whites This is the legacy of structural racism that created the racial wealth gap. -Recent House budgets proposed cutting SNAP by 20 percent, or $125-$150 billion (over 10 years). -93 percent of federal SNAP spending is for food, which means large SNAP budget cuts would need to come from deep benefits & eligibility cuts affecting millions -If similarly large cuts are “reconciled” to the Ag Committees, the only way to achieve it is through a block grant -House budgets also included a recommendation to block grant SNAP -Block granting SNAP would essentially end the program -Eliminates automatic response to recessions, natural disasters, rising food prices, etc. -Allows states to shift funds to other purposes

Anti-Poverty Programs Make an Impact! 20 Anti-Poverty Programs Make an Impact!

Budget Fight Puts Anti-Poverty Programs at Risk 21 Budget Fight Puts Anti-Poverty Programs at Risk House budget leaders want deep cuts to entitlement programs, including “fast-track” reconciliation cuts, in their 2018 budget Targets are SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, SSDI, EITC, CTC, among others BREAKING: Senate Budget Committee paving the way for $1.5 trillion in tax breaks for the wealthy – paid for with short- and long-term cuts to basic health and nutrition assistance Committee markup next week? Floor vote in early October

22 Tax Cut Tradeoffs

SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) 23 SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly Food Stamps) Serves over 43 million people per month In 2016, SNAP lifted nearly 3.6 million people above the poverty line SNAP is one of the most efficient government programs More than 99 percent of benefits go to eligible households http://www.cbpp.org/research/snap-error-rates-at-all-time-lows?fa=view&id=4159 http://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/chart-book-snap-helps-struggling-families-put-food-on-the-table#part7 http://www.results.org/issues/supplemental_nutrition_assistance_program/

Federal Programs are Key for Fighting Hunger 24 Federal Programs are Key for Fighting Hunger

You can be EPIC! ENGAGE the listener into the conversation 25 You can be EPIC! Use the EPIC Laser Talk to help you create a powerful message ENGAGE the listener into the conversation Identify the PROBLEM you want them to address INFORM (or ILLUSTRATE) about the solution to the problem State a clear and specific CALL TO ACTION

RESULTS Advocacy Training 26 E = Engage Engage: Engage the listener into your conversation with a shocking statistic or by thanking them for something specific. (1-2 sentences) New Census data shows that more than one in eight Americans are living below the poverty line. RESULTS Advocacy Training

RESULTS Advocacy Training 27 P = Problem Problem: Specifically identify the problem they can address. (1-2 sentences) Yet, Congress is proposing to cut basic assistance programs such as SNAP (formerly food stamps), Medicaid, and the Earned Income Tax Credit to pay for more tax cuts for the wealthy. RESULTS Advocacy Training

I = Inform or Illustrate 28 I = Inform or Illustrate Inform/Illustrate: Inform the listener about the solution to the problem and/or share a story that shows what the problem or success can look like. Good place for a story. In 2016, the EITC (combined with the Child Tax Credit) lifted 8.2 million people out of poverty. SNAP lifted 3.6 million people out of poverty. These programs are a lifeline for hard-working Americans just trying to make ends meet. [Include a story if you can!] We should not cut anti-poverty programs to pay for tax cuts for the rich millionaires and wealthy corporations. RESULTS Advocacy Training

RESULTS Advocacy Training 29 C = Call to Action Call to Action: Make a specific, targeted request in the form of a YES or NO question. Will you vote no to any budget proposal that cuts funding for basic assistance programs like Medicaid, SNAP, and the EITC to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations? RESULTS Advocacy Training

30 SNAP EPIC Laser Talk Engage: Nearly 1 in 5 children in the U.S. live in households that are struggling against hunger. Problem: Yet leaders in the new Congress want to drastically change food assistance in the U.S. which could lead to more people in poverty. Inform: SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) is the first line of defense against hunger in America. The U.S. Census reports that SNAP lifted 3.6 million people out of poverty in 2016. But Congress and the President want to undo SNAP’s success by slashing it’s funding and changing it to a lump sum grant to states, which will undermine its effectiveness and force people deeper into poverty. Call to Action: Will you urge congressional leaders to protect SNAP from cuts or “block grants” that will weaken the program and increase hunger in America? 

