Understanding Recruitment

Recruitment Basics

• Recruiting at Events

  Every event your organization hosts, as well as those events that you attend, should include an easy way for people to learn more about your efforts and get involved. Remember to follow up with any connections you make after the event is over to keep your name, organization, and cause top of mind. The immediate reconnection will help ensure that you stand out, remind them of your campaign, and will begin to create name recognition that will help automatically initiate engagement the next time you reach out.

  There are several ways to share information and engage new supporters at events, including the examples below:

  • Be sure to speak the relevant language and topic of the event. If you do not speak the language, or are not credible on the topic of discussion, find another supporter who would be better suited for this environment.

  • Bring tablets or mobile devices. You want to be sure to have tools on hand that are easy to use and extremely portable in order to offer a simple and effective way to collect names, twitter handles, and emails on-site.

  • Offer hard copy, printed sign-up forms or advocacy resources. This option is easy and cheap to initiate. For example, asking people to fill out a pre-written postcard to an elected official on a non-legislative issue can provide a compelling reason for people to share their personal information right on the spot (and because it does not involve legislation, you may use non-lobbying funds).

    • Remember that transcribing these names into a computer-friendly format will take time, but sometimes this method is preferred to using electronic devices. Be sure to have resources on hand that appeal to a broad base of event attendees.

  • Try business card recruitment. The less effort it takes to sign up, the more people will do so.

    • For example, if you are hosting an event with key business leaders in your community, ask everyone to leave their business cards behind to join the cause. You may pull in more names than with a traditional sign-up form because this sign-up process is so easy.

  Asking people to write their legislator about a general policy issue is not lobbying unless the request is tied to specific legislation or a specific legislative proposal.

• Recruiting Around Issues

  It is important to show potential advocates that joining your effort will make a difference. Potential recruits are much more likely to take action when they believe that doing so will have an impact.

  Remember to gather key information by expanding what you are asking for. When recruiting, ask for more than just a name. It’s often helpful to have additional details that will help you gauge how to interact with this individual, perhaps by gathering information about what schools their children attend, what local organizations they are involved with, as well as how they prefer to be contacted (email, text, or phone call).

  Be sure to follow up with a secondary ask to engage new recruits. Ask them to take part in your campaign with an easy, introductory action like signing a petition.

  Address issues head-on. Do not be afraid to use conflict or controversy where appropriate as a motivator to spark involvement. People like to engage on issues where there are strong opinions, and using emotional triggers is often an effective tactic when messaging to new advocates.

• Recruiting Online

  Do not limit yourself to only recruiting via in-person events. There may be a large pool of new advocates you can reach online as well. We have a broader Social Media Tips section in our resources tab, but here are a few tips to get started:

  • Engage social media friends and followers of your personal accounts, as well as those you manage for local organizations, by sharing why you are passionate about this issue and then asking your followers to tell their friends about your campaign. Offer easily shareable content like memes or brief videos to broaden your reach.

  • Ask your followers to retweet or share invitations to join your efforts either through an online sign-up form or by attending the next in-person event.

  • Add a sign-up form to Facebook. If you add a special tab to your Facebook page, fans will be able to take advocacy actions without leaving the Facebook platform.

  Advertising on Facebook and Twitter can be inexpensive, targeted, and effective. Nonprofits use this medium to get people to sign petitions, volunteer, and/or attend free events, as well as generate awareness for a campaign. You can even narrow the reach down to the city level and localize content to make engagement more likely.

• Recruiting via Word-of-Mouth

  Current advocates can be your best recruiters! Are your advocates telling their friends and families about their work with your campaign? Be sure you are keeping them well informed and giving them exciting, meaningful ways to engage. If you foster true enthusiasm, they will be excited to tell others!

  Encourage advocates to mention your campaign amongst the other groups in which they are involved (e.g., civic organizations, fitness classes, etc.), as well as in conversations they have with other folks in the community. Be sure to include culturally and linguistically appropriate materials and messages to empower your advocates for these recruitment opportunities. Provide the tools necessary to make this an easy task for advocates: sample talking points, a one-pager about your campaign, or a stack of recruitment forms.

