Skills Building Workshop: BAP Rationale, Board Advocacy, Effective Messages & Next Steps DRAFT Curriculum January

1. Skills Building Workshop:BAP Rationale, Board Advocacy, Effective Messages & Next StepsDRAFT Curriculum January 12, 2011

2. What is the Board Advocacy Project? The Board Advocacy Project (BAP) is preparing thousands of Board members statewide to be effective advocates in: • Engaging local, state and federal policy makers • Protecting critical public funding and programs • Informing policy and regulatory decisions • Positioning their agencies for greater support from private philanthropy • Increasing public awareness of homeless and affordable housing issues, needs and proven solutions • Contributing to an emerging public dialogue on democracy, civic engagement and community building

3. Outline for Today’s Activities • 5 min Welcome & Introductions • 10 min BAP Overview & Rationale for Board Involvement • 5 min Group Exercise: The role of government resources • 10 min Defining Advocacy & Lobbying • 10 min Roles for Board Members in Advocacy • 5 min Group Exercise: Jumping in with cell phone advocacy • 5 min How Does Advocacy Fit with Other Board Roles? • 10 min Keys to Advocacy Success • 15 min Communicating Effective Messages • 10 min Group Exercise: Strategic use of Board members • 5 min Next Steps for You, Your Agency & BAP

4. Why Should Nonprofits Engage in Advocacy? • To meet the mission, public funding is probably needed • “If you’re not at the table, your funding or program is likely to be on the table.” • We owe it to ourselves and our clients/residents to assure that best practices are identified and replicated • To do their jobs, elected officials need constituents’ input…and the people we help rely on us to speak up! • Regardless of their ideology, community leaders do a risk-reward-cost-benefit analysis – what are the benefits? • Accurate assessment of community priorities requires the input and perspectives of the nonprofit sector • Advocacy and lobbying are essential elements in the democratic process

5. Are Lobbying and Advocacy allowed & legal? • YES! Absolutely, completely…it’s even encouraged • Basically, the IRS offers two choices for nonprofits: • Section (501)(h) election (aka the “expenditure test”) • “substantial part” test • Section H is recommended & easy to do (1-page form) • Provides clear definitions and generous ceilings • Can be done at any time! • Much has been written about this by the Alliance for Justice and Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest • Additional materials & presentations are available on the AFJ, BAP and CLPI websites (covered in Level 2 training)

6. Why is Advocacy important to your agency? Group Exercise: Estimate the percentage of the agency’s budget that comes from government sources: • Divide Annual Revenue into 4 categories • City, county, state & federal grants and contracts • Program fees & other amounts paid by clients/residents • Gifts/grants from individuals, corporations & foundations • All other revenue • For most nonprofits, government funds > 50% of total • Look at Annual Report (available online in most cases) or annual budget materials provided to board members • How would your agency respond if this sector’s funding for core programs was cut dramatically…or entirely?

7. What makes Board members good advocates? • We are active community members & constituents • Volunteers passionate about agency' mission & services • Informed, but not professional “experts” • Connected & respected community leaders • We have strong values overlap with elected officials • We have a duty to act on behalf of the people we serve to help prevent policy and funding crises if we can • The skills required are the same as used in fundraising • Through BAP & issue coalitions, we are organized and part of larger campaigns − multiple voices, one message

8. Where do Board member advocates fit in? Board members are part of a Unified Team – each with a unique perspective but all speaking the same message • Whom else would you want to include on your agency’s advocacy team – • Residents/clients • Neighbors • Faith community • Business leaders • Media stars • Former electeds • And whom else???