31 EPIC Laser Talk Now you try

Scheduling Lobby Meetings 32 Scheduling Lobby Meetings Schedule a face-to-face in their state/local office Attend town halls, candidate forums, and debates and ask a question Other Public Appearances (County/State Fairs/Parades, Local events) Check newspapers and visit their websites for events and contact information Find schedulers and contact information for Congress at: http://www.results.org/take-action/action-center?vvsrc=%2fAddress Contact the Scheduler by phone or in writing to request a meeting Tell issues you want to discuss, # of people, and times available Follow up regularly to confirm the request was received and to check on the status – sometimes you have to follow up multiple times Once scheduled, confirm again a few days before the meeting RESULTS Advocacy Training

Preparing for a Meeting Do Your Research Know the facts about your issue, legislation and position Know the facts about your legislator’s position on the issue Know some background about your legislator (committee assignments, voting record, etc.) Go to our Elected Officials page (federal) Outline your agenda Plan to go in a group if possible Assign roles, including a facilitator and note-taker and who will handle follow up Choose issues that will get priority RESULTS Advocacy Training

Preparing for a Meeting RESULTS Advocacy Training Have leave-behind information available May not get to discuss all the issues you want Have a one or two page, easy-to-read sheet you can leave behind that outlines the issues and your request or “ask” http://www.results.org/issues/us_poverty_campaigns Practice, practice, practice Write down your individual parts Role play the meeting with everyone who plans to attend Bring notes but use them only when you need them RESULTS Advocacy Training

RESULTS Advocacy Training Conducting a Meeting Have a conversation Find ways to connect (common interest, background, etc.); conversation creates a more relaxed atmosphere Use personal stories when you can but tie them to the larger issue Keep conversation on track – stick to your agenda Advocacy works best when you build relationships Ask and Listen (50/50 rule) Don’t be afraid to ask them questions Actively listen to what they are saying Take good notes for follow-up Be punctual, polite, and respectful Decision-makers are people too and they do not like being attacked any more than the rest of us Can be passionate, bold and respectful at the same time If person you are talking to becomes angry, DO NOT respond in kind (likelihood of this is small) Only serves to sour the meeting and undermine goal of developing a relationship Go in with attitude that you are educating them May actually be true At very least, you are educating them about your position RESULTS Advocacy Training

After the Meeting – Follow up! Follow-up can be almost as important as the meeting Do as soon as possible It further develops the relationship Reminds them you are paying attention What to include in your initial follow-up: Thank you Reiteration of your request Any supplemental information you want to include (be brief) Within a week of your meeting, contact legislator/staff to check on the status of your request RESULTS Advocacy Training

Make the Most of Town Halls 37 Make the Most of Town Halls PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME Research the candidates. Find out what your elected official or candidate has said about ending hunger and poverty Websites, newspapers, Votetoendhunger.org Recruit others to go with you. Better chance of getting to ask a question if there are more of you to choose from. Prepare what you will ask ahead of time. Use the RESULTS EPIC Laser Talk format. Dress conspicuously. Wear conspicuous clothing (bright colors) but avoid shirts with writing. RESULTS Advocacy Training

Make the Most of Town Halls 38 Make the Most of Town Halls AT and AFTER THE EVENT Arrive early to scope it out. Find the stage and where the microphones are. Arrive early in case they do written questions (sometimes first come, first serve). Spread out, but sit strategically. Don’t sit together; decreases chances of getting called on. Sit near the front and close to any microphones. Be “first, fast, high!” When they start taking questions, raise your hand immediately, raise it high, and keep it up there. Hold on to the microphone. Keep the microphone and don’t give it up until the candidate answers (may need ask a follow-up question). RESULTS Advocacy Training

Make the Most of Town Halls 39 Make the Most of Town Halls AT and AFTER THE EVENT Work the “rope line.” Introduce yourself and ask your question or follow up on one you already asked. Remember the “handshake trick.” Talk to staff and the media. Provide them information on your issues. Follow up with staff after the event (similar to face-to- face meetings). Send additional information on your issue; offer to be a resource. RESULTS Advocacy Training

Organizing in your Community RESULTS Advocacy Training 40 Organizing in your Community Building political will requires people Grassroots pressure creates and sustains change Starts with simply talking to people, telling them your story and why you choose to be engaged Activities can include letter-writing, rallies, press conference, lobby meetings, media outreach – whatever it takes to move your issue forward Must be ongoing! You cannot hope to create political will if you don’t take action persistently and consistently In-person visits tremendous influence. Know the issues, know your story, share, educate, influence = power to change. RESULTS Advocacy Training

RESULTS Advocacy Resources 41 RESULTS Advocacy Resources RESULTS: www.results.org Take Action Now: http://www.results.org/take_action/us_poverty_actions_and_news/ Activist Toolkit: http://www.results.org/skills_center/activist_toolkit/ Jos G. Linn Grassroots Manager, U.S. Poverty Campaigns jlinn@results.org RESULTS Advocacy Training

- Archbishop Desmond Tutu "Do your little bit of good where you are; its those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world." - Archbishop Desmond Tutu