GPNP Advocacy Training by PANO June 2011

Getting to Know Your Legislator -
A Collaboration between PANO & GPNP

Joe Geiger , Executive Director
Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations
777 East Park Drive, Suite 300
,
Harrisburg, PA 17111
(717)-236-8584
joe@pano.org www.pano.org

Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit 1
June 22, 2011 Organizations

Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations

Quiz
Q i

Organizations

Some general th
S l thoughts
ht

 There is no such thing as perfect
p
public p y - Feudal times…
policy
 This is not rocket science -
relationships
 If you are not at the table, who is?
 Sticking your head in the sand does
not mean you won’t get hurt - opinion
won t
on NPO
 Grassroots lobbying is crucial

Organizations

Serenity Prayer
S it P
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Organizations

We are creating more
g
competition for the same dollar

We are fighting within
g g
the nonprofit
community to
y
compete for whose
issue is the most
important – that must
p
stop!
Organizations

We need to be developing
collaboration within the sector

 We must re-educate the public
about the value of the charitable
nonprofit community
 We do more than provide
service
 We must understand what we
have in common with each other

Organizations

Three Common Barriers to
Involvement in Public Policy

 Legality – Is it legal for 501 (c )(3)
organizations to advocate and lobby?
 Legitimacy – Is it legitimate and
appropriate for nonprofits to advocate
and lobby?
 Effectiveness – How can nonprofits
advocate effectively?

Organizations

Three Execs in the countryside
y

Organizations

Getting t K
G tti to Know your Legislator
L i l t

When? How? What?

Organizations

Electioneering
 Charities are prohibited
by law from engaging in
electioneering
 Neither party has a
monopoly on brains or
ethics
Organizations

Penalties:
 10% excise tax -
organizations
 Individuals
 Loss of tax
exemption

Organizations

Allowable Quasi-political
activity:
Voting Records
Questionnaires
Public Forums
Awards

Organizations

Allowable political activity:

V t Registration
Voter R i t ti
Transportation to elections
p

Cannot target a p
g particular demographic to
g p
the exclusion of another

Organizations

Individual Political Activities:

 Contributions
 Volunteering
g
 Letters of Support
Organizations

Meeting ith
M ti with your l i l t
legislator

1. Nervous? You know
more about the subject
2. Advance appointment
important
3. A small delegation is OK
– and may be better
4. Discuss issue from your
legislator s
legislator’s perspective
Organizations

Meeting with your legislator
(continued)

5.
5 Leave fact sheet
6. Write - say thanks -- remind legislator
of agreements reached
g

Organizations

Making the k!
M ki th ask!
1. Do your research – what is the climate,
philosophy,
philosophy record of this elected
2. Approach as precisely and succinctly as
possible
3. To what extent will your request cost tax payer
dollars or save tax payer dollars
4. Put a face on it!
5. Try to make this feel like a win for the legislator
6. Offer your self as a solution or problem solver
7. Can t
7 Can’t answer a question? Don’t bluff, but offer to
Don t bluff
get answer
Role play exercise
p y

Organizations

How d l i l t
H do legislators make d i i
k decisions?
?

1. What are the convictions/philosophies of the legislator
2. What campaign promises were made
3.
3 Where are you in the life cycle of the issue
life-cycle
4. What are opponents of the issue feeding the legislator
5. What was the quality of your presentation of information
6. What credibility status do you have with your legislator
7. What were the marching orders in caucus
8. What issues are the negotiable and non-negotiable
g g

Organizations

Telephone Advocacy
T l h Ad

1. Telephone call can be very persuasive.
 Tool for both direct and indirect advocacy
2. K
2 Keep it brief and to the point
b i f d t th i t
3. Don’t always need to speak to the legislator
4. Calling legislator’s district office is as important
as calling the capitol office
office.
 Depends on the individual legislator, or
relevant staffer

Organizations

Telephone etiquette
T l h ti tt
Never, e er e er ever
Ne er ever, ever, e er stand in front of a
receptionist that is trying to help you and
get on your cell phone iPhone Blackberry
phone, iPhone, Blackberry,
etc.!

Organizations

Emails d A i Al
E il and Action Alerts
Q: How many advocacy emails does Congress receive
per year?
?
 500 million email sent to Congress in 2009
 Increased 200% in 5 years, 300% over 10 years
Q: What percentage actually get through?
 Actual numbers vary from 70% - 20%

CapwizXC higher than industry average

Organizations

Other
Oth ways to communicate:
t i t

Invite legislator to:
g

a. Visit your facility
b. Speak at a meeting sponsored b your group
b S k t ti d by
c. Meet with your board
d.
d Attend breakfast meeting at state capitol

Organizations

Charity Challenge
Ch it Ch ll
 Recognize the importance of
collaboration
 Set aside our differences as sub sectors
sub-sectors
– think as one sector
 Support enforcing existing laws – 100’s
100 s
of cases
 IRS is under-funded – voluntary support
of ethical behaviors

Organizations

PA Government Offices

Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Campaigns Elections & Legislation
Web: http://www.dos.state.pa.us/
Email: ra-lobbydisclosure@state.pa.us
Phone: (717) 787-5280, Fax (717)787-2854
787 5280 (717)787 2854

Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission, Legal Division
Web: http://www.ethics.state.pa.us/
Email: ra lobbydisclosure@state pa us
ra-lobbydisclosure@state.pa.us
(for technical questions)
Phone: (717) 783-1610 or Toll Free at 1(800) 932-0936

Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
Web: http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/theoffice.aspx?id=2099
Email: lobbyingdisclosure@attorneygeneral.gov
Phone: (717) 787-3391

Organizations

Formal vs. Informal Inquiries
F l I f lI ii

UNOFFICIAL ANSWERS:
For Answers to questions on Forms and filings, contact the
Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Campaigns Elections
State
and Legislation (the Bureau)
at ra-lobbydisclosure@state.pa.us or (717) 787-5280.

OFFICIAL ADVISORIES:
For Official Advisories regarding compliance with the Act, contact the
Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission, Legal Division (the
Commission
Commission) at ra-lobbydisclosure@state.pa.us, (717) 783-1610 or
Toll Free at 1(800) 932-0936 or go to
http://www.ethics.state.pa.us/ethics/cwp/view.asp?a=3&Q=81588
p p p p Q

Organizations

For more information

Contact PANO via email at Joe@pano.org or
www.pano.org or phone at (717) 236-8584

PANO leads Pennsylvania’s Community Benefit Sector
to achieve its fullest p
f potential!

Organizations

GPNP Advocacy Training by PANO June 2011

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