NLA Discussion: Grassroots Advocacy

[Jon Randall]

I cannot stress enough the importance of establishing and nurturing
relationships with your elected officials, local, state and federal. To be
effective, this must be part of your annual work plan. At a minimum this
involves:

1. Including the nearest district office of each of your state and federal
lawmakers on your newsletter mailing list
2. Regularly inviting your elected officials to program events
3. Regularly sending press releases, annual reports and thank you notes if
they do something you've asked them to do
4. Developing a one-to-one relationship with the staff person who advises
your legislator on education issues; become a resource to him or her
5. Getting your state and federal lawmakers and their staff members to talk
with adult learners, the most powerful and effective advocates we have

Nancy Hansen's Literacy Breakfast is a great example of creating an annual
event geared for policy-makers. Another excellent example: New York State
LVA programs in Suffolk and Nassau Counties have institutionalized this type
of event. State and local lawmakers there attend year after year and have
become strong supporters.

The rule of thumb I use in evaluating whether I have built a strong
relationship with a Capitol Hill staffer is whether or not I either get to
speak with him or her the first time I call or my call is returned on the
same day. In an office where that doesn't happen, I know I've got work to do
to strengthen the relationship.

I must add that the relationship I can create with these offices is that of
a supporting resource to contacts made by constituents of the Senator or
Congressperson. I am seldom welcomed unless it is as a follow up to a
contact you've made. That's where the NLA can be so effective. If you post
info about what you've done, I and others here in Washington can follow up
and report back too. Posting to the NLA also lets others know what questions
policy makers ask and what arguments go over best.

A number of literacy programs, again like Nancy's,  have gone as far as
having current and former staff members of elected officials on their boards
of directors (community-based programs) or advisory boards (agency-based
programs). Such a board member certainly provides a valuable perspective on
how literacy can fit into government policy's  big picture and may provide a
useful connection to the elected official too.

State and federal elected officials can help with things unrelated to
legislation as well. Many lawmakers work to ensure their reelection by
excelling on helping constituents. For example, they can help by "looking
into" a problem someone is having a with a government agency or by allowing
a program to draft a support letter for them to sign that can be sent to a
potential private funder. Sometimes problems are solved merely by having a
powerful lawmaker ask a few pointed questions. A pithy quote you draft for a
lawmaker makes a good addition to an annual report, a press release or an
article in one of the free community weekly newspapers that are always
looking for stories to run.

Additionally, relationships are enhanced if literacy supporters - as
individuals - make campaign donations to their lawmakers, work on their
campaigns or even allow them to put campaign signs on their lawn. This isn't
essential for access and assistance, but you might be surprised at the
degree to which it improves responsively. The next best thing to being one
is to get these donors and campaign workers on your board, with the
understanding that you want them to use their access to help your program.

At a minimum, every literacy program should regularly have federal, state
and local policymakers visit your program. Please consider making this one
of your commitments to the National Literacy Summit Initiative (NLSI). It is
Priority I [Resources], Outcome B [Federal and state appropriations], Action
6 on the NLSI Action Agenda for Literacy.

Jon

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Moving adult literacy from the Margins to the Mainstream
*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Jon Randall, FedStrategics, LLC
strategic advocacy & public affairs consulting
to charitable organizations
www.FedStrategics.com

8413 Park Crest Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Tel: (301) 588-5304   Fax: (301) 588-5353
jrandall at FedStrategics.com




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