  • Ask parents to get their local parent organizations to support your cause. Encouraging the health of children and making sure all kids have access to healthy school meals is a shared passion for parents, so educating them about your cause and how it will help  kids in your community is a great way to reach new advocates with similar interests.

  • Ask your neighbors to mention the impact of your issue at their community organization meetings. People who are involved in the community have already demonstrated a dedication to improving the lifestyles of residents in your town and are most likely open to hearing about additional needs and ways they can get involved.

  • Ask faith leaders to get involved. Engaging leaders in the faith community is a great way to connect with community members, especially in under-resourced communities.

  • Reach out through civic organizations in your community. Ask to speak at a meeting or luncheon of the Junior League, Kiwanis Club, Delta Sigma Theta sorority, or other local organizations. Emphasize that having an active and healthy community is a shared responsibility. Be sure to provide details on the different roles of state and community partners.

• Recruiting via Competition

  Some healthy competition among your existing advocate base can help bring new followers to your organization.

  Challenge your existing advocates to recruit friends and family. Offer a prize to whoever can recruit the most friends and followers online. Create pre-written tweets and Facebook posts and then count shares and retweets. When possible, make sure the prize is inclusive, health-related, or at least does not send an unhealthy message.

  Then, host a celebration to welcome new advocates to your organization and thank those who participated in the effort.

• Recruiting in the Community

  What does your target audience like to do? Instead of creating new events, meet them where they currently gather.

  • Attend community festivals. Host booths at street fairs or carnivals, and ask attendees to sign up.

  • Collaborate with local schools. Host a table at back-to-school night, parent-teacher conference days, or school fairs, and encourage students to form an on-campus group in support of your cause.

  • Reach out to local places of worship. Recruit members to attend local events and organize meetings through bulletin advertisements and in-person announcements. If services are held in more than one language, develop recruitment plans and messaging for those as well. Make sure that your materials are culturally and linguistically competent.

• Recruiting via Politics

  Leverage the response of your state and local legislators to encourage advocates to recruit more friends to the cause.

  Emails to advocates or the general public won’t be considered lobbying unless your message refers to pending legislation or to a specific legislative proposal and includes a call-to-action. For advice on crafting non-lobbying messages that refer to legislators, see our Lobbying vs. Non-Lobbying Checklist in the related resources at the bottom of this page.

Potential Allies

Recognition Plan

• Volunteer Recognition

  A strong campaign starts with a strong recruitment push. By creating a foundation of supporters early, you will have them ready to activate when the time comes. Consider the following ways to grow your base of support by recognizing these new advocates:

  • Small gifts branded with your organization’s logo (for example, water bottles or USB drives) can be a fun reward for signing up. To make resources stretch a bit further, consider offering incentives to the first 50 or 100 people who sign up on a specific day, or giving prizes to advocates for recruiting the largest number of new supporters.

  • Exclusive opportunities, like the chance to meet with your organization’s leadership or serve on a volunteer advisory panel.

  • Certificates or trophies for reaching key milestones, especially when presented at a public event.

  • Invitations to attend volunteer receptions or special events.

  • Special training opportunities or communications that provide unique opportunities for your advocates to increase their knowledge and skill base.

• Choose the Right Time

  Whether you are reaching out to new or existing advocates, we suggest taking advantage of specific times of the year when engagement with community initiatives is traditionally high. Leverage local festivals, sporting events, or key moments in time on the academic calendars of local schools. Consider creating recognition pieces around local street fairs, festivals, or kids’ sporting events (such as opening day of Little League), with free entry or food tickets.

  Speak up when it is time to vote in local or state-wide elections. If the local government is voting on measures pertaining to your campaign’s focus, this is a key time to recognize existing and potential advocates who can help bring attention to the issue and kick start the momentum for policy change. If you have the lobbying resources to do so, asking advocates to contact their legislators to vote for the measure you care about—and then thanking the advocates when they do—is an important step.

  Urging advocates to contact legislators may be grassroots lobbying. Asking people to contact members or staff of Congress, a state legislature, tribal government, county council, or city council is lobbying if you refer to and reflect a view on specific legislation (or a specific legislative proposal). However, contacting school boards, zoning board members, or school staff is not lobbying, regardless of the content of the communication. Make sure you have the resources to pay for these lobbying activities and that you track them appropriately against your campaign’s overall budget.