9. External Perspectives on Board Advocacy • Legislator’s Perspective: • Self-interested advocacy is most common • Board members are viewed as knowledgeable, passionate & credible (unpaid) advocates • Executive Directors & staff bring detailed knowledge, on-the-ground experience and technical expertise • Philanthropic Perspective: • Private funding alone will never be enough to secure the housing & services needed to end homelessness • Board members’ commitment to advocacy is of growing importance to both foundations & private donors • Okay to use general operations $$ for advocacy/lobbying

10. What’s the Board Advocacy Project approach? • Expert guidance & training • Help in understanding whom to contact and when • Effective messaging and issue “framing” • Open and easy access to advocacy tools & processes • Portal to state- and federal-level coalitions & alliances • Efficient communications (email, texting & Twitter) • Relationship-driven constituent advocacy • Greater internal cohesion in content and approach • More cross-sector collaborations • Statewide peer support and networking

11. Progress update on today’s Training Agenda • Pre-training survey to capture your advocacy profile • Board Advocacy Project overview & rationale • Role of government funds & impacts if cut or lost • What do we mean by lobbying & advocacy? • What are the board members’ roles in advocacy? • How does this fit in with our other responsibilities? • Group Exercise − strategic use of board members • Keys to advocacy success: • Providing board members what they need • Messaging effectively • Next steps for you, your organization and BAP resources

12. What do we mean by Advocacy & Lobbying? • Advocacy includes a broad range of activities: Getting to know legislators Nonpartisan research/reporting Educating elected officials Trainings & conferences Nonpartisan voter/public education Organizing public rallies Regulatory reform (administrative) Litigation (judicial) • 2 types of Lobbying defined by IRS rules: • Grassroots − urging the general public to act on specific legislation • Direct Lobbying: • When an organization’s staff (or members) • Attempt to influence a specific legislation • Through stating their position to a legislator (or other government employee who is involved in the formulation of legislation)

13. Section 501(h) Allowances The following are not considered lobbying if undertaken by Section 501(h) electing nonprofits: • Self-defense lobbying (when a nonprofit’s existence is threatened) • Lobbying by volunteers − including Board members! • Executive Branch (regulatory changes) • Testimony (when requested in writing by a legislative committee) • Discussion of broad social, economic & similar policies • Nonpartisan study, research or analysis on a legislative issue

14. What are Board members’ roles in Advocacy? • Executive Director’s Roles: • Agency lead in advocacy & lobbying • Guides & supports Board members’ advocacy • Provides data & insight on budget & policy issues • Serves as primary link to advocacy coalitions • …and a lot of other stuff • Board Members’ Roles: • Setting overall direction & scope (Board Advocacy Committee?) • Strategic leveraging of community connections & resources • Mission-based message grounded in volunteer commitment • Looking a legislator in the eye and expecting an answer!

15. Jumping Right In − cell phone advocacy Group Exercise: Call your Senator & ask her to support the State HTF at $200M in 2011-12 • Greeting & Credentials • “Hope you enjoyed the holidays, you remember me from…” • I’m on the board of XYZ nonprofit • “Thanks for your hard work in the 2010 session!” • Looking at the 2011 legislative session: • Ending homelessness is within our reach, but we need your support • The hard economy is all the more reason why we need $200M for HTF to house the most vulnerable • I’ll be coming to Olympia for Housing & Homelessness Advocacy Day on Feb 14th and would like to visit you!

16. How does Advocacy fit with other duties? • Nonprofit Board members’ essential responsibilities: • Maintain the agency’s mission, purpose & momentum • Enhance the organization's public image & reputation • Ensure that adequate resources are available/sustainability • Stewardship/fiduciary duty re: public and charitable funding • Agency governance/legal compliance • Ensure effective organizational planning & operational efficiency • Hire, support and evaluate the Executive Director • Help determine and monitor agency’s programs and services • Set annual goals and assess the board’s own performance • Serve as a final “court of appeals”

17. 4 Core Capacities for Effective Advocacy • Adaptive: the group is monitoring for a window of opportunity (positive or negative) and assesses the optimal moment to intervene • Leadership: there is clarity on how the window relates to the organization’s overall agenda and the leaders possess the credibility to address the specific opportunity • Management: there is the capacity to mobilize all the resources necessary towards the opportunity • Technical: the relevant skills & tools needed to move quickly on the opportunity are all available • The most essential relationship exists btwn leadership & adaptive capacity; they operate in a continuous, reinforcing circle − setting the vision, monitoring & providing feedback to improve decisions

