Citizen's Guide to Activism

8/14/2019 Citizen's Guide to Activism

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Who We Are

The Maryland League of Conservation Voters(LCV) Education Fund isa 501(c)(3) nonprofit,nonpartisan organizationincorporated in 2000 to

build the effectivenessand capacity of Marylandsenvironmentalmovement.

What We Do We are dedicated to maximizing theparticipation of conservation-minded voters inpublic policy decisions made at the state andlocal levels regarding Maryland's environmentand natural resources. Our programs strengthen

and build the power of the environmentalcommunity, and they expand, deepen, andactivate the base of conservation-minded votersaround the state.

Why Should You Make Your Voice Heard?

Do you care about the health of your family and community?

Do you want Maryland to invest in a cleanenergy future creating jobs and economicgrowth now?

Do you want more transportation choices,and to revitalize our older communities,protect parks and open spaces?

Do you want to preserve the Chesapeakeand Coastal Bays, and halt pollution?

If you answered yes to these questions,then make your voice heard by using thisCitizens Guide to Activism .

W HO W E A RE

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Marylands Environment is At Risk

Time is of the essence. The Maryland LCV Education Fund and other conservationorganizations are grappling with many challenges and fast-approaching deadlines.Marylanders face: Threats from global warming,

Polluted waterways and runoff, and Intense land, transportation, and energy

demands from a booming population.

In 2010, Maryland will reach its self-imposeddeadline for achieving the Chesapeake 2000

Agreement goals. In the current economy,

legislators must wrestle with the realities of the recession and the resulting need to deal with a $1 to $2 billion revenue shortfallaffecting many of the programs that protectour natural resources.

Public support for conservation issues

remains high. In the 2008 elections, theenvironmentparticularly energy independence and green jobswas animportant issue for many candidates. Wehave seen encouraging signs from GovernorMartin OMalleys Administration and theGeneral Assembly in the first two sessions of their current terms, but the present economicsituation underscores the need for theenvironmental community to remain on thefrontlines, advocating for policies thatprotect our air, land, and water.

Public pressure is very important in keepingthe environment in the forefront. Educatingconservation-minded citizens and generatingpublic awareness of and support forconservation issues is the mission of theMaryland LCV Education Fundand why wecreated this Citizens Guide to Activism.

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ARYLAND AT R ISK


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4 The Legislative Process

5 Governor6 General Assembly

7 Attorney GeneralComptrollerBoard of Public Works

8 State Agencies

12 Individual Actions thatMake a Di ff erence

13 Contacting Legislators

15 Write to the Newspaper

17 Find a Local Group

20 Strengthen Your Local Group

21 Planning to Win

22 Develop a Message

23 Building Relationships withLegislators

24 Holding Successful Legislator

Meetings25 Convey Your Message in

the Press

27 Press Conference Checklist

29 Town Hall Meetings 30 Pick the Right Tactic

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Remember Your Civics Class?

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L EGISLATIVE P ROCESS

It probably has been a while since you took acourse in state government, so we thought acrash course in the legislative process might beuseful.

When a state legislator decides that thereoughta be a law, he or she first drafts thelanguage of the bill and then introduces it in theSenate or House Chamber, where it is assigned abill number. Then the long process begins of hopefully making it to the Governors desk tobe signed into law.

First Reading onthe Floor

Second Reading

on the Floor

Referral to Committee Referral to Committee

Third Readingon the Floor

First Reading onthe Floor

Second Reading

on the Floor

Third Readingon the Floor

Consideration inOriginating Chamber

Conference Committee(when necessary)

To Governor

First Chamber Second Chamber

A bill can be amended in Committee and during

second reader, and can be killed at any pointalong this process.

Sign or Veto


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Marylands Governor

The Governor of

Maryland is theChief Executive of the state. He or sheis responsible forenforcing the lawspassed by thelegislature, draftinga budget, andoverseeing all stateagencies. TheGovernor is elected

every four years by the citizens of Maryland but may not serve

more than two consecutive terms. Whilethe legislature enacts the laws for theGovernor to enforce, the Governor also cansubmit bills to the legislature for approval.If the legislature passes a law that theGovernor does not like, he may veto it. Itthen requires 3/5 vote of each house of the

legislature to override a veto.

