1. Joe Minarik, PhD, MSW, MPP University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
Competing with Expert Lobbyists: Nonprofits Influencing State Policymaking through Professional-level Information Sharing
Joe Minarik, PhD, MSW, MPP
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
Minarik (2018):

2. Learning Objectives This presentation will explore:
Knowing the competition: Expert state lobbyists
5-Step Tailored Information Sharing Decision Model for state legislators
Knowledge needs and strategies for tailored information sharing
Positioning tactics for influencing state legislators (relationships)
Minarik (2018):

3. “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu” (Sub8)
Minarik (2018):

4. State of the World Devolution of policy decision making to states
Marketization of welfare (Salamon, 1995)
Competition from for-profit sector
Requires greater professionalization
Minarik (2018):

5. Nonprofit Policy Advocacy Advantages
Critical information to share with policy makers (Ruggiano & Taliaferro, 2014)
Closer to the problems (Salamon, 1987)
Trustworthy sources of information to policymakers (Jackson-Elmoore, 2014)
Relationship-building social work skills
Volunteers
Minarik (2018):

6. Nonprofit Challenges
Need knowledge and skill in policy-advocacy relevant areas (Bass, Arons, Guinane, Carter & Rees, 2007)
Relationships for policy outcomes
Communications skills
Minarik (2018):

7. Nonprofit Relationship Strategies for Policy Outcomes
Organizational
Resources
Access
Networking
mediated by
Policy
Outcomes
Sharing
of Tasks
Openness
mediated by
Assurances/
Legitimizing
policymaker
concerns
(Based on Ruggiano, Taliaferro, Dillon, Granger, & Scher, 2015)
Minarik (2018):

8. Policy Advocacy Communication Skills
"It is recommended that social work administrators engage in communication training specific to policy advocacy, so that they may develop the skills needed to relay information to policymakers in a way that is most receptive." (Ruggiano, Taliaferro, Dillon, Granger, & Scher, 2015, p. 226)
Minarik (2018):

9. “Info drops” Step Step Step  Decide to inform Drop off info
Decide the strategy
Issue has been analyzed
Information (e.g. fact sheet)
has been developed
Minarik (2018):

10. Lobbyist Legislative Strategy
Begins with:
What do we want, legislatively?
Overarching legislative goal
Who is “getable”?
How do we get them in our corner, or move them into our column?
Information sharing, but what kind?
Minarik (2018):

11. Lobbyist Information Sharing
Information sharing decisions are based on expert lobbyist knowledge
Minarik (2018):

12. Knowledge Needs Process knowledge (re Lobbyist Strategy) Bill Analysis
Legislator Hierarchy
Political Analysis
Tailored Bill Analysis
Process knowledge
Bill
analysis
Legislator Hierarchy
Political
analysis
Bill
analysis
Political
analysis
Tailored
Bill Analysis
Legislator Hierarchy
Minarik (2018):

13. Tailored Information Sharing
Tailoring:
Information is selected by the lobbyist
Selection is based on needs of the legislator
Being selective does not mean lying, obscuring, or otherwise deceiving the legislator or decision maker
Tailoring requires work
Minarik (2018):

14. Tailored Information Sharing Decision Model (Minarik, 2018)
Minarik (2018):

15. 5-Step Decision Model Step 1: Decide the “Ask”
Step 2: Choose the strategy:
Informing (enlightenment)
Persuading (“moving” the legislator)
Subsidizing (sharing the work on behalf of the legislator)
Step 3: Obtain and Select Information to be shared
Step 4: Plan the presentation
Step 5: Deliver the information, and update
Minarik (2018):

16. Select or obtain information
Tailored Information Sharing Decision Steps
Step
Step
Decide
the “ask”
Deliver & evaluate
Step 
Step
Decide the strategy
Plan
the “ask”
Step
Select or obtain information
Minarik (2018):

17. Methodology Asking lobbyists for “War stories” Qualitative approach:
Exploratory study
Policy practices
Expert decision making details
Asking lobbyists for “War stories”
Past 2 years
What was shared
How and why
Generating knowledge for training design
Minarik (2018):

18. Lobbyist Expertise, in years (n=18)
25+ L L L L L L L 20 L L L 15 L L
Lobbying experience 10 L L L 5 L L L P P P P P P P P P P 5 P P
Political
experience P 10 P P
15+ P P P
Minarik (2018):

19. Select or obtain information
Tailored Information Sharing Decision Steps
Step
Step
Decide
the “ask”
Deliver & evaluate
Step 
Step
Decide the strategy
Plan
the “ask”
Step
Select or obtain information
Minarik (2018):