  Use the calendar to inspire you. Create recognition pieces around key observances taking place throughout the year (e.g. International School Meals Day, First Day of School) where you can spotlight and thank advocates for their efforts to improve access to healthy, no-cost school meals.  

• Staff Recognition

  Volunteers are not the only ones who make a campaign a success. As you thank your volunteers for their efforts, make sure to thank the staff members who keep the campaign running every day, when applicable. Celebrate them publicly. If you hold an annual celebration, highlight the good work the staff has done over the past year. Offering awards or opportunities to acknowledge good work publicly lets employees know you recognize and value their work.

  Conduct a staff contest to see which members can bring in the most advocates over a specified period. In return, offer a day off or a gift card as an incentive. Highlight the diversity of your staff to demonstrate the importance of engaging all parts of the community. This is particularly important in the disability community. Be sure to staff individuals with a disability to be most effective.

  Ask your strongest recruiters of new advocates to lead a call or webinar, so they can share their tips with other staff members.

Building Relationships

Diverse Audiences

Social Media Tips

• Using Images and Videos

  Posts with multimedia, such as videos and images, drive higher engagement rates and increased reach—people like looking and clicking on images and video. Below is a quick overview of how you can best put multimedia to use on Facebook and Twitter:

  Images

  • Choose a diverse range of people. It’s important that different groups see people that look like themselves in the images you use. This is particularly important for people with disability as they often feel left out of the images and conversations.

  • Only use content you own. If your organization has an existing photo library, search to see if anything can be repurposed. Getty Images offers free, non-commercial use of any of its stock images on social media and blog sites when you use its embed feature. They also have a new gallery of images of people with disability if you don’t currently have any inclusive content.

  • Ask your advocates to sign release forms. Photos of real-life advocates are always ideal. Just remember that anyone you spotlight online—whether in stories, photos, or videos—must sign an authorization release form. Ask your organization for the appropriate forms.

  • Repurpose print materials online. The fact sheets and graphics included in this toolkit can easily be posted or linked to on Facebook and Twitter.

    • The graphics are especially useful as a featured image to supplement your social posts.

    • Invite advocates to print the one-pager and post it at work or around their neighborhood.

    • Save a PDF of the fact sheet and link to it from your post, inviting advocates to read and learn more or share it with friends and family.

  Videos

  • Highlight your advocates. If you have access to a video camera or even a smartphone, consider creating a video of advocate stories. Ask your advocates to talk about their role in the campaign and why they support programs that help kids live healthier lives. Be sure to produce videos in appropriate languages spoken in the community.

    • Stories of real-life advocates can be one of the most effective measures for swaying decision makers, because they represent actual constituents’ opinions on the policies you care about.

    • You can greatly improve smartphone video with a few simple steps. Always hold your smartphone horizontally, shoot in brightly lit areas, and try for the best audio possible. You can improve the audio quality greatly with inexpensive microphones you can easily buy online.

    • Be sure to include closed captioning on all videos. YouTube offers this service, however, you may need to go in and edit the text for accuracy.

  • Create mini-documentaries. For example, a short film highlighting the story of kids in your community and how they are impacted by the lack of healthy, no-cost school meals. Keep in mind that the most viewed and shared videos are less than 90 seconds.

• Facebook

  Especially if you already have an established presence, Facebook can be an excellent way to engage your existing advocates and recruit new ones. Below are a few tips for spreading the word on Facebook:

  • Use your existing account. Do not create a new page just for this issue. This way, when new people “like” your page because of this issue, they will also stay in the loop on your other initiatives.

  • Recruit new members right from Facebook. Consider creating a registration app on your page so users can sign up to be a part of the effort without even leaving Facebook. You can point potential advocates to the registration app through Facebook ads and posts on your wall.

  • Highlight key posts by pinning them to the top of your page. Select the drop down arrow on the right-hand corner of your post and choose to pin it to the top of your page if you’d like to call attention to it for a certain period of time.