One of the Governors most importantpowers is drafting a state budget. TheMaryland Constitution requires the

Governor to submit a balanced budget tothe legislature each year. The legislaturecan cut items from the budget but may notadd anything to it. In addition to enforcingthe laws, the Governor also holds a seat onthe powerful Board of Public Works thathas broad powers over state expenditures.Other responsibilities of the Governorinclude serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Maryland National Guard, grantingpardons or commutations, and appointinga person to head each state agency.

Learn more at: www.gov.state.md.us

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GOVERNOR


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Marylands General Assembly

The Maryland legislature, known as the

General Assembly, is responsible forpassing the laws of the state. Its membersare elected every four years. The General Assembly is divided into two separatebodies: the Senate and the House of Delegates. The 47 senators and 141delegates convene for a 90 day sessionfrom January to April each year.

Any delegate or senator may sponsor a bill, which he or she submits to theDepartment of Legislative Services fordrafting. Once drafted, the Speaker of theHouse or the President of the Senateassigns the bill to a committee for review.

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Senate Standing Committees

Budget and Taxation * Education, Health& Environmental Affairs * Finance *

Judicial Proceedings

House Standing Committees

Appropriations * Economic Matters *Environmental Matters * Health &

Government Operations * Judiciary * Ways & Means

If the committee reports the bill favorably,then it goes to the floor to be rejected,amended, or passed. In order for a bill tobecome law, it must first pass bothchambers by a majority vote and then besigned by the Governor .


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The Attorney General

The Attorney General

of Maryland, electedevery four years withno term limits, is theprincipal legal officerof the State of Maryland. He or shedetermines thedirection of the legalbusiness of the state and serves as the legaladvisor to the Governor, the General Assembly, commissions, officials andinstitutions of state government.

Learn more at www.oag.state.md.us

The Comptroller

The Comptroller of Maryland serves as thechief financial officer of the state. It is astatewide elected position with a four yearterm. The main duty of the Comptroller istax collection but he or she also pays thestate's bills, maintains its books, preparesfinancial reports, and pays state employees.

Learn more at www.marylandtaxes.com

The Board of Public Works

The three member Board of Public Worksis comprised of the Governor, StateTreasurer and Comptroller. They meetevery Wednesday to approve expendituresfor state bonds, the sale or transfer of thestates real property, and most statecontracts exceeding $200,000. Their morehigh profile duties involve protecting thestate's submerged lands, shoreline, andtidal wetlands, authorizing Program OpenSpace expenditures, and issuing licenses todredge or fill wetlands.

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STATEWIDE O FFICES


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M ARYLANDS A GENCIES

Marylands Department of theEnvironment

The mission of the Maryland Departmentof the Environment (MDE) is to protectand restore the quality of Marylands air, water, and land resources, while fosteringsmart growth, economic development,healthy and safe communities, and quality

environmental education for the benefit of the environment, public health, and futuregenerations.

Recent key MDE actions include:convening Marylands Commission onClimate Change, which issued 42

recommendations to curb global warmingpollution; releasing updated regulations onstormwater management, fly ash, andpoultry pollution; as well as actively promoting programs for upgrading sewagetreatment plants and septic tanks.

BayStat and MDE Stat are two innovativetools at MDE where citizens can monitorprogress on the environment.

Learn more at www.mde.state.md.usand www.baystat.maryland.gov

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Marylands Department of NaturalResources

The Department of Natural Resources(DNR) preserves, protects, enhances andrestores Maryland's natural resources forthe wise use and enjoyment of all citizens.For example, DNR leads MarylandsChesapeake Bay Program, oversees more

than 400,000 acres of public lands acrossthe state through the State Forest & ParkService, and manages the health andrecreational use of Maryland's fresh andsaltwater finfish and shellfish.

