Ready, Set, GO! : A Blueprint to Take Y our Organization to Advocacy and Action

2. Ready, Set, GO! : A Blueprint to Take Your Organization to Advocacy and Action Olivia Eudaly, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Kelley Gilbert, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America January 24, 2013

3. Contents • Introductions/ Quiz • Action Plan • Step 1: Prepare Your Agency and Board for Public Policy • Step 2:Become a Voice for Your Cause and a Vehicle for Citizen Participation • Step 3: Increase and sustain your advocacy • Group Activity and Brainstorming Session

4. Are you Aware of Your State/Organizations Public Resources? • Take our Government Relations Quiz and find out if you are informed and ready to lead your organization’s advocacy efforts!!

5. What is Advocacy? • Deliberate actions • A process Objective Is Change: • Policy thinking actions or practices • Current or proposed Done on behalf of an individual or a cause

6. Advocacy Capacity What’s at stake? • Limited partnerships • Branding • Funding Case Study: Mentoring Children of Prisoners, HHS-ACF

7. Step 1: Prepare your board and agency for advocacy • Get motivated and educated! • Make advocacy a board priority • Study the legislative process: Federal legislative process see: the House of Representatives web site at: http://thomas.loc.gov/. Information about state budget processes and timetables may available from the National Association of State Budget Officers at: http://www.nasbo.org/.

8. Step 1 Continued: Preparation & Education • Review the relationship between your organization and government • Who’s Who among government officials • Connect public policy with governance

9. Step 1 Continued:Working Your Network • Bring the mission alive through data and stories • Find friends of influence • Assess & Build Your Capacity • Know your issues!

10. Step 1 Assessment • Are you ready to take the first step in advocating for your Littles?

11. Step 2: Become a Voice for Your Cause and a Vehicle for Citizen Participation • Coordinating an initial and consistent meeting with elected officials responsible for mentoring is not an option! • Non-profits are a source of information for mentoring initiatives. • Case Study • Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Tri-Cities in Richmond, VA

12. Step 2 contd… • Build a relationship with policy makers and policy shapers. • Attend townhall meetings • Partner with other youth-serving organizations • Testify at a budget hearing • Submit written or verbal testimony

13. Step 3: Increase and Sustain Your Advocacy • Make face-to-face meetings a priority. • Get to know key-staff in your elected officials office. • You can share information electronically • Start an advocacy newsletter to share with key government staff and other stakeholders. • Write letters to your elected officials

14. Advocacy Breakouts What steps will your organization take to Start Something BIG today?

15. Organizing a Mentoring Legislative Day • What are your organizations objectives during the Legislative Day? • Have you surveyed your board and corporate sponsors to identify GR contacts? • a. List your resources. • Who is the GR leader(s) in your organization? Will this leader take responsibility for coordinating the Legislative Day? • Is the Legislative Day leader close to a government building or landmark? • When is the optimal time to host a legislative day/event? Where? • Have you considered talking to a professional lobbyist? • How will you boost attendance at the Legislative Day? • Identify best practices to work successfully with your members.