  • Use images to help advocates identify with your cause. Consider using the graphics in this toolkit to do the following: 

    • Make one of them your page’s cover photo, and ask advocates to tag themselves and their friends in the image. That way, their tags show up on their newsfeed and in their friends’ notifications. 

    • Encourage advocates to make the graphics their cover photo or profile picture as well. The advocates’ friends will see the images on their profiles, helping to raise awareness about the issue. Make sure to give advocates a caption to go with their post telling viewers to go to your site to help. 

    • On Twitter, encourage advocates to make one of the graphics their banner picture so their followers will see the image. 

  • Share the message with decision makers. Many states’ decision makers have an online presence, which can be an effective venue for them to hear from advocates.

    • As advocates tag themselves in your cover photo, encourage them to tag their decision makers as well. Note that some decision makers may have set their privacy to restrict this.

    • Encourage advocates to tag their decision makers in their Facebook posts about your issue’s support.

   

  A post that tags a legislator should be considered a direct communication to that legislator, so it will be lobbying if it reflects a view on specific legislation. A post that does not tag a legislator is a public communication and will be lobbying only if it reflects a view on specific legislation and it includes a call-to-action. Note that if a social media post constitutes lobbying, the staff time related to writing the post is attributable to lobbying, however small the cost of that staff time may be.

  • Ask advocates for a response.

    • Create posts that encourage advocates to interact.

    • Ask questions.

    • Keep them accountable.

  • Highlight partners. There may be other community organizations working on the same or related issues.

  • Consider working with them to highlight each other’s work in Facebook posts. That way, your mention will show up on their channels (and vice versa), giving you leverage to reach their community for recruitment purposes.

• Ad Campaigns

  Promote your posts. Promoted posts take highlighted posts one step further by elevating them in your fans’ newsfeeds. Promoted posts have a nominal cost and their benefits are far-reaching.

  • Promoted posts come with a range of pricing options, depending on how many fans your page has and how many people you would like to reach with your post. You will have the option to elevate your post in your fans’ newsfeeds or in both their newsfeeds and their friends’ newsfeeds. On top of this, you can target promoted posts by age, gender, and location. You can promote posts right from your Facebook page; look in the lower right-hand corner of the post you want to elevate. Click on “Boost Post,” select your dollar amount and audience reach, and then enter credit card details for payment.

  • Create an ad campaign through Facebook Ads Manager. You can also turn promoted posts into a wider Facebook advertising campaign, which will allow you to target specific audiences in a way not feasible from your Facebook page.

    • Visit https://www.facebook.com/ads/create.

    • Select the objective for your campaign (most likely to promote your posts or your page).

    • Select the page or post you would like to promote.

    • Follow the steps to set up your Facebook Ads account.

    • Define the audience(s) you’d like to reach and how much budget you’d like to spend (even a small amount will make a difference and get results). First, select age and gender targeting and then type in interests. Remember to include broad interest topics to reach as wide an audience as possible.

      • For targeting based on location, workplace, behavior, school, relationship status, or languages, click the appropriate button and add in targeting criteria. Consider groups you used during your recruitment phase—parents or teachers, for example—and target them based on related interests like local parenting groups or the Parent Teacher Association.

      • You can also target audiences based on whether they are already fans of your organization on Facebook.

    • Select photos or videos from your page to include in the ad if needed. You could also upload new content directly during this step. As always, make sure the images and language are inclusive and represent our diverse communities.

    • Finally, place your order and launch your paid campaign!

Media Outreach

• Reach Media Through Social Channels

  • Start with research. Before you begin engaging with journalists, make sure to research their backgrounds. This will help you personalize your messages, reference relevant past articles, and explain why you have contacted them.

  • Try email, too. Most journalists prefer to be contacted through email, not on social media. If you do not have an existing relationship with a journalist, a well-written email may be more effective than a tweet. Try sending an email introducing yourself and your issue first and then following up with a tweet to connect with the reporter on multiple platforms.

  • You can also post a comment on the news outlet’s website under the online version of the news story.

  • Do not begin with a pitch if this is your first time contacting this person.

  • Though it is generally not appropriate to pitch over Twitter, you can use it to get on a journalist’s radar. Start by following the reporter on Twitter and retweeting or commenting on content you find interesting.