Recent key actions by DNR include:

proposing new crab regulations to modify commercial and recreational watermensfemale blue crab catch; using ProgramOpen Space (POS) funds for the state topurchase and preserve forests, farms, andparkland; and launching the onlineinteractive GREENPRINT to showcase the

progress of land conservation.Learn more at www.dnr.state.md.us

Marylands Department of Agriculture

The Maryland Department of Agriculturesmission is to provide leadership andsupport to agriculture and the citizens of Maryland by conducting regulatory,service, and educational activities thatensure consumer confidence, protect theenvironment, and promote agriculture.

Learn more at www.mda.state.md.us

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Marylands Department of Planning

The Maryland Department of Planning(MDP) promotes growth that fosters vibrant, livable communities, preservesand protects the environment, and makesefficient use of state resources. MDPprovides data, trend analysis, researchassistance, and policy development and

implementation support for localgovernments, communities, businesses,and organizations. MDP also providestechnical assistance, local program review,and planning design services forMaryland's counties and municipalities.

Learn more at www.mdp.state.md.usMarylands Department of Transportation

The MarylandDepartment of

Transportation(MDOT) isresponsible forbuilding, op eratingand maintaining a safe and seamlesstransportation network that linksMaryland with the rest of the country andthe world. MDOT directs and oversees theplanning, construction and operation of Maryland's highway, transit, maritime, andaviation facilities. The decisions made by MDOT have far reaching implications ongrowth in Maryland, climate change, and

even the health of the Chesapeake Bay.Learn more at www.mdot.state.md.us

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Marylands Energy Administration

The mission of the Maryland Energy

Administration (MEA) is to maximizeenergy efficiency while promotingeconomic development, reducing relianceon foreign energy supplies, and improvingthe environment. MEA advises theGovernor on directions, policies andchanges in the various segments of theenergy market. As demand/supply competition, technological innovations,and policy changes by the federal

government causemajor changes inmarket sensitive

energy sectors (e.g.,petroleum markets,gas deregulation,and emergingcompetition in theelectric utilities

sector), state government must be in

position to respond to new opportunities,as well as adjust to any potential dangers.

Learn more at: www.energy.state.md.us

Critical Area Commission

The Commission was created by theCritical Area Act in 1984. Today, theCommission's primary responsibilities arethe following: review and approve stateprojects on state-owned land in the Critical Area; review and approve state or localagency actions resulting in major

development on private lands or landsowned by local jurisdictions; and reviewand approve all changes to a jurisdiction'sCritical Area Program, including changesto ordinances, regulations, and maps.

The Commission consists of 29 voting

members who are appointed by theGovernor.

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Call Them

Your legislators need to hear from you!

Let your legislators know that you careabout Maryland's environment. It is mosteffective to call their office and request anin-person meeting (either in yourcommunityknown as an in-districtmeeting or intheir Annapolisoffice). If youdont have timefor a meeting, thenext best thing to win their vote on

a bill is call their office or write a personalized letter , urgingtheir support. Finally, if you only have 5minutes, visit www.marylandconservation.org to send them an e-mail.

How do I find out which legislative district I live in?

Go to www.mdelect.net to look up your Maryland state senator anddelegates.

How do I contact my legislators?

Call 1-800-492-7122 and the LegislativeReference Desk will connect you.

Write Them a Letter

A well-written, personal letter to your

decision-maker is a highly effective way toshape his or her decisions. You can write aletter on behalf of your organization andask your members, board, or coalitionpartners to sign it. Or you can plan a letter writing campaign, where you ask many people to write personalized letters withina short period of time.

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CONTACTING LEGISLATORS


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Send Them an E-mail

How do I find their e-mail or mailing ad-dress?

Go to www.mdelect.net to find the e-mailaddresses of your elected officials.

How do I make an e-mail effective?

Use the subject line to state why youare writing them,

Emphasize up front that you are a con-stituent, include your name and ad-dress,

Share a personal story about why youcare about the issue, and

Ask them to reply to you with theirposition on theissue.

When communicatingwith a legislator remember to:

Give him or her enough time to con-sider the issue before needing to vote

on it, If writing a letter, be sure it is clear and

concisetwo pages is more thanenough,

Include the bill name and number,

Use your personal experiences to illus-trate your point, and

You can also clip a newspaper articleand mail it to your elected officials. In-

they are going to address your issue.

