Monday, December 18, 2017

Consider DC’s Fall Leaves More When Scheduling Lobby Days

With the holiday season and year’s end upon us, we cannot over emphasize just how busy this December has been on the Hill. Traditionally, associations send their advocates to Washington in the spring to meet with congressional offices about their legislative and budget priorities, at a time when Congress is theoretically working through the budget process.

Of course, Washington tends to stick to the script less each year. This year, Congress has done some of its most consequential work in the months since returning after Labor Day. Congress has spent December working on tax reform, health care, and government funding. Legislators will likely be in the Capitol until the weekend before Christmas- and may be returning before New Year’s Eve.

According to a recent study by Dr. David Rehr, 66% of organizations are now hosting a DC Lobby Day. Lobby Days are an incredibly valuable advocacy tool, but not everyone can visit DC in the middle of March. If you want to save on hotel costs, make logistics easier, and make your Lobby Day message stand out, consider Lobby Days in September through December.

In many recent years, the pace of business has increased in November or December (as opposed to March or April), yet the hallways of the Capitol remain less crowded. With less competition for the valuable finite time of congressional offices, you may find your advocates’ words are more likely to be heard in autumn. 

- By Jared Payne

Monday, December 11, 2017

Resources for a busy month on the Hill

While the weather is turning colder and snowier, Congress is still in session and busy with the tax reform conference committee and an upcoming deadline on government funding. Here are a couple more resources to help keep you in the know about Capitol Hill:

Represent, by ProPublica: Represent is a tool to track upcoming and recent Congressional votes, as well as information on each member’s votes and sponsored legislation. This resource also organizes floor statements by member, and allows you to quickly search the Congressional Record, press quotes, op-eds, and video, by key term, to see which members are talking about your issues.


Town Hall, by Facebook: Town Hall is a tool that uses your home address to provide links to the Facebook pages of each of your elected representatives, from the local level up to the federal level, all in one page. Facebook also provides the correct phone number and email address to allow you to easily contact them. Simply search “Town Hall” in your Facebook search bar to locate the feature.

Thursday, December 07, 2017

Join Us and Have Some Fun with Fly-Ins


A fly-in can be one of the most effective ways to motivate adovates and get your message across to Capitol Hill. It can also be one of the most stressful experiences of your career – or possibly even your life. Join this session on December 8th at 12pm to gain some tips and techniques for reducing stress and increasing effectiveness. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fun-with-fly-ins-tickets-39669504556?aff=ehomecard

We’ll look at:
  • ·         Streamlined, efficient structures for registering advocates and scheduling meetings.
  • ·         How to craft policy compelling materials that will influence advocates and legislators alike.
  • ·         What advocates need to know to be prepared (it’s not what you think)!
  • ·         The role social media and electronic communications can play in marking, or breaking, your event.
  • ·         Best strategies to encourage advocates to connect with policymakers in district.
  • ·         Different options for small, medium, and large events and how to choose.
  • ·         Types of events you can include in a fly-in, including events in district.

The panelists for this session have decades of grassroots experience in Washington, DC. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from their successes (and mistakes). You’ll come away with an actionable path for your next event, as well as exclusive access to our follow-up video course.

Confirmed Panelists:
  • ·         Moderator: Stephanie Vance
  • ·         Monika Geraci, Recreational Vehicle Industry Association
  • ·         Matt Wright, Children’s Hospital Association
  • ·         Randy Ford, National Write Your Congressman