  • Be respectful. It is important to be mindful of journalists’ time and to remember that all interactions are public. Don’t mass tweet pitches to several reporters and outlets.

  • Be careful with direct messages. Do not ask a journalist you are not following to send you a direct message. Only people who follow one another can send each other direct messages.

• Social Media Engagement Tips and Tricks

  • Be transparent and disclose your job/purpose/association in your bio or your introductory email.

  • Employ a conversational tone and avoid buzzwords.

  • Always begin by listening to the existing conversation.

  • Identify opportunities to be current and relevant.

  • Be human.

  • Be timely.

  • Be prepared to carry on a conversation with your followers.

  • Include hyperlinks for additional information or to cite your resources.

  • Use relevant hashtags when appropriate to help your comments show up in larger conversations.

  • Use handles or tag the names of people (e.g., policymakers, organizations, reporters) whose attention you are trying to garner.

  • Focus on facts and avoid entering into editorial disagreements or arguments.

Actualizing the Campaign

Action Alerts

Hosting a Media Event

• Potential Speakers

  Consider bringing in local spokespeople, such as a community member who can share a personal experience about efforts to ensure their family is well-fed and receives the proper nutrition to stay healthy. You could also consider bringing in a school principal who envisions better academic performance in the classrooms because of access to foods that fuel the brain or a local farmer who would benefit from the sale of produce through the incentive program. You may also engage a local doctor or grocery store owner who can speak about the real impact these programs can have on improving the community’s overall health.  

• Bloggers

  Consider reaching out to respected experts who understand the beneficial impacts of healthy school meals for all.

  Start by thinking about what you want to accomplish and whom you want to reach. Do you have news to release, such as a report or study? If not, what is your media hook? Does the nightly news highlight your campaign issue? What about the trending coverage in your local paper? Would you be better served by engaging with community bloggers? Once you decide what your media goals are, you can start identifying opportunities that match these priorities and begin your outreach plan.

  One way to engage members of the media is by inviting them to an event. A well-run media event—one with compelling speakers, stories, clear facts, and easily explained goals—will give reporters the tools they need to amplify your story in newspapers, on-air, and online.

• Where and Who?

  Find locations with audiences interested in supporting underserved communities and cultivating healthy nutrition in the community. This can include neighborhood, school and faith-based functions. Make sure whatever location you choose is accessible by being ADA compliant as well as reachable by accessible public transportation.  

  To make your message more impactful, choose a location for your event that will reinforce the importance of your campaign. Hold your event at:

  • A public location like a school or community center

  • A local conference or town hall meeting

  • Make sure whatever location you choose is accessible by being ADA compliant as well as reachable by accessible public transportation.

  As you structure your event, consider speakers who can talk persuasively and credibly about the importance of your issue and campaign goals. This can include representatives from your organization, but do not be afraid to think beyond the obvious. A diverse mix of speakers will provide your media attendees with a range of perspectives. Be sure to include spokespersons who are fluent in languages appropriate for your community and media outlets.

• Event Tips

  The following tips cover some of the basics of event hosting. However, the list below is not comprehensive—every event is different, and you will need to adapt your planning to each event’s unique requirements. Regardless of the event, always make sure the event is accessible by following ADA compliance for accessible meetings, spaces, and venues.

  • Establish a point of contact. Your event point of contact should manage all logistics and be easily accessible. This person could be a paid staff member or a trusted volunteer. Whoever you choose, make sure they have existing experience with event coordination and execution.

  • Send invitations in order to make sure key influencers are in the room. Even if they are not speakers, their presence can lend an air of credibility to your efforts. Make sure to issue personal invitations to these influencers, and follow up with them if necessary to secure their confirmation.

    • If someone on your staff has an existing relationship with these influencers, ask that person to try calling them on the phone or sending a personal email. People are more likely to respond to messages from names they recognize.

  • Create briefing books. Prior to the event, you will want to share briefing packets with media and key influencers who will attend. Consider sharing your organization’s policy position statement on your campaign, the fact sheets from this toolkit, individuals or organizations that are able to give more information about the topic, and relevant news articles, reports, or studies about your issue. The fact sheet can be customized to include information specific to your community, state, and campaign. Make sure these briefing books are available in accessible formats such as large print/ Braille or electronically for screen readers.