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clude a handwritten note asking how


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Write to Your Local Newspaper

A great way to get attention forenvironmental issues is to take yourmessage to the press by writing a letter tothe editor of your local newspapers. Notonly will you influence many of yourneighborselected officials often use this widely read section of the newspaper as a

means to gaugepublic opinion when makingdecisions.

Tips: Be concise and to the point - a

maximum of 200 words,

It is most likely to be printed if yourespond to and reference recentarticles,

Write about only one topic per letter,

State your point at the beginning andend of your letter,

Use vivid language to express your view,

Draw conclusions and recommend acourse of action, and

Always include your name,organizational association if you haveone, and phone number (someonefrom the paper may call to verify that

you are the author of the letter).

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W RITE TO THE NEWSPAPER


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COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY

How to Talk to the Media

Be Clear Be aware of informationoverload; you should have two or threemajor points.

Be Concise Less is more! Know what your sound-bite is and keep it to 20seconds for TV and Radio, and twosentences for Print Media.

Be Connected Try to make an emotionalconnection with your audience.

Be Compelling Try to make your story interesting cite specific examples whenpossible.

Be Consistent Repeat your major messagepoint a number of times the more yourepeat the message, the more it will beremembered.

Tips: Think about who you are trying to

persuade: is it legislators, voters, homeowners? Ask yourselfwhat is the bestmessage to reach your target audience?

Who is the best messenger?

Rememberpeople dont like beingblamed or told what to do. Instead, beclear about who the real enemy is andgive them a vision and the opportunity to make a difference.

Use facts and local examples toillustrate a story, but remember

without the vision, facts aremeaningless.

Understand your audiencesperspective and talk about what isrelevant to them now.

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Join an Environmental Group

Maryland has a large and diverse

environmental community with groups of allsizes that are fighting to protect ourenvironment. Whether it is a neighborhoodorganization working to protect a localstream, or a statewide group fighting toaddress the impacts of global warming, allthese groups have one thing in common:they need people like you. You can be anintegral part of their work by volunteering your time and skills, joiningtheir e-mail networks, and providing financial resources.

Find a Group Near You

The Maryland LCV Education Fund has builtan extensive grassroots program we are

working to identify, educate, and engagepeople like you all over the state. As aresult, we have the ability to connect you togroups and activities in your area. If you

would like to find a local group near you,please call our office and we will assist you.

To join the Maryland League of Conservation Voters Education Fundor request information:

E-mail: [email protected] 410-280-9855

Website: www.marylandconservation.org

To join or learn more about our affiliatedorganization, the Maryland League of

Conservation Voters :E-mail: [email protected] 410-280- 9855

Website: www.mdlcv.org

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IND A LOCAL GROUP


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Marylands many statewide environmentalgroups have a long and successful tradition of working together for common goals. At theMaryland LCV Education Fund, we consider it

part of our mission to strengthen the states envi-ronmental coalitions and build the power of theenvironmental community.

Please take a minute to look into these groupsand consider volunteering your time or making acontribution. These groups are on the frontlines,fighting to protect our air, land and water, andmaking Maryland a better place for us all.

Please visit their websites to find the rightgroup for you and then call them!

1000 FRIENDS OF M ARYLAND410-385-2910 www.friendsofmd.org

A UDUBON N ATURALISTSOCIETY 301-652-9188 www.audubonnaturalist.org

CHESAPEAKEB AY FOUNDATION410-268-8816 www.cbf.org

CHESAPEAKECLIMATE A CTIONNETWORK240-396-1981 www.chesapeakeclimate.org

CLEAN W ATER A CTION410-235-8808. www.cleanwateraction.org

ENVIRONMENT M ARYLAND410-467-0439

www.environmentmaryland.org

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ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS


