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Why Grassroots Activism?

Flex our Individual and Collective Muscle

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Key Grassroots Goals• Establish Relationships with Elected

Officials and their Staff– Through Grassroots Activism we establish interpersonal relationships

with our elected officials so that when the time comes for them to act, our interests are at the forefront of their decisions because they know who we are and how their decisions will impact us.

• Establish an Advocate Infrastructure– As a leader, when called to act, will your advocate infrastructure be in

place to effectively pressure decision makers?

• Show the Power of Active Retirees– As an individual, there are many ways to be active in politics and all of

them will increase the power and influence of NARFE

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Campaigns: All Politics are Local

• All Elected Officials start in your backyard– Before they come to Washington, they have to be elected. It’s too easy

to be a cynic and sit back and do nothing. Never overestimate lobbyists’ clout. When you do that, you underestimate your grassroots power.

• Join a Campaign and get to know the Member of Congress or Future Member of Congress.– Their staffs will likely be a part of the campaign. Offer to help the

Campaign with their policies that affect Seniors – You will be SHOCKED to find out how hungry they are for YOUR perspective.

• Show candidates and elected officials that you deal with important issues and are active and vote! – Make it easy for them to support your interests by building a

relationship – not just with the member, but with their key staffers. Contact with offices personalizes your issue with staff members

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Organizations (NARFE)

• Work with Organizations that share NARFE’s Goals:

• Pool Your Activity with the State and Local Chapters of:– Federal-Postal Employee/Retiree Groups– Senior Citizens Organizations– State & Local Government Employee Unions– Police and Firefighters’ Unions– Teachers’ Unions– Some Senior Citizens’ Associations– Military Organizations

• These groups are effected by GPO/WEP or would benefit from Premium Conversion

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NARFE is Political and Non-Partisan

NARFE members and political friends are from all political stripes

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Grassroots Advocacy: You as a Leader

• KEY GOAL: Create an infrastructure that will increase NARFE’s influence and show non-NARFE members the importance of membership

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Cultivation• It is much easier to ask someone

to volunteer if you have already established a relationship with them.

• Identify the active NARFE members, even ones who are inactive on legislative matters and invite them to work on legislative activities from time to time.

• Emphasize that you are not trying to steal them from their work in other areas, simply encourage them to use their expertise and energy for the legislative agenda.

• Explain to them that there are problems that affect NARFE members, including you and the volunteer, and your working together will go to finding a solution.

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Creating your Advocate Infrastructure

• Recruit

• Engage

• Prepare

• Remind

• Record

• Follow-up

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Recruit

• Secure their commitment– Verbal is good; in writing (them signing up) is

better.– People who give you a commitment are most

likely to follow through on the request. – Give them specifics as to what they will be

doing. If this is a general request, then give them a range of activities.

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Engage

• Learn the Strengths and Weaknesses of your volunteers and recruits

• Be aware of people who might be timid or shy about legislative activities and let them know there are a variety of ways they can be involved.

• Not everyone likes to do the same thing.• Appreciate a volunteer’s strengths and

encourage them to be involved in ways that maximize what they enjoy and are good at.

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Prepare

• Prepare for activities and create roles for your volunteers. – Lack of preparation or poor delegation of responsibilities will discourage

volunteers and lead to them not returning.

• Some people will not want to make phone calls but are excellent letter writers and vice versa.

• Give that person the responsibility of making sure letters are sent to the proper legislators. It is counter productive and will lead to the volunteer giving up if you put them in charge of phone calls. Maximize STRENGTHS – minimize weaknesses

• Give the volunteer who enjoys talking on the phone the phone tree responsibility and encourage them to commit to being part of the rapid response squad.

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Prepare: Calling Tree

• Spotlight:

Use their strengths to organize your calling tree

YOU:

________________

Calling Tree Deputy:

_______________

Calling Tree Deputy:

_______________

Calling Tree Deputy:

_______________

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Prepare: Calling Tree

Calling Tree Deputy:

________________

NARFE Legislative Activist:

________________

NARFE Legislative Activist:

________________

NARFE Legislative Activist:

________________

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Prepare: Calling Tree

NARFE Legislative Activist:

________________

NARFE Member:

________________

NARFE Member:

________________

NARFE Member:

________________

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Calling Tree’s EffectYou called 3 Deputies (3 total) (as as example)

• Your 3 Deputies each called 3 Legislative Activists (9 total)

• 9 Legislative Activists each called 3 NARFE Members (27 total) (Continue until all NARFE members have been contacted)

• 27 NARFE Members call their US Representative and two Senators (81 total calls)

• When you, your Deputies and the Legislative Activists (13) call your US Representative and Senators there are 39 additional calls

• Your 1 phone call meant that Congress heard from 40 NARFE members.

• Their office sounded like this:

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Remind

• It is always helpful to remind volunteers of critical legislative alerts, or important upcoming meetings/events.

• A simple phone call a day or two in advance is sufficient.

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Record

• Keep a record of who does what and when• Gives you a clear picture of who’s willing to do

what and who’s actually doing what’s asked• Allows you to identify potential leaders• There are times where people are unwilling to do

the work but are too afraid to admit it• Unfortunately, their response is usually to let the work go

undone

• Let the Legislative Department know what worked and what did not work

• Share the name of someone who you think deserves recognition for all their hard work

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Follow-up and On-Going Responsibilities

• If you can, follow-up with them via phone or letter, telling them what was accomplished and how much you appreciate them.

• They will appreciate feeling appreciated and will be more likely to volunteer in the future knowing they are appreciated.

• Share accomplishment and failures of work. » Did the bill pass/fail?

• Your volunteer team will constantly change.

• It is important to be constantly cultivating new members while encouraging some to take leadership roles.

Continue to Update Member Records with NARFE Headquarters

• As you obtain member emails or phone numbers, or address corrections remember to notify NARFE headquarters: memberrecords @narfe.org, or call

800-456-8410 so current information may be added to the Member Roster, M114.

HELP NARFE – HELP YOU RETAIN YOUR EARNED BENEFITS.