• Media Engagement

  • Research recent media stories—newspaper articles, TV segments, radio shows, etc.—to determine which media figures or outlets might be already engaged in your issue or most likely to be interested in hearing from you. Be sure to include ethnic media. Include the media most important to the decision makers you want to reach with information about your campaign. Based on this research, you can create your media list to reach out to in order to secure coverage of the event.

  • Once you have established your media list, you, your volunteers, and your staff can immediately begin pitching to these contacts and outlets. Consider pitching both general stories to editorial boards as well as specific storylines to reporters, depending on what makes sense. As the editorial board makes significant decisions on media placement, meeting with them in advance of major stories can ensure your story is not only included but also is elevated for greater reach. This work should start at least one month prior to the event. Consider developing a plan for follow-up pitching after your event in order to re-engage these contacts and ensure they have the necessary information afterward to write their stories.

  • Distribute a media advisory to all of your selected media outlets, and pitch print and radio two weeks out from the event. Make sure to follow up with reporters to confirm coverage and/or attendance.

  • Distribute a press release in the days leading up to the event, and include an embargo to ensure media adhere to your event date for releasing any new data.

  • If you are planning a TV spot, follow up with the producer two days prior to the event and the morning of the event. Also, reach out to unconfirmed print reporters two to three days prior to and the morning of the event.

  • Depending upon media interest, coordinate media availability on-site before or after the event to facilitate media questions and interviews. This could include setting up interviews with advocates, exchanging contact information between relevant individuals and reporters, or assigning a member of your staff to specifically welcome and assist the reporters in attendance throughout the event. If any of your advocates happen to be individuals with a disability be sure your news media is adequately prepared to have an informed conversation with them using appropriate person first or identity-first language. The focus should always be the topic at hand and not an inspirational story of a person with a disability.

  • Prepare an op-ed to submit to a target newspaper about the event and the news you are releasing. Take a look at the sample op-ed provided in this toolkit for ideas on how to shape yours, but make sure to include information that is relevant to your community. Aim to have this submitted so that it runs on the day of your event or in the days leading up to the event. You could also consider writing a recap op-ed to run after the event, but be sure to include next steps and calls-to-action for community members so that the readers know that your campaign isn’t over yet.

  • Monitor for and report on any mentions of the event by targeted reporters and outlets, both leading up to the event and after. You and your coalition partners can amplify any online mentions by sharing posts and links on your social media pages.

• Blogger Engagement

  • If you have local bloggers in your town or city, consider inviting them to the event, especially if they write about the issue your campaign is working to resolve.

  • As with any other media, research and develop an outreach plan and engage bloggers accordingly. Make sure your outreach is personal and calls out direct reasons why that specific blogger should attend or cover your issue.

  • Track confirmations/declines, and shape your follow up outreach accordingly.

  • Monitor for and report on any mentions of the event by targeted bloggers, both leading up to the event and after.

• Database Growth

  On the day of your media event, set up a table where people can sign up to learn more about the issue. Because they are already attending the event, it is logical to assume they may want to join the campaign and stay involved down the line.

  • Make sure all the information is at an accessible location, meaning lowered tables and in an accessible format. This may require Braille or large print materials.

  • Make this effort simple but effective by asking for minimal information such as name, email address, and mailing address. That way you know how to easily get in touch and can use their home address as a way of segmenting your communication to them based on topical issues happening in their school district or neighborhood.

  • Consider using the sign-up opportunity for a dual purpose. For example, at the end of the event, attendees may be motivated to make some sort of commitment that supports the issue in their community. Combine the sign-up with a pledge where they can share the specific way they will help the cause.

    • This will also help you keep track of the types of people in your database and the specific ways you can engage them based on their stated interest in the issue.

    • Make sure you provide multiple means to sign up as some may have trouble reading off a device and others may have difficulty writing. Always offer assistance in filling out any forms but wait for them to accept before providing assistance.