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M ARYLAND CONSERVATION

COUNCIL

www.mdconservationcouncil.org

M ARYLAND PUBLICINTEREST R ESEARCH GROUP410-467-9389

www.marylandpirg.org M ARYLAND PESTICIDE

NETWORK410-849-3909

www.mdpestnet.org

ONE LESS C AR 410-960-6493

www.onelesscar.org

P ARTNERS FOR OPEN SPACE410-830-9741

www.partnersforopenspace.org

SIERRA CLUB-MD CHAPTER 301-277-7111

www.maryland.sierraclub.org

THE CONSERVATION FUND410-757-0370 www.conservationfund.org

THE N ATURE CONSERVANCY 301-897-8570

www.nature.org

TRUST FOR PUBLIC L AND202-543-7552

www.tpl.org

W ATERKEEPER CHESAPEAKE202-257-0877

www.waterkeeper.org

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Your Local Groups

Local groups have a tremendous impact ontheir community and the environment. If you are a member or volunteer with a localenvironmental group, you know that ittakes a lot of hard work, dedication, andcooperation to get the job done. This work

can be incredibly rewarding, fun and - if successful - you are a part of makingchange for the environment.

There are a number of tried and true waysto achieve victory on an issue. At theMaryland LCV Education Fund, we believethat a good plan, a coherent message, and well executed tactics are the keys to a

give you some helpful tips on how yourorganization can

be more efficientand effective.

Whether at theU.S. Congress, theMaryland General Assembly, or yourlocal town council,

your group can make a difference.

Every action your group takes shouldmatch the message of your campaign. So,after setting the goals of your campaign

(e.g., convince the County Council to ap-prove once a week recycling pick up), thendefine your message.

Everyone in your group needs to commu-nicate the same message when giving pres-entations, talking to the press, e-mailing

other activists, etc. It is critical to have thegroup agree on and USE the same message.

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STRONG LOCAL GROUPS

strong campaign. In this next section, we


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The Campaign Plan

Campaign Goal: This is what youultimately want to achieve. It should bea broad, short statement.

Lay of the Land: Find out what ishappening on your issue now and whathappened in the past. This is importantbecause it will help to shape yourobjectives and the tactics.

Strategy: Determine who will support your goal and why.

Campaign Objectives: Break down yourcampaign goal into specific,measurable, and realistic objectives you

want to achieve. These will help youreach your overall campaign goal.

Campaign Tactics: Break each objectivedown into tactics: research, lobbying,designing leaflets, sending letters tothe editor, generating calls and lettersto decision-makers, etc.

Timeline: It is highly unlikely that you will be able to work on all of yourcampaign objectives at the same time.Plot out your tactics on a calendar tospace out your work and ensure that

your objectives and tactics are realistic.

Remember: a plan isnt worth much unlessits written down and used!

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Successfulcampaigns begin

with a strong plan. A good campaignplan needs tocontain all of thefollowing elements:

P LANNING TO W IN


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Message Creation

An important element of any successfulissue campaign is the message. It's thestory you want your audience to hear. Itdrives your communication strategy (Whodo they need to hear the story from? How will you tell them?).

Organizationally, agreeing on a clear andconcise message will help your groupeffectively communicate why you arerunning your particular campaign in a tonethat resonates with decision-makers (usetheir reasons, not yours).

The message should be a short, snappy statement that encapsulates why the issueis important and why people should careabout it. It will be your key communication tool with the public andthe media.

The first step is to craft a statementabout why you care about this issue - why your group picked this campaigngoal, and why is it important.

Think about your strategy and what

story your decision-makers need tohear to support your campaign.

Think about language that enables youto communicate effectively with themedia about why they should take aninterest in your cause. Also, thinkabout what the public needs to hear toengage in your campaign.

Complete your message statement inthe following order: context, problem,solution, conflict, and call to action.

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DEVELOP A MESSAGE


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Building a Relationship with yourElected Officials

Whether your group is a local watershedassociation, garden club, or global warmingadvocacy group, one of the best ways tomake sure your voice is heard is to build a positive relationship with the lawmakers who vote on issues that you care about.

When building a relationship withlawmakers, remember that:

Elected officials work for you, theconstituents who elected them, andtheir duty is to fairly represent the values and ideals of the community.

