Advocacy Makes A POWERFUL Difference!

Tom Melton, Assoc. Director

Marshall Stewart, Assoc. Director

AdvocacyWhy?

• The Situation – Projected budget shortfall– Implications

• Significant ideological change– Smaller government, lower taxes.

• Significant restructuring of priorities– Centralized to decentralized funding model.

• Significant changes in Higher Education– Less state support, higher tuition.

AdvocacyWhy?

• The Situation– Extension Budget Cut Implications

• State/Federal investment – $22.7 million in county positions and programs.– $26.6 million in campus positions and programs.

• County investment– $28.7 million in county positions and programs.

• County Government provides County Extension Offices

AdvocacyWhy?

• The Situation– 10% or 30% Cut Implications– Several hundred positions

• County and Campus combined

– Limited programming

AdvocacyWhere is Our Funding?

• The Situation – Agriculture Program Line Item

• In Education Budget• Funds Research and Extension

Programs at NCSU– Approximately $95 million total– Approximately $53 million to Research– Approximately $42 million to Extension

Advocacy

• The Strategy– Strategic Leadership– Strategic Communication– Strategic Relationships– Strategic Organization– Strategic Action

A Culture of Advocacy!

Advocacy

• The Strategy–Guiding Principles

• 3 Know’s– Know who you are.– Know who you are talking to.– Know what is important to who you are talking to.

• 3 Be’s– Be flexible.– Be relentless.– Be honest.

Advocacy• The Strategy - Advocacy is all about

relationships, yours and theirs…

Advocacy

• Know who and what is important to them–Know their interest

• Do your homework.• This is not about you; this is about them.• Find something and someone that you

have in common.

–Know who you are talking to• It really is about who you know.

Advocacy

• All politics is local.• Make friends when you don’t need them

so that you will have them when you do need them (Lyndon Johnson).

• Always be thankful (Rule of 7).

Advocacy• The Strategy

• Utilize volunteer advocates from the area that they represent.

– Training and preparation is key.

• Figure out where the real power is.– Could be a staffer or a friend or a family member.

• Know how to make your issue, his/her issue (Rule of 12).

– Hit their office with it at least 12 times from various contacts

Advocacy

• The Strategy– Be Flexible.

• Politics is about compromise.• Politics is about negotiation.• Make sure you ask for enough.

Advocacy

• The Strategy– Be Relentless.

• Understand the importance of re-election.– Make sure you have a network (asset) that they see

could be beneficial for them.

• Follow the MONEY ($).– Review campaign reports to see who has their

interest.

Advocacy

• The Strategy– Be Honest

• Don’t lie.• Don’t over-promise.• Don’t commit someone else unless you are

110% sure of their agreement.• Don’t agree to something that you are not

comfortable with.

Advocacy

• The Strategy– Next Steps

• Get to know your lawmakers; make sure they know you.• Let them know how you can help them• Involve lawmakers/policy-makers in your programs.• Prepare your youth, volunteers and supporters with key

messages --- use them in the media.• Do everything with high quality.• Develop a county strategy and report in!

Advocacy

• The Strategy– Supporting Appropriations for Agricultural Programs

Message Points for Legislative Contacts• Explain why a specific program area of extension or research

is important to you.• Tell your representative that the Agricultural Programs budget

lines in the state’s education budget support this program.• Ask your representative to minimize budget reductions to

research and extension programs covered in the Agricultural Programs budget lines because the Ag Programs budget lines do not receive the benefits of funding from tuition or enrollment increases.

Advocacy

• The Strategy– Develop 2 to 3 specific examples of how

Extension programs make a difference for their constituents• Agriculture and Natural Resources• Community Rural Development• 4-H Youth Development• Family and Consumer Sciences

Advocacy

• The Strategy– Extension in ______ County makes a

difference…

(YOUR MESSAGE HERE!)

Advocacy

• The Strategy– Do’s and Don’ts

• Do– Your homework– Use your networks– Act

• Don’t – Lie, over-promise or over-commit– Agree to something you are not comfortable with– Get upset or lose your cool

Advocacy

• The Summary– The Two Most Important Questions in Politics

• How many of you know your legislators, policy-makers and/or influencers?

• How many of your legislators, policy-makers and/or influencers know you?

– The Bottom-line • It is equally important for you to know them and for them

to know you.

Advocacy

• The Summary– Know the facts– Build and use your influence– If we all do our small part, it will make a big

difference for the people we serve

A Culture of Advocacy!