Presenter information: For Every Kid Coalition/ Safe Routes to School National Partnership

Kari Schlosshauer

10 Things We Learnedwhile running a Safe Routes to School Campaign!

1. Coalition Building is a Must

2. Engaging Unlikely Partners

3. Why a Field Plan is So Important!

4. How Email Arcs Will Save You Time

5. Social Media Won’t Cause the Win but you Can’t Win Without It

6. What is Lobbying?

7. Count your Votes!

8. Getting the Meeting

9. Unfolding the Mystery of Policy

10.Celebrate often!

For Every Kid Campaign Overview

Timeframe: August 2014 through April 2016

Decision Makers: Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (17 members)

Goal: Create policy to dedicate 15M for SRTS that prioritizes schools that need it most in the Portland Metro-area.

Strategies: Education to decision makers, build a strong coalition (about 100 members), build a petition (about 4,000 signers), regular engagement opportunities for supporters, lining up constituents to testify at key meetings and attend key meetings, engage media at key events and moments.

Outcome

#1 Coalition Building is a Must

Community meetings

Small group discussions

Next steps for partner engagement

How we know it works: We have heard repeatedly from decision/makers that the For Every Kid Coalition is the strongest piece of

the campaign.

#2 Engage Unlikely Partners

Examples: CAT, CCC, MYC

Provide funding.Process and

outreach!

How we know it works: Many partners on our Coalition Leaders team would not be able to commit to monthly meetings, events,and

discussions without funding for staff time.

#3 Why a Field Plan is So Important!

Definition of a Field PlanCreating a 100-day plan A field plan should include…TargetsMedia strategyCommunicationEvents

How we know it works: We organized a rally and march during a special meeting of decision makers. We delivered postcards from

thousands of people in support of Safe Routes to School.

#4 What is an Email Arc?An email arc usually

consists of 4 emails:1)Educate and ask2)Ask again from a

different voice (like Dr. Fazio!)

3)Urgent reminder4)Thank you!

How we know it works: By writing and email arc instead of individual emails you allow for partners to approve all at once instead of having to

ask about each email individually over time.

#5 Social Media Won’t Cause the �Win but You Can’t Win w/o It!

There are 3 types of SM posts that we found the most useful:

1)posts that you can schedule ahead of time

2)Behind the scenes posts (like this breakfast at a conference with Coalition partners)

3)Posts with a timely ask.

—#6 What is Lobbying and What is Not?

Direct and Grassroots lobbying: 1. For Direct Lobbying: A communication directly to a legislator or to

legislative branch staff or to executive branch officials or staff involved in formulating this legislation.

For Grassroots Lobbying: A communication to the general public.

2. That reflects a view.

3. On specific legislation.

4. For Grassroots: AND contains a call to action.

501-c3 can spend no more than 20% on topic lobbying. We cannot endorse candidates.

#7 Count Your Votes!

Shared information.Ask directly.Keep your eye on the

goal.How we know it works:

Constituents calling elected officials and asking how they would vote helped us get the

vote count.

—#8 Getting the Meeting.

Don’t be afraid.Find a constituent.Tell local stories.

How we know it works: We tried for months to get a meeting with the Fairview Mayor until we found a colleague that lived in Fairview. She

sent a request and got a response right away, and we both went to the meeting.

—#9 Unfolding the Mystery of Policy.

Policy is just a fancy word for writing up what you you think the rules should be.

Ask for outside opinions.Make it easy to

understand.Include equity.

How we know it works: Only a couple of people in our Coalition had policy experience, but we were able to draft recommendations through a

group process that acted well as our policy.

—#10 Celebrate Often!Make the time!Say thank you.Share your results.Off-site celebrating

How we know it works: We always get positive responses after an action alert when we follow up with the result of the action that people

took. Those people are also more likely to take action again.

Bonus: Lessons in MessagingTop 2: Our main messages where how Safe Routes

to School increases the health and safety of students which worked well for the general public.

For Decision Makers: Messaging around how Safe Routes to School reduces traffic and congestion works best for decision makers focused on transportation.

Other messaging around how SRTS reduces CO2 emissions and reduces health care costs seemed to be less compelling for general audiences.

How we know it worked: Pretend like you are explaining Safe Routes to School to your grandparents. Our best messaging was the simplest

and got the most responses from a broad constituency.

Thank you!We Support Safe Routes to School For Every Kid.

For Every Kid Coalition Partners include:

American Heart AssociationAsian Pacific American Network of

OregonBicycle Transportation AllianceCoalition For A Livable FutureOPAL Environmental Justice

Oregon WalksSafe Routes to School National

PartnershipUpstream Public Health

Community Alliance of TenantsCommunity Cycling Center

And thousands more individuals and organizations