  • Transcribe the sign-up forms and upload your new advocates to your organization’s database. Send them a follow-up email welcoming them to your email list, thanking them for their attendance, and asking how they want to be involved in the future.

• Post Event Activities

  • Leverage the event by posting the speeches, photographs, and videos to all relevant websites and social media platforms as appropriate to extend the event’s purpose beyond just a moment in time.

  • Follow up with local influencers and potential advocates as appropriate to gauge their interest in further involvement.

  • If there are members of the media, including bloggers, who could not attend the event, provide them with information and an event synopsis with photos so they can cover the event retroactively.

Value of Phone Outreach

• Phone Banking

  Operating a phone bank connects your organization’s volunteers with potential new advocates—people you hope will want to learn more about your issues, get involved with your campaign, and take action to help you achieve your goals. In order to host a successful phone bank, make sure you address the steps below.

  Recruit and Train Volunteers

  • Enlist your team. Find people who would be willing to make calls on a regular or semi-regular basis. Current staff members at your organization or existing volunteers are the best resources.

  • Identify your manager. Designate someone from your team to manage the call center. Train them to lead the volunteers and ensure program success.

  • Train your callers. Brief volunteers on the issues, key talking points for the call, information to collect while on the phone, and how to exercise cultural sensitivity whenever appropriate. Conduct a training session where they can learn the campaign’s messaging and practice making calls to familiarize themselves with the process. They should also be trained on telephone relay services for those who are deaf.

  • Identify any unique language needs. Does your community include non-native English speakers? If yes, be sure to recruit bilingual volunteers or enlist the help of volunteer translators.

  Find a Location and Supplies

  • Decide where people will make the calls. Before moving forward in this process, you must determine if you want callers to work from a centralized location or not. People can make calls from their homes, but without supervision, they might not stick to the script and could damage potential or existing relationships. Your offices could be a good location for local, targeted calls.

  • Make sure your office or location is ADA compliant and accessible by inclusive public transportation so that you don’t limit the number of your potential volunteers or staff members.

  • Equip yourself. Make sure your call center has enough lines and telephones for volunteers. Consider printing out talking points and information gathering sheets.

  • Set time limits and provide refreshments. Establish how long you want the call center to be open. If it is for a long period, make sure you provide food and drinks to volunteers.

  Create a Call List

  • Develop your list. A call list is essential to any successful phone bank, but like all communication, it must be targeted. You should select individuals based on a known or potential interest in your issue including folks from the following groups: school principals, members of coalition partner organizations, health professionals, school leaders, local health departments, community organization members, etc. A number of resources are available to help discover target audiences, including U.S. Census data. As you develop your list, be sure to have callers who can communicate in the relevant languages spoken in the community.

  • Start with existing advocates at your organization. You already have their information, and it will make sense to them when they hear from you because they have expressed a previous passion for related issues. If possible, include in this level of outreach a mention of a previous action or event they participated in to help kick start the conversation.

  • Consider buying lists. It is also possible to buy lists with phone numbers and other advocate information. Prices vary based on the level of targeting and number of people in a list, but InfoUSA (www.infousa.com), Caldwell List Company (www.caldwell-list.com), and Dataman Group (www.datamangroup.com) can be good resources if you wish to purchase a list.

  Develop a Script

  • Prepare a script and some one-pagers to be sure volunteers have the materials they need for effective and informative conversations. As you develop your script, you may want to try out the script on someone not familiar with the issue to ensure your audience understands it in its intended way. Make sure you rate your script on accessibility with a 6th-grade reading level or lower. Make sure your script includes the following information:

    • Introduction: Provide a brief introduction of who you are, the organization you represent, and a one to two sentence explanation of why you are calling, and then ask if the person on the other end of the line has time to talk about the issue.

    • Outline of the Issue: If the caller has the time, explain the issue, why it is important, and what your campaign is doing to help create change. This is the point where targeting is most important. Be sure you know the person you’re talking to, and tailor the conversation to them.

    • Request for Assistance: Following the explanation of the issue, ask the advocates for another point of contact, e.g., their email or mailing address. If you already have this information, confirm that you have the correct addresses, and follow up by asking if they’re interested in getting more involved in your campaign. Having this information will allow you to follow up later and provide further details about the issue and volunteer opportunities.

