MAKING FRIENDS, DRIVING CHANGE ADVOCACY AT HOME YMCA of Northwest North Carolina November 13, 2014

YOU ADVOCATE EVERY DAY! For the restaurant you want to go to on Friday night For the movie you want to see To get a new job To get a raise To get a member to meet their wellness goals

WHAT IS ADVOCACY? the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal : the act or process of advocating something

WHY DOES THE Y NEED TO ADVOCATE? As a part of the Y’s commitment to social responsibility, YMCAs have become the voice for communities and the catalyst for positive legislative change.

WHO SHOULD WE BE TALKING TO? Local elected or appointed officials School board members and Superintendent County Commissioners City Council, Town Council and Mayor State lawmakers and appointed officials Governor, Governor’s Cabinet Legislators Federal lawmakers

ADVOCACY CAN HAPPEN… Anywhere you are… At church At the Y At a school At a community or town meeting At a sporting event It’s all about building relationships

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS Identify who you need to get to know Identify who already knows them Network to get an introduction Make contact Follow up Ask “what can I – or the Y - do for YOU?” The Relationship Bank Account

FIRST, SHOW AND TELL The impact your Y is having in your community Put a face on the story

WHAT DO WE TALK ABOUT? YOUTH DEVELOPMENT Summer Reading Program – S.T.E.M. Summer Learning Academies Healthy, Fit and Strong

HEALTHY LIVING LiveSTRONG at the YMCA© YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program (YDPP) Know your Numbers

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Preserve charitable contribution tax deduction. Preserve non-profit tax exempt status at the state and local level, including the Unrelated Business Income Tax. Community Benefit -1 in 10 North Carolina residents are served by the Y. -$22.427M in financial assistance was provided throughout North Carolina. No one is turned away from the Y due to an inability to pay. -In 2013, 33,775 volunteers gave 434,600 hours to the Y worth a value of $9.47M.

ADVOCACY SHOULD BE INTENTIONAL What are YOUR/OUR goals? They may be LOCAL! Youth Development? Healthy Living? Social Responsibility?

THE SECRET SAUCE Your YMCA, Your Boards, and Your Leadership teams