18. Keys to Advocacy Success (covered in depth in Level 2) • Choose your issues thoughtfully (but sometimes they choose us!) • Analyze potential issues/actions • Context: political, economic & social trends; level of public awareness • Problem: what are causes & effects? How related to other problems? • Strategies: what concrete solutions? What criteria to evaluate options? • Specific Proposal: including short- & long-term goals, as appropriate • Analyze the power…and your connections to it • Policymakers • Knowledgeholders • Constituents • Other stakeholders, coalitions and interested parties • Assess political feasibility & internal capacity • ID tactics, audiences, message, messengers & partners

19. Providing Board Members What They Need • Board members already have key skills & experience: • Commitment & passion for issue, mission & constituents • Ability to speak about the problem, solutions & resource needs • Connections to business, political & other community leaders • Credibility • Executive Director/staff/consultants provide: • Technical research, background, analysis, framing & messages • Ongoing monitoring re: progress & timing for specific actions • Almost always will accompany board for in-person contacts • Training and support, as needed, to build skills & confidence • Overall campaign management & connections to partners • Support to Board Advocacy Cmte to assure sound decision-making

20. What makes an effective message? • Framing and Values • The message fits into a familiar context or frame, and speaks to values we all share. • Captivate the Audience • The message is inspiring, memorable and relevant to the listener − not just to the messenger. • Back It Up • Data is never the message, yet data must be available if necessary for proving a point or answering a question. • Broad and Deep • The message is broad enough to encompass everyone we touch, but specific actions the listener can take follow.

21. Effective Values Statements for Housing Issues • An effective message has three components: • What is the problem? Give a specific example/proof of the need for affordable housing. • Why should I care? Use a value statement (see next slide) • What is the solution? – Define a specific needed policy step and action that the listener can take. Example: fund the Housing Trust Fund at $200M in 2011-12 biennium! • Respondents to a poll of “likely voters” conducted by the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance (WLIHA) in 2008 indicated they would most like to hear these messages from: families who need affordable housing, a formerly homeless person or a housing/services provider.

22. 2008 WLIHA Messaging Research Results In focus groups & polls, the following messages rose to the top: • Everyone should have the opportunity to live in a safe, decent and affordable home. • It should be possible for working people to afford housing and still have enough money for such basics as groceries, gasoline and child care. • Children deserve a chance to succeed in school and in life, which all begins with their family’s being able to afford a decent place to live. • It’s better for society, the environment and families if people can afford to live close to where they work.

23. How do we use these tested messages? • Consistently • Message discipline − using the messages as they are written, without changes − is crucial to success. • Constantly • These messages are versatile and work well in our publications, speeches and advocacy talking points. • Paired with Stories • Humanize the issue by facilitating those who have benefitted to tell/share their stories. • Paired with Results • Show that homeless/housing programs are worthy invest-ments by showing results for people and the community.

24. Strategic Use of Board Members in Advocacy Based on input from ED and Board chair/policy lead − • Generate a group exercise that: • Is based on a real-life advocacy situation they face • Will give them the opportunity to use today’s info & skills • Moves the group forward • Builds Board members’ confidence in this arena • Possible activities include: • Relationship “mapping” for a (new?) legislator • Doing an advocacy “inventory” for current Board members • Identifying potential advocacy efforts for 2011 • Generating message frames for 2011 advocacy efforts

25. Level 2 Training Modules – Sustainability • Available modules – February 2011 • Developing an Advocacy Plan/Building Core Capacities • Board recruitment with an eye to advocacy • Involving clients, residents and volunteers in advocacy • Mapping your social networks • Housing messages that work • Potential additional future components: • Establishing a Board Advocacy Committee • Making the most of advocacy coalitions • Navigating the nuances between local, state & federal • A deeper dive into Grassroots & Direct Lobbying • Do’s and Don’ts in an election year

26. Next Steps for You, Your Agency and BAP • Join the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance • Visit the BAP website − join the peer network, download resources, watch videos, follow links & more • Consider forming a Board Advocacy Committee • Use the knowledge and skills garnered today regularly! • Determine the best next step for the agency & schedule a Level 2 “Sustainability” training for later this year • Plan to get to know all your state and federal electeds • What else??? • For more info on BAP or to schedule a training, contact: Joaquin@commongroundwa.org 206-461-4500, ext 110