20. Decide the “Ask(s)” Step  Choices: Pre-legislative (PL):
Testing the waters
Vetting a proposal
Education/laying the groundwork
Legislative (L):
Recruiting a bill sponsor/champion
Get the “yes” vote
Get the “no” vote
Dampen the opposition
Combination Asks
Minarik (2018):

21. Step  Decide on Strategy
Choices:
Persuasion (L)
Subsidy (L)
Informing (PL, L)
Combination strategies
Minarik (2018):

22. Step  Obtain & Select Information for the “Ask(s)”
Fact sheets
Based on bill analysis
The foundation for information sharing
Minarik (2018):

23. Tailoring
“If there’s [155] legislators, you tailor your message [155] ways” (Sub9)
Minarik (2018):

24. Tailored Bill Analysis (TBA)
Get to know the legislator, get to “know their districts” and get a “feel for their politics…to formulate the kind of approach” you’re going to take with the legislator. (Sub 10)
Minarik (2018):

25. TBA guides Information Selection
Analyze and match what you know about the bill “implications” to the legislator hierarchy, and district politics.
Minarik (2018):

26. Step  Planning Delivery
What? Fact sheet & tailored information
When? Be first.
Where?
Who?
“Who should be in the room?”
Minarik (2018):

27. Step  Deliver & Evaluate the “Ask(s)”
Answer questions
Follow up with requested information as needed (GO BACK to Step )
Evaluate effects of information
Update:
Roll call (legislative goals)
Knowledge types
legislator hierarchy
bill analysis
political analysis
Minarik (2018):

28. Deeper Dive: Knowledge Needs for Legislative Advocacy & Lobbying
For working with state legislators:
Bill (or issue) analysis
Legislator Hierarchy
Process knowledge (legislative process beyond “How a bill becomes a law”)
Details of procedures and how decisions are really made
Political analysis (legislative district-level)
Minarik (2018):

29. Purpose of Bill Analysis
Be prepared to talk with the legislator about the bill (or issue)—and answer their questions
Minarik (2018):

30. Bill Analysis Knowledge Need
Knowing your issue or bill “upsides and downsides, and who’s on what side”
What’s happening elsewhere in the same state
Cost, feasibility, and impact on state agency
Laws in other states; arguments from other states
Political momentum assessment
Knowing the opposition:
Major players
Their arguments
Your counters to their arguments (rebuttals)
Not those who have no presence at the state capitol
How “tough” will the vote be for the legislator?
How “hot” is the issue likely to get?
Minarik (2018):

31. Bill Analysis Knowledge Strategy
Mostly informal:
Contact state agency legislative liaison for their perspective (feasibility, implementation, position)
Discuss with their clients
Ask colleagues
Contact bill sponsor (or their staff):
Why this bill? What’s the intent?
Assessing the bill’s legislative viability
Looking at the bill’s history, including arguments, reasons it failed, etc.
Talk with prior sponsors
Friendly legislator critical feedback
Minarik (2018):

32. Purpose of Legislator Hierarchy
“Knowing where they sit on certain things…what will get their attention” Select information about the bill of greatest importance or interest to the legislator: Tailoring
Minarik (2018):

33. Legislator Hierarchy Knowledge Need
First used to determine who is “getable” on each particular bill
Background connection to issue
Personal connection to issue
Knowing the needs, interests, and priorities of the legislator/decision maker
Knowing organized constituents
Used in detail to determine best information to share with the particular legislator
Minarik (2018):

34. Legislator Hierarchy Knowledge Strategy
Requires human intelligence gathering:
Values, priorities
Expertise level
Background: professional, military/veteran status, race/ethnicity, political party & campaign statements
Family characteristics
Stated positions (speeches); bill sponsorships (filings); decisions (voting records)
Word choice preferences
Contact; working together
Minarik (2018):

35. Positioning, Legislator Hierarchy and Relationship Strategy
Positioning is a means for:
Sharing initial information about the lobbyist’s expertise (subject area or process expertise)
Intelligence gathering (pictures on the wall)
Assessing the legislator’s issue preferences and priorities, and
Initiating the relationship
Minarik (2018):

36. Tailored Communications & Nonprofit Relationships for Policy Outcomes
Organizational
Resources
Positioning
Access
Networking
mediated by
Policy
Outcomes
Sharing
of Tasks
Openness
mediated by
Tailoring
Assurances/
Legitimizing
policymaker
concerns
Legislator
Hierarchy
knowledge
Combining Minarik (2018) with
Ruggiano, Taliaferro, Dillon, Granger, & Scher (2015)

37. Questions? Thank you!