Lawmakers are regular people withfamilies, jobs, and their own personalconcerns and causes.

Lawmakers really care about the thingsthat they think are important to theirconstituents.

There are a number of ways for your groupto build relationships with lawmakers:

Meet with Your Legislators

Meeting with your legislator is one of themost effective persuasion tactics that yourgroup can employ. Lawmakers alwaysrespond well to constituents, particularly when they are making a personal appeal.

It doesnt matter if you are requesting a

meeting with a U.S. Congressperson, astate legislator, or your local mayor, thereare a few things to remember if you wantto have a successful meeting.

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SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS

Holding a Successful Meeting

Create an agenda ahead of time. Askpeople attending the meeting with youto come early so you can finalize theagenda and talking points.

Designate one person in the meetingto clearly explain the issue, and an-other person to make the ask or tellthe lawmaker what you want them todo (vote for bill, request funding for your project, etc.). Be prepared to asktwice before you get a clear answer.

Leave time in the beginning to ask thelawmaker how he or she is, inquireabout family, the community, or to askabout his or her priorities for the legis-lative session. This is an opportunity tostart building a personal relationship.

Invite others to speak and take thepressure off youthis shows that lotsof people care about the issue. Identify the right messengers (e.g., a nurse if you are talking about childrenshealth).

Tips: Send a thank you note and follow up

on any questions after the meeting.

Continue to look for chances to be aresource .

Rememberbuilding a relationshipmeans not always asking an electedofficial to do something. Arrange op-portunities to get to know them better,and for them to get to know you and your organization better.

Thank them when they do what youask!

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Get Your Groups Messagein the Press

The press is a great way to build supportfor your issue and put pressure on deci-sion-makers. Here are two simple ways toget your message out to the media.

Organize a Letter to the Editor Campaign

On page 15, we gave you tips for writingletters to the editor (LTE). As an organiza-tion, you can turn this tactic into a muchlarger campaign:

When you see an article in the paperabout your issue, have 5 to 10 of yourmembers each write an LTE in re-sponse (remind them of your mes-sage!). Many news-papers use the quan-tity of letters they receive on a specificarticle to determine which letters toprint. So, sendingmore than one letter will enhance thechance that one of your activists letters will be printed.

Tips: Hold an LTE writing party at some-

ones house, or dedicate the last 30minutes of a meeting to everyone

helping each other write and submitletters to the paper.

When a favorable article or LTE is pub-lished, have a few of your activists clipout the article or LTE and send it totheir lawmakers with a personal note

about the issue and a request for fur-ther information.

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CONVEY Y OUR MESSAGE


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Hold a Town Hall Meeting

Town hall meetings are large events (30 to200 people) designed for public educationand political pressure. They are mosteffective when the subject of the event isrelevant to an upcoming vote. Here aresome tips to organizing a successfulmeeting:

attract people to the meeting? Who arethe right messengers to put pressure on your decision-maker?

a room in a local library or church, setthe time (7:30 p.m. is usually good),figure out electronic needs(PowerPoint, etc.).

can ask other groups to co-sponsor theevent (in exchange for promoting theevent offer them a table).

people to show up, then you need tocall and ask them to do so. The best way to ensure someone attends is foran actual person to call. Set up a fewnights when activists get together andcall through your lists. Remind youractivists the night before.

TOWN H ALL MEETINGS

Find a speaker or speakers . Who will

Arrange logistics in advance . Reserve

Invite others to get involved . You

Pick up the phone . If you want


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Write an Op-Ed

An Op-Ed is not a newsstory; it is your opinionabout your issue.

Ask writers who willreflect your message tosubmit one. Offer todraft a sample.

Check a publications requirements(most are 500-800 words).

Begin by telling readers why they should care, and conclude with a call toaction (attend hearing, vote for bill,

etc.). Review opinion pages to get a sense of

what papers are publishing.

Editorial (Ed) Board Meeting

Editorials are similar in length to Op-Eds,but are powerful because they are writtenas the opinion of the newspaper.

Identify members of the editorial board who specialize in your policy area.

