Effective Grassroots Advocacy Prepared 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

4 Postal mail and to Capitol Hill  Approximately 10 million s in 1995 to over 300 million in 2006 Take Home Message: Congress gets LOTS of

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

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 Take Home Message: Personal Interactions are most effective 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?"

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

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

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

Survey Results on Communicating with Congress N = 10,000 citizens N = 10,000 citizens Almost half of adult Americans contacted Congress in the last five years 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 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 Most want Members to keep them informed of their views and activities The Internet has become the primary method of communications 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 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 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 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

14 What committees do we focus on in California Senate Appropriations Budget SubBudget: Education SubBudget: Education SubBudget: Human Services SubBudget: Human Services Education Health Human ServicesHealth Human Services Judiciary Transportation Housing Public Safety Assembly Appropriations Budget SubBudget: Education SubBudget: Human Services Education Healthlth Human Services Judiciary Transportation Housing Public Safety

15 Time Your Efforts Federal State

16 Congressional Caucuses Informal groups Informal groups Shared interests in specific issues or philosophies (e.g., countries, products, beliefs) Shared interests in specific issues or philosophies (e.g., countries, products, beliefs) House disability related caucuses include: 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 Autism (ASD) & Related Disorders Autism (ASD) & Related Disorders Autism (ASD) & Related Disorders Disaster and Emergency Response Disaster and Emergency Response Disaster and Emergency Response Disaster and Emergency ResponseAssembly Select Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Select Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Select Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Select Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Select Committee on Disabilities Select Committee on Disabilities Select Committee on Disabilities Select Committee on Disabilities Select Committee on Workforce Development within the Developmentally Disabled Community Select Committee on Workforce Development within the Developmentally Disabled Community Select Committee on Workforce Development within the Developmentally Disabled Community Select Committee on Workforce Development within the Developmentally Disabled Community

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

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

20 Coalitions Work!

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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 Invite to programs/events –Seek local media coverage Participate in Campaigns * Participate in Campaigns * Vote Vote * Learn about lobbying restrictions for 501(c)3 non profits at:

25 Follow-up Thank you Thank you Confirm conversation Confirm conversation Confirm commitments Confirm commitments Ask to help 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 One visit a year isn’t enough Don’t always ask for something Don’t always ask for something Publicity Publicity Thank you s /Awards Thank you s /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

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

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33 Advocacy ‘do’s and don’ts

34 Advocacy ‘do’s and don’ts Dos Dos 1. Make an Appointment 2. Be on time 3. Be positive and friendly 4. State Reason for Visit 5. Personalized the issues 6. Provide reliable data and facts to support your position 7. Provide Names of people who can be resources 8. Leave a written summary of your position 9. Have a picture taken with the official if possible 10. Write a thank you letter 11. Arrange for the member to meet people with disabilities/ families later in the year 12. Have others write letters Don’ts Don’ts 1. Arrive unexpectedly and be upset if your member can’t meet with you 2. Be late for the visit 3. Be Confrontational 4. Try to discuss several different issues 5. Talk only in terms of numbers and statistics 6. Give incorrect information 7. Try to answer questions you don’t know 8. Leave long issue papers or lobbying documents 9. Make a funny face or obscene gesture while your picture is being taken with your member 10. Forget to write a thank you letter 11. Ignore the member the rest of the year 12. Ignore the member the rest of the year

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 Self-Interest Time (Balancing Priorities) Time (Balancing Priorities) Trust Trust Know the viable Policy options. Know the viable Policy options.

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

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

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

41 Questions? Tony Anderson, The Arc of California (916)