Tips for Being an Effective Grass Roots Advocate
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8/6/2019 Tips for Being an Effective Grass Roots Advocate http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/tips-for-being-an-effective-grass-roots-advocate 1/2 Tips for Being An Effective Grassroots Advocate (Note: While this document is written for interaction with federal legislators, the guidance is applicable – for the most part -- to all elected officials) 1. REACH OUT TO YOUR ELECTED OFFICIAL. Contact him/her and schedule a mutually convenient time to stop by the local office when Congress is not in session and he/she is back at home in the district to introduce yourself. Introductions can also be made at events to which he/she appears, including Town Hall meetings. 2. FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS. Attend the introductory meeting either by yourself or with other chapter members. Keep the group SMALL. If you will be attending the appointment as a group, get together beforehand to “practice.” For example, one person could talk a little about the organization, another about a particular issue that you want to call to the legislator’s attention, and another to “close” the meeting. Either way, stay organized and focused, to make the best use of your time. You will, in all likelihood, have between 15 minutes to a half hour. Don’t talk about every issue in the first meeting. Remember, this is an introductory meeting and the goal is that you will have more conversations in the future! 3. MEETING HANDOUTS/MATERIALS. Keep it light. Dropping off too many materials is overwhelming to the Member of Congress and/or staff and the likelihood of all of it ending up in the trash is high. There is only so much written material that a congressional office can hold onto or read each day. Remember, they get information from MANY constituents and organizations, not just ours. For example, bring a one pager on the issue of concern. That is all that’s necessary as a good start. You can always provide them more down the road. 4. STAFF. Get to know them. Remember, congressional staff are the ones who have been tasked to take in all the information provided and digest it for the Member of Congress. It’s their job to get the detail for their bosses, who simply don’t have the time to research every issue about which they must be aware. Therefore, it is critical that you not only get to know the staff of your legislator in the district office, but in the DC office as well! Suggestion: Call the DC office and get the name of the staffer (“Legislative Assistants” or “LA’s”) who will handle the specific issues in which you are interested. For example: National Security; Judiciary; Immigration; Energy; Defense. In all likelihood, more than one staffer will be involved. Get the correct spelling of the staffer’s name. If he/she is a House staffer, then the e-mail address will be as follows: [First Name].[ Last Name] @mail.house.gov . If he/she is a Senate staffer, the e-mail address (typically) will be as follows: [First Name]_[ Last Name]@[Senator’s Last Name].senate.gov. 5. DEVELOPING A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH CONGRESSOINAL STAFF. Either call the staffer (leave a detailed message if you get voice mail, which you frequently will), or send him/her an e-mail introducing yourself and requesting a convenient time to speak on the phone. Always note that you are a CONSTITUENT.
Transcript of Tips for Being an Effective Grass Roots Advocate
8/6/2019 Tips for Being an Effective Grass Roots Advocate
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/tips-for-being-an-effective-grass-roots-advocate 1/2
Tips for Being An Effective Grassroots Advocate
(Note: While this document is written for interaction with federal legislators, the guidance is
applicable – for the most part -- to all elected officials)
1. REACH OUT TO YOUR ELECTED OFFICIAL. Contact him/her and schedule a
mutually convenient time to stop by the local office when Congress is not in session and
he/she is back at home in the district to introduce yourself. Introductions can also be
made at events to which he/she appears, including Town Hall meetings.
2. FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS. Attend the introductory meeting either by yourself or
with other chapter members. Keep the group SMALL. If you will be attending the
appointment as a group, get together beforehand to “practice.” For example, one person
could talk a little about the organization, another about a particular issue that you want to
call to the legislator’s attention, and another to “close” the meeting. Either way, stay
organized and focused, to make the best use of your time. You will, in all likelihood,
have between 15 minutes to a half hour. Don’t talk about every issue in the first meeting.
Remember, this is an introductory meeting and the goal is that you will have moreconversations in the future!
3. MEETING HANDOUTS/MATERIALS. Keep it light. Dropping off too many
materials is overwhelming to the Member of Congress and/or staff and the likelihood of
all of it ending up in the trash is high. There is only so much written material that a
congressional office can hold onto or read each day. Remember, they get information
from MANY constituents and organizations, not just ours. For example, bring a one
pager on the issue of concern. That is all that’s necessary as a good start. You can
always provide them more down the road.
4. STAFF. Get to know them. Remember, congressional staff are the ones who have been
tasked to take in all the information provided and digest it for the Member of Congress.
It’s their job to get the detail for their bosses, who simply don’t have the time to research
every issue about which they must be aware. Therefore, it is critical that you not only get
to know the staff of your legislator in the district office, but in the DC office as well!
Suggestion: Call the DC office and get the name of the staffer (“Legislative Assistants”
or “LA’s”) who will handle the specific issues in which you are interested. For example:
National Security; Judiciary; Immigration; Energy; Defense. In all likelihood, more than
one staffer will be involved. Get the correct spelling of the staffer’s name. If he/she is aHouse staffer, then the e-mail address will be as follows: [First Name].[ Last Name]
@mail.house.gov. If he/she is a Senate staffer, the e-mail address (typically) will be as
follows: [First Name]_[ Last Name]@[Senator’s Last Name].senate.gov.
5. DEVELOPING A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH CONGRESSOINAL
STAFF. Either call the staffer (leave a detailed message if you get voice mail, which you
frequently will), or send him/her an e-mail introducing yourself and requesting a
convenient time to speak on the phone. Always note that you are a CONSTITUENT.
8/6/2019 Tips for Being an Effective Grass Roots Advocate
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Start a working relationship with him/ her. Periodically send articles of interest (don’t
bombard the staffer every day!). You want to be viewed as a credible “go-to” person on
your issue(s) of concern. Start the relationship gently. If you are viewed as too
aggressive, or angry, or not credible, you probably won’t get a second chance and that’s a
wasted opportunity.
6. ALWAYS BE RESPECTFUL, PROFESSIONAL, AND POLITE – irrespective of
whether the Member of Congress is supportive or not. You’ll find many Members of Congress who might not be able to support you on one issue, but will on others.
REMEMBER:
ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE JUST ORDINARY CITIZENS LIKE YOU.
THEY DEPEND UPON RECEIVING RELIABLE INFORMATION ON SUBJECTS
THAT WILL IMPACT THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND THEIR COUNTRY, SO THEY
CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS IN THEIR ELECTED OFFICE.