Call or e-mail to request a meeting.

Prior to meeting, research Ed Boardmembers and adjust your message.

Invite experts to attend who can tell astory using your message.

Bring relevant materials.

Follow up with a thank you note.

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Press Conference Checklist

Hold a Press Conference

Do you have something newsworthy andurgent to report such as a report releaseor a coalition launch? A press conference isa great way to share information andcontrol the message. They are also a lotof work so make sure you have a good

visual event and have help to pull it off.Sometimes just a press release is fine.

About two weeks before the pressconference:

Determine the location of the event -

does it add value to the press conferenceand send a message? Is it easy for thereporters to find?

Determine the time of the event -reporters are always working ondeadline, so between 10:30 am and

noon is a good bet. Set the agenda for the event, invite the

speakers, determine the main talkingpoints and assign speakers to makethem. Make sure that the speakersunderstand the logistics and the

messages you wish them to convey. Develop a press list: this is a list of

the important newspapers, radio andTV stations and bloggers that you wantto attend your press conference. You

will need their e-mail addresses and

phone numbers. About one week before the press conference:

Send a Media Advisory to all thereporters. This is simple announcementthat includes: who will speak, the

purpose of the event, where and whenit will be held, and why a reportershould cover it.

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PRESS CONFERENCE


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Draft the press release with quotesfrom each speaker, include his or hercontact information. Make sure thateach speaker approves the release andquote.

Produce any props that you may needfor the press conference. Prepare presssign-in sheets.

One or two days before press conference:

Send out the media advisory for thesecond time. Follow that up with a callto all the reporters and ask if they planto cover the event.

Check in with your speakers to makesure their remarks are written. Also, toensure you are prepared, practice yourremarks out loud.

Make press packets that include: theapproved press release, background

materials on the issues, and basicinformation about your group.

The morning of the press conference:

Send the media advisory out for thethird time around 8:00 a.m., to the TV

stations only (TV editors make decisionin the morning about what events they will cover. Follow that up with a call tothe TV stations news desks, ask if theevent is on their calendar.

Immediately after the press conference:

Send out the press release to everyone who did not come. Follow that up by calling the reporters.

The day or two after the press conference:

Make sure that you clip any printmedia and download any TV, radio, orblog coverage that you have received.

C HECKLIST


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Checklist: Choosing the Right Tactic

One of the most strategic ways to increasethe eff ectiveness of your groups effo rts orcampaigns is to wisely choose the righttactics to employ. This will make a HUGEdiff erence in how decision-makers view your organization, how you retain

volunteers or members, and, ultimately, in whether or not you reach your vision of protecting Marylands environment.

Before choosing a tactic (e.g., holding arally, organizing a town hall meeting,starting an online petition, sponsoring astream clean-up, etc.) always ask:

Which speci c goal do we hope toachieve through this activity?

Who is our target or audience for this

tactic? Identi

ed decision-makers?Media outlets?

How will this tactic communicate ourcampaigns message?

Will this activity hurt your

organizations overall credibility?

Do we have the time, money, andpeople necessary to execute this tactic?Is its impact on your goals worth theinvestment of limited resources?

If the media is your audience, is theactivity newsworthy?

Can your coalition partners contributemoney, people, or connections?

Will it help you build your group by engaging and inspiring your base?

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NOTES


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NOTES


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STAFF:

Cindy Schwartz, Executive Director

Jen Brock-Cancellieri, Director of Outreach Aaron Mintzes, Legislative and Political Manager

Catherine Stirling, Development Manager

Ryan Ewing, Online Communications and

Community OrganizerKim Dissen, Administrative Assistant

BOARD MEMBERS:

Jackie Savitz, Chair

Nancy Davis, Secretary

Jennifer Bevan-Dangel

Marissa Brown

Harriett Crosby

Liz Nelson

9 State Circle, Suite 202

Annapolis Maryland 21401

Phone (410) 280-9855 * Fax (410) 280-9857

www.marylandconservation.org

Citizen's Guide to Activism

Documents

Transcript of Citizen's Guide to Activism