The Voice of the Human Services Community
130 East 59th Street • New York, NY 10022 Tel: 212-836-1230 • Fax: 212-836-1837
www.humanservicescouncil.org
Advocacy Training
The Importance Of A Unified Voice In The Sector
•We compete with other “special interests”
•Strength in numbers
•If you snooze you lose (paying attention is key!)
Who Can and Should Advocate?
•We see emerging needs first
•Our constituents don’t have a voice
YOU!
Relationship BuildingBudget Off-Season Summer-December
Invite elected to visit a site Invite/honor elected at your events Send elected mailings,
newsletters, reports
Budget Season January-April/June
Inform legislators how proposals will affect their constituents: Visit the elected’s office Provide testimony at budget
hearings Phone calls/letter writing/press
events
Solving The Budget Puzzle
Fiscal YearsFederal: Oct 1, 2010 – Sept 30, 2011 (FY 2010-11) State: April 1, 2010 - March 31, 2011 (FY 2010-11)
City: July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011 (FY 2010-11)
Legislature• Assembly – 150
Members Assembly Ways and Means
Committee Assembly Ways and Means
Staff
• Senate – 62 Members Senate Finance Committee Program & Counsel Staff
• Work with the majority party!
State Budget Players
Governor Paterson
Governor Division of Budget State Agencies
NYS Budget ProcessAgency Requests to DOB:September/October
Executive Budget Release: January
Legislative Hearings: February
Negotiation Period: March
Budget Adoption: April 1 (maybe)
City Budget PlayersMayor
• OMB• City Agencies
NYC Council• Council Speaker• Finance Division• Committee Chairs• Individual Council
Members• Budget Negotiating
Team
Borough Presidents
Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Christine Quinn
NYC Budget Process
Preliminary Budget:January
Council Hearings:March
Executive Budget:April
Council Hearings:May
Negotiations:May-June
Adopted Budget:By June 30th
Council Discretionary Funding
Types of Funding:• Speaker Funds and Citywide Initiatives• Borough Delegations• Individual Council Members
PrequalificationAny organization
applying to the New York City Council to receive more than $10,000 must be Prequalified
Prequalification Process• Your organization must be
prequalified by the City Agency that oversees the services for which you are requesting City Council funds– Can select multiple
agencies – only submit documents once
• Forms to be aware of:– New York State Charities
Bureau Registration– VENDEX
Prequalification Resources• List Of Prequalified Vendors:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dycd/downloads/pdf/ExpensePQLList_051710.pdf
• For Instructions And To Download Forms: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dycd/html/resources/pql_discretionary_contracts.shtml
Contracting Process
Discretionary Contract Fiscal Year 2010 Contract Discretionary Workscope Board Listing Letter of Authorization and
Board Resolution Certification of Client Abuse and
Neglect “Doing Business” Data Form Certificate of Liability Insurance Additional documents also
required based on contract amount
Discretionary Contract• Each agency may have different
requirements- make sure you give them exactly what they ask for
• Triple check all of your documents before you turn in the contract
• Make sure all your filings are up-to-date• Document all communications with
agency staff• For 2010 contract document information
for DYCD: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dycd/html/resources/discretionary_contracts_fy2010.shtml
Telling Your Story
• Influencing Government• Media
Influencing Government
• Provide a holistic view of your organization, the people you serve, and your impact in the community
• Increase the impact of your ask
by using personal stories
Know Your Facts• Organization Statistics
– How many people does your organization serve?
– What communities does your organization serve?
• Know your funding streams– City, State, and Federal– What funding streams pay
what programs?
Make It Personal• Discuss jobs
Without funding, these program managers will lose their jobs
You will serve fewer clients if you reduce staff
• Frame issues around clients
Bring in clients who can speak to how programs have impacted their lives
Bring in program managers and other staff who can describe the success of programs
Connect the Facts and the Stories
• Explain how cuts or increases in funding will impact your organization through:– Clients
• Need is growing everyday• X amount of people will not be served if this
program is cut– Jobs
• NFP sector is an economic engine• X number of staff will be cut without funding
Creating a Press Package• Organizational statistics• Story bank
– Find a great personal story– Summary of the story– Identify the program and
funding stream– Contact information– Get consent to share story– Take pictures
• List of press contacts
Contacting Press• Collecting information
– Use your story bank + organizational statistics– Show the bigger impact - add information about the borough, the City
and the State• Utilize social media
– Twitter and Facebook can help you collect stories, images, and help you connect with media
• Act quickly– You have maybe a day - at the most, a day and a half - otherwise have
to wait for next news cycle• Press release
– Use your story bank, organizational statistics, and add quotes
Resources
• HSC Advocacy Action Response Group (AARG)
• Action alerts• Web site• Social media• Trainings
Advocacy Action Response Group (AARG)
• The goal of the AARG is to energize and mobilize the sector by giving its members tools to advocate for budget and policy priorities with a unified voice
• AARG members receive policy information important to the human services sector
• AARG members play an integral role in how effective HSC is in advocating for the sector
Strength in Numbers• With almost 200 members, we are able to advocate with a strong voice• AARG Members send in letters, make phone calls, and meet with legislators to spread the message about human services•Action alert e-mails stimulate action
Advocacy Opportunities• Distribute State and City budget
analysis• Send email updates regarding
policies that affect the human services sector
• Provide opportunities to meet with key City and State officials
• Provide advocacy training for members who want to advocate on their own
Member Resources at www.humanservicescouncil.org
Example Contact List: NYC Council Members
Get up-to-the minute updates on Twitter
@HSC_NY
Find us on Facebook
Human Services Council of NYC
Lobby Laws and Regulations
• 501(c)(3)’s can and should lobby
• Know the federal, State, and NYC rules
• Don’t let the rules deter you from advocating
Federal Not-For-Profit Law
• 501(c)(3) is the IRS Code that gives tax exempt status to “charitable” organizations
• It prohibits participation in activities related to campaigns or in favor or opposition to a candidate
• Limits the amount of money that can support lobbying activities (but this amount is very high – particularly if “h” election is taken)
NY State & City Lobby Law
• These rules are NOT specific to not-for-profits (unlike federal rules)
• NY State Threshold = $5,000• NY City Threshold = $2,000
• Neither law limits how much you can lobby
Do’s & Don’tsDO
• Nonpartisan Voter Registration
• Candidate forums and questionnaires
• Meetings with electeds and appointeds
• Support or oppose an issue publicly
DON’T
• Make campaign contributions
• Endorse or show favoritism to a candidate
• Buy gifts for someone working for government entities
For More Information
• HSC Website www.humanservicescouncil.org– For log-in information, please speak with your Executive Director
and email Cynthia Tao at [email protected]• HSC Policy Unit
– Allison Sesso, Deputy Executive Director [email protected] (212) 836-1127
– Chris Winward, Senior Policy Analyst [email protected] (212) 836-1644
– Michelle Jackson, Policy Analyst- AARG Contact [email protected] (212) 836-1588
Q & A