Board Mobilization for Advocacy

National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference,

July 13, 2010

Goals of the Project

Expand significantly the number of powerful advocates involved in ending homelessness

Leverage the Unique & Powerful position of board members/community leaders

Support housing and homeless agencies’ mission and financial health

Motivate, build skills, build infrastructure, sustainability

Types of advocates

Lobbyists & Paid Practitioners

Campaign Contributors

Member-driven coalitions

Unpaid Individuals, including board members of 501(c)(3) nonprofits

Types of Advocates

Doing the Math:

COMMON GROUND ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET, 2010

Development Fees 2,678,530 78%

TA Grants - HUD, State $544,076 16%

Private Grants $154,514 4%

Donations/Events/Appeals $56,888 2%

Total 3,434,008 100%

Total Public = 94%

Total Private = 6%

You’re the Policy Maker:

Policy Director Is He Credible? Paid Professional Constituent Expert on the Issues Respected You see him in the

hallway a lot.

You’re the Policy Maker:

Is He Credible? Board Member Volunteer Informed on the Issues Constituent Community Leader Owns a coffee shop He helps out at your

town hall meetings.

Who Will Be more likely to influence you?????????????????

Board Member Perspective

#1 Role = financial health of agency Preservation and development of $$

needed to achieve mission Typical focus is private fund raising For many nonprofits, public funds are

largest portion of revenues Fears - advocating for public resources is

new.

BARRIERS

Legal fears Other Priorities & Limited Time Executive Directors Partisanship Peers Inadequate Support and Information Looking Dumb

Introducing Advocacy to Your Board

“Do the Math” – look at your operating budget & resources your clients need to succeed;

Cell Phone Advocacy – build confidence, use peers – give them the tools;

ED pep talk on advocacy; Connect to the Mission. Make Initial org commitment to Advocacy Give one hour per week.

1. LEGISLATOR PROFILE

(What does the Leg care about?)

2. NETWORK(Who has influence

with the Leg?)

3. BILLS, INITIATIVES & AGENDAS

(Leg’s Recent Policy Priorities)

4. ADVOCACY PRIORITIES FOR LEG(3-5 near-term “H &

H” wins for Leg)

5. BOARD ADVOCACY STRATEGY

(What Board will do to persuade Leg to act

on policy priorities)

BMfA CURRICULUM

Legislator’s Perspective

Self-interested Advocacy is most common

Board members are knowledgeable, passionate, credible, community-based

Executive Directors & staff are alsoa critical component for effective advocacy – for their technical knowledge & experience.

ED’s Role in Advocacy

Advocacy lead for agency (usually) Supports advocacy activities of Board

Members Link to Advocacy Coalitions Provides data and insight on budget and

policy issues And does a lot of other stuff

How to Mobilize Board Members?

Traditional Organizing: One-on-one Editorial Boards Fact Sheets Direct Mail Champion/Hero Programs

How to Mobilize Board Members?

Cloud Organizing: Online Headquarters Database driven Accessible, Immediate Email, Blogs, Facebook, Twitter Inexpensive (per supporter) Ease of Attraction or Repulsion

How to Mobilize Board Members?

Cloud Organizing: Online Headquarters Database driven Accessible, Immediate Email, Blogs, Facebook, Twitter Inexpensive (per supporter) Ease of Attraction or Repulsion

Federal Advocacy

Local Offices, district meetings Email Capitol Meetings Start with Staff

Project Resources 13 minute “motivational” video:  http://www.501videos.com/clnt/cg/cg3-7bF1.html  Senator Patty Murray video (4 minutes):    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMZwTC3pKxc Other resources and tools on board advocacy can

be found at the project website: www.boardadvocacy.org

More Resources “Nonprofit Board Member’s Guide to Lobbying and

Advocacy”, Marcia Avner (MN Council of Nonprofits) NAEH: http://www.endhomelessness.org/ NLIHC:

http://www.nlihc.org/template/index.cfm Alliance for Justice: http://www.afj.org/ Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest:http://www.clpi.org/ Enterprise Community Partners:http://www.enterprisecommunity.org/public_policy/advocacy/default.asp

Comments or Questions?

Walter Zisette

(206) 461-4500, ext. 111

walterz@commongroundwa.org