Culled from the Common Good Vermont NPO Legislative Day at the State House on 2/11/2010. Our first fantastic panel Tested Ways to Mobilize featured Kevin Ellis, Kimbell, Sherman and Ellis, Sarah Kenney, Sarah Robinson, Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and Johanna Miller, Vermont Natural Resources Council. They came up with these 50, handy tips for a winning legislative strategy.

1. FIND A CHAMPION FOR THE CAUSE (in and outside of the statehouse)
2. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL LEGISLATORS: Open houses, going to where policy makers are. State fairs,
3. LINE UP PEOPLE TO TELL YOUR STORY
4. SET LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES: Data driven process, trend analysis, other state models, reach out to partners in state agencies,
5. It’s a MARATHON not a SPRINT
6. STRONG INTERNAL LEADER (see #1)
7. Combo: Lobbying, Internet Strategy, Paid Advertising
8. Get Serious about SOCIAL MEDIA
9. LISTEN, DON’T TALK
10. Have your One Pagers, Letters to the Editor, your board talking to reps and people in your district
11. BRING SUBSTANCE TO AN ARGUMENT AND know when to stop talking
12. Resist the temptation to be CYNICAL
13. PROACTIVE CAMPAIGNS can be a challenge:
14. BECOME EXPERTS ON THE SUBJECT
15. BRING FACTS TO THE TABLE
16. BE FAIR, FACTUAL AND FAST**
17. BUILD MEMBERSHIP AROUND THE ISSUE
18. DEVELOP A CLEAR MESSAGE: EXAMPLE: Keep Vermont water clear, pure and accessible
19. PRESENCE AND PERSISTANCE
20. LEGAL TEAMS/DOCTRINES
21. CLAIM PUBLIC INTEREST FOR THE FUTURE: e.g. Water Rights
22. ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT
23. PATIENCE COUNTS
24. CONSIDER WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON THAT MAY AFFECT YOUR BILL OR CAUSE
25. WHERE IS AGREEMENT? WITH WHO?
26. MAKE A CASE THAT “STATUTE” IS REQIRED—That’s what Legislators do
27. WHAT ARE THE 3 “well placed” calls you can make? (This can have a greater impact than 100 postcards!)
28. Well placed outside EXPERTS
29. BUILD COALITIONS WITH ALLIES
30. Look Good (i.e. Credible-Dress the Part)
31. Look at STATE AGENCIES and what can be done there before walking into the Legisature.
32. Don’t ignore the Executive Branch–event if you don’t agree with the politics-they have the money you need.
33. Power Map – Know who you need to know and influence
34. It’s ALWAYS about the MONEY
35. Once your bill is passed, the rubber hits the road with ADMINISTRATIVE RULEMAKING!
36. Be helpful to legislators when you are not asking them for money: ask “what can we do to help you?”
37. Create your “own table” to build relationship feed knowledge and information inside the “silos”
38. Another strategy: “beat down the door”
39. Talk about how you can save them money
40. “Cross pollinate” with new partners
41. Fully Develop a Plan that includes: Facts (statistics/ program outline), how it fits in with Programs and how it saves the Agency money.
42. Be persistent.
43. Take a bureaucrat to lunch!
44. Explain what is in it for THEM (not you)!
45. Lobbying is not a dirty word
46. Every NPO needs to be lobbying—it is the only way that change can happen!
47. Don’t be afraid!
48. Ask Seasoned NPO advocates for advice
49. Network Building is essential muscle memory
50. Say THANK YOU! Celebrate