The Keys to a Successful Advocacy StrategyElgin Community College Board of Trustees

Presented by:

April Green, President

Advocacyunlo ked

Part 1: Answer the Big Questions

• WHAT is advocacy?• WHY does it matter?• WHO should being doing it?• HOW do we do it?

What is ADVOCACY?

• Engaging in the legislative process.

• Impacting what policies are passed, and howregulation is written.

• Making a long-term investment in the future of ECC.

Why does it matter?Elected leaders make decisions every day that

impact Elgin Community College.

• Community College Emergency Stabilization Fund Act

• Prospective Job Creation Bill

• Health Care Legislation

Who should be doing it?

• Before legislators make a decisionon an issue, they need to hear froman expert OR from someone theyhave a trusted relationship with.

It takes TWO

There are two types of advocacy……a successful government relations

strategies utilizes both!

Used for: When legislators need to hear directly from stakeholders being impacted or issue

experts.

Alias: Grassroots Mobilization

Example: Mobilizing students in support of taxcredits or financial aid increases.

Stakeholder-Based Advocacy:

Used for: Long-term goals, sensitive situations, local issues, gateway

Alias: Grasstops Moblization, Lobbying

Example: A zoning issue with the Elgin City Council

Relationship-Based Advocacy:

The Roleof

ECC Trustees

The Role of ECC Trustees

• Community College Trustees areunique in the advocacy process.

The Role of ECC Trustees

• Build relationships.• And keep building…

The Role of ECC Trustees

• Cornerstone of successful advocacyeffort.

• Speak with ONE voice

HOW do we do it?

What does a strong advocacy effortlook like?

Ask the audience:

How many bills were introducedin the 110th Congress?

Only 4 percent of billsintroduced in Congress

become laws.

# of bills introduced during the 110thCongress:

11,059(3724 in Senate, 7335 in House)

# of bills that became law:

442

Source: The Sunlight Foundation

The Q-factor : Quality!

• There are many instances in which it is not criticalthat something be done well – only that it be done.Government relations is not such an instance.

• If government relations is not grounded in a soundstrategy – it loses effectiveness - wasting valuabletime and taxpayer dollars.

The Five KEYS• Educate key stakeholders on important legislative issues

in a timely, comprehensive fashion.

• Empower key stakeholders with the confidence to speak onlegislative issues as experts.

• Enable key stakeholders to mobilize quickly in times of alegislative emergency.

• Ensure executive leadership knows when stakeholderscontact legislators.

• Engage community stakeholders on issues affecting thecollege.

Part II:

Unlocking ECC’s Advocacy Potential

A Recap• What:

Advocacy is engaging in the legislative process to impact policyand regulation.

• Why:Legislators make decisions every day that impact ElginCommunity College.

• Who:Advocacy is the responsibility of each person who has a stake inECC and Trustees have a special role to play in this. Asuccessful strategy utilizes both stakeholder-based andrelationship-based advocacy.

• How:The Five kEys (Educate, Empower, Enable, Ensure, Engage)

The Big Three:

Steps to aSuccessfulAdvocacyStrategy

Step 1: Identify Short-Term & Long-Term Goals

• What’s critical now and in the future ?

• How can legislation impact this?

• What’s reasonable?

• What’s realistic?

• What’s the political climate?

Step 2: Determine which type ofadvocacy to apply

• Stakeholder-Based?

• Relationship-Based?

• Both?

Step 3: Integrate the 5 KEYS

• Educate key stakeholders on important legislative issuesin a timely, comprehensive fashion.

• Empower key stakeholders with the confidence to speak on legislativeissues as experts.

• Enable key stakeholders to mobilize quickly in times of a legislativeemergency.

• Ensure executive leadership knows when stakeholders contactlegislators.

• Engage community stakeholders on issues affecting the college.

Case Study:

Pell Grant Program

Follow the 3 Steps

• Step 1: Is it a short-term or long-termgoal?

• Step 2: Determine which type ofadvocacy would work best.

• Step 3: Integrate the 5 keys.

Tricks of the Trade

• Build sustainable tools

• Form follows function

• Think in 3’s

• Simplify

A Word on Associations:

• Great resource

• Valuable tool

• Symbiotic relationship

• Just one tool

5-Minute BREAK

Now it’s your turn!

• Identify a short-term or long-term goal.

• Determine which type of advocacy applies.

• Integrate the 5 kEys.

Discussion

Long-Term Tools

• Legislative Partnerships

• Committee Hearings

• Author a Bill

• Elections

Long-Term Goal Exercise

Federal Legislative Outlook 2010

• Health Care

• Jobs

• Climate Change

Federal Political Outlook 2010

• Congressional Elections

• Illinois Senate

• Illinois House

Ten Tips for Successful a Federal Lobby Day

• Schedule in advance, but prepared to flexible.• Know your audience.• Know your issue.• Be brief. (Rule of 3 applies)• Be compelling.• Bring an expert.• Be punctual.• Be polite.• Get a commitment.• Say “Thank you.”

Questions???