Health Center Advocacy 101

This presentation includes…1. Defining “lobbying”2. Understand legal do’s and don’ts for 501(c)3 non-profits3. Learn practical plans for implementing successful grassroots outreach and impact4. Understand the power and importance of grassroots!

Can Health Centers Lobby?

YES!• You cannot use ANY federal funds to lobby• Keep lobbying expenses below 5% of your

organization’s time and effort

Elected official decisions are important to CHCs and CHC patients

Other Grants/ Contracts

10%

State13%Private

2%

Self Pay12%

Medicare6%

Medicaid/CHIP29%

Federal28%

Income Sources for Health Centers

What Is Lobbying?Advocating the enactment or defeat of pending or proposed federal, state, or local legislation or referendum.

Two types of lobbying:1) Direct lobbying: Communicating directly with the official’s office

Two types of lobbying:

2) Grassroots lobbying: Urging others to communicate with an official

What is advocacy?• Acting in support of a belief, policy, or cause.

• Giving voice on behalf of another.

• The support or recommendation of policy.

The Rules: Dos and Don’tsDO Voter Registration

Voter Education

Distribute Sample Ballots, Guides

Co-sponsor Candidate Forums

Educate the Candidates

Remind People to Vote

Help on Election Day

Recruit Poll Workers

Support or Oppose Ballot Questions

DON’Tx Endorse a candidate for office

x Give resources to candidates

x Rate candidates on your issue

x Tell people how to vote

What is your #1 goal when you meet with an elected official?

To get them to remember that they actually met with you!

Goals1. Can someone get the target on the phone?2. Can you get the target to your center (how often)?3. How often is the center in the media?4. How many local organizations/elected officials do something

CONCRETE to support you?5. How many grassroots advocates do you have? How active are

they?6. How many voters have you registered? Do they vote?7. How much of what you ask your targets for do you get?

Effective AdvocacyEffective advocacy has one requirement: ACTIONSimply discussing issues, challenges, and plans is NOT effective advocacy

To be an effective advocate & attain your goals you MUST Make advocacy an ongoing commitment and priority Translate discussions, plans, and passions into moveable actions Make your voice and perspective heard and understood

Effective Advocacy = Power Grassroots advocacy is about BUILDING POWER

Power is NOT measured by the number of advocates on a list

Power is NOT measured by the number of small (or even large) victories we win

Power must be measured by our ability to successfully advance our own agenda

and to make it unthinkable that any other political or

special interest would ever want to take us on.

Organizing Grassroots Advocacy 1. Advocacy Has to be an Organizational Commitment

The Board Must Take the Lead – a formal commitment to time and resources is essential. Create an Advocacy Committee with a Chair – Board and staff need to be included.

2. Advocacy Has Rules Know the Rules. It’s hard to break the rules, but you can do it if you don’t know what

they are.

3. Advocacy Needs to be done Face to FacePlan to get your local, state and federal

officials (and their staff) to your Center on a regular basis

4. Advocacy Needs Numbers

Organizing Grassroots Advocacy 5. Advocacy Needs a MegaphoneLearn how to use the media

6. Advocacy Needs FriendsLook for ways to reach out to other organizations in your community on a regular basis

7. Advocacy Needs VotesEmpower your health center by making sure your patients and staff are registered to vote and that they vote!

8. Advocacy Doesn’t Stop When the Whistle BlowsYour goal is to build permanent power to influence any issue that affects your center, at any level

of government.

Relative Effectiveness of Advocacy Communications1. A visit to your health center2. A personal meeting back home3. A personal meeting in Washington4. Personal telephone calls5. Personalized Letters (faxed)6. Personalized emails7. Template emails (ineffective unless in volume)

Taking ActionNothing Beats Face To Face Advocacy – Get in front of elected officials and get them to your health center

Personal Stories Matter - Collect compelling stories from patients and staff

Not Everyone Has A Computer - Petitions and letters give everyone a chance to advocate

For Those Who Are Online – Ask for their help! Use social media to share action alerts

Vote! – Encourage others to vote, too

Speaking of Taking Action…Campaign For America’s Health Centers sends Action Alert emails so YOU can connect with your elected officials to ask them to help your health center with funding and other policy matters.

1) SIGN UP to receive action alert emailshttp://www.saveourchcs.org/join-the-campaign.cfm

2) TAKE ACTION when you receive an email!

3) ASK OTHERS to sign up and take action, too!

Contact us!

Send your health center grassroots advocacy questions to

grassroots@nachc.com

Learn more

www.SaveOurCHCs.org