1. ORGANIZING THE GGAC AT THE LOCAL LEVEL
ASHRAE’S GRASSROOTS GOVERNMENT ADVOCACY COMMITTEE

2. Define the Issue – Questions to Ask
What is the issue?
Is this issue one of direct importance to ASHRAE? (i.e.: does ASHRAE have an official position on the issue or a Public Policy Brief?)
Is it a local, state, provincial or national issue? combination?
Is this a legislative issue? a regulatory issue? both?
What are your goals? what do you want to accomplish?

3. Decide what public official(s) need to be contacted
Are elected officials to a legislative body to be approached? (this could be Congress, Parliament, County Commissioners, etc.)
Are other elected officials to be approached? (i.e.: Governor, Mayor, Prime Minister, etc.)
Are local regulatory officials to be approached? (i.e.: code officials)
Obtain contact information for all public officials to be contacted (name, mailing address, business phone, business fax, business )

4. Identify the group of volunteers
Start with your local Chapter(s) members
Consider members of allied organizations
Look to local industry if the scope of the project is large (such as a legislative “Day On The Hill” or a letter-writing campaign)
Consider which members have a special interest in the issue
Involve members who know officials that will be contacted

5. Choose a Chapter “Coordinator”
Consider who has an interest in the issue and the time to coordinate this effort
It may or may not be the GGAC Chair
Does the Coordinator have previous grassroots organizing experience?
Several Chapters might wish to unite for maximum effectiveness

6. Schedule a meeting with the volunteers
Explain the issue
Remind everyone this is a volunteer advocacy effort, not paid lobbying
Clarify the differences between advocacy and lobbying
Provide assignments
Answer questions

7. Do your homework – Goals, Strategy and Planning
Identify your supporters, opponents, “fence-sitters”
Define simple, minimal and understandable goals
Decide your strategy
Make a plan that evaluates

8. Identify your… Supporters?
Who are our supporters? (supporters can be industry, organizations, members of the public or elected/appointed officials)
Why are they supporting our position?

9. Identify your… Opponents?
Who are our opponents? (opponents can be industry, organizations, members of the public or elected/appointed officials)
What is the basis of their opposition?
What arguments do we have to soften their opposition/resolve or counter their reasons for opposition?

10. Identify your…
People/organizations who may be “on the fence” that could be influenced?
Who are the fence sitters?
What would it take to at least keep them “on the fence” if we cannot get them to support our position?

11. Define simple, minimal and understandable goals
Are they…
Quantifiable
Realistic
Specific
Pertinent
Timely
Clear and Concise

12. Decide your strategy Does it … Help achieve goals? Use allies?
Minimize opposition?
Stick to the issue?
Have an assessment tool to measure success?

13. Make a plan that evaluates …
Volunteer strength
Who is/are the target(s)
Approaches (i.e.: direct contact, letter writing, social media, etc.)
Action steps

14. Go into action using the plan, strategy and goals identified above
Engage in Advocacy
GO OUT AND DO IT! 
Go into action using the plan, strategy and goals identified above

15. Evaluate your activity when completed
For Short-Term Advocacy
How are we doing?
Did we stick to the goals?
Did the volunteers achieve their individual goals?
What worked?
What didn’t work?
What can be done next time to improve effectiveness?

16. Evaluate your activity when completed
For Long-term or Ongoing Advocacy
How are we doing?
Are we sticking to the goals?
Are the volunteers achieving their individual goals?
How can/should we be more effective?
How can we monitor our progress to make sure we are sticking to our goals/message?
How can we adjust or adapt our strategies to changing ground conditions?

17. Thank the official(s) you contacted afterwards
Follow up with a thank you letter – this should be mailed rather than ed
Make sure the thank you letter is positive even if the official did not help us achieve our goal(s) – keeping it civil improves chances of gaining a favorable audience on future issues

18. Resources Regional Vice Chairs Other Chapter GGAC Chairs
Society Staff Liaisons (Alice Yates and Jim Scarborough [DC Office], and
ASHRAE Government Affairs website (

19. Current Society GGAC Leadership
GGAC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Chair
First Vice Chair
Second Vice Chair
Communications Coordinator
Consultant
Representative from Members Council
Representative from Tech Council
Representative from PubEd Council
Society Treasurer
Board Ex Officio
Board Coordinating Officer