    • Closing: If someone declines to hear about the issue, ask if there would be a better time to call back. Lastly, whether advocates want to speak or not, always thank them for their time.

  Below is a framework for a script. You may need more than one script depending on your intended goal for the call.

  • Hi [ADVOCATE NAME]. My name is [YOUR NAME], and I’m calling on behalf of [YOUR ORGANIZATION].

  • We’re working to [CAMPAIGN GOALS] in [ADVOCATE CITY]. Do you have a few minutes to talk about how this initiative will help you and your family?

    • IF YES

      • Great! [Insert persuasive information about your campaign here, including a statistic or two to prove your point. Consider tying in something specific about the geographic location to make the topic more relevant.]

      • The Ask: If you join us, we will keep you up-to-date on this issue, progress being made in your area and nationally, as well as ways you can be more involved. Will you join us in this mission?

        • IF YES: Wonderful. Let me get your [EMAIL, MAILING ADDRESS, ETC.] so we can keep you updated.

        • IF NO: Well, thanks for your time, and if you want to learn more about the program you can visit [WEBSITE]. Have a great [DAY, EVENING].

      • IF NO

        • Is there a more convenient time I can call you back? (If yes, make a note of when to call back. If no, then skip to…). Thanks for your time, and if you want to learn more about the program you can visit [WEBSITE]. Have a great [DAY, EVENING].

      • IF ANSWERING MACHINE

        • Hi [ADVOCATE NAME]. My name is [YOUR NAME], and I’m calling on behalf of [YOUR ORGANIZATION].

        • We’re working to [CAMPAIGN GOALS] in [ADVOCATE CITY].

        • The Ask: Please call us at [PHONE NUMBER], or visit our website at [WEBSITE], to learn more and join our cause.

        • Thank you, and have a great day!

  Compile Data

  • You will want to make sure you track the data garnered from these phone calls—who you are calling, how many people you reach, how many volunteers sign up, who needs to be called back, etc.

    • Set standards and guidelines for recording data, and be sure to train volunteers on the proper way to record information.

    • Consider creating a template in Excel for volunteers to record the data. Determine what you want to know about each person. You should at least have a first name, last name, phone number (home or mobile), email address, preferred language, as well as whether they picked up or you left a message and whether they wanted to talk or not. If possible, try to record their name and mailing address and any other helpful pieces of the conversation to shape future communications with this potential advocate.

  Maintain the Relationship

  • Phone calls are the beginning of a relationship, not the end. In order to keep working with these advocates, you must follow up with them, either with another call or via email.

• Phone Patches

  A phone patch, as opposed to a phone bank, connects advocates with their elected officials. In order to host a phone-patching program, you will work with a third-party organization that calls advocates, explains the issue, and asks if the advocates would like to be connected with his or her representative to voice support for a cause or issue. This is a supplemental method to the phone bank program and should target existing advocates, not new ones. If you ask advocates to contact a legislator to support or oppose specific legislation, your phone patch calls will be considered grassroots lobbying. Make sure you budget lobbying funds to cover these costs. You can use non-lobbying funds for phone patches by avoiding references to any pending bills or specific proposals that would require legislation, but that may dilute the calls’ impact.

  Select a Vendor

  • Find a company that will call individuals on your behalf. Some companies that can assist in the program implementation include:

    • Mobile Commons

    • Winning Connections

    • Stones’ Phones

    • Strategic Consulting Group

  Create a Call List

  • As with phone banks, you will need to create a list of contacts to provide to the vendor. The vendor will use this list during the outreach process.

  Develop Scripts for Messages

  • When individuals answer their phones, they will hear a prerecorded message and will be connected to a representative by pressing a designated number. A script that highlights the importance of the initiative should be written to serve as this recording. There should also be an option for non-English speakers to press a number to hear the message in their language.

  • Write scripts for:

    • Calls that are answered

    • Leaving a message

      • Note: If the script urges people to tell their legislators to support specific legislation, the calls would be lobbying and would need to be paid for with restricted funds. Patch through calls work the best for this kind of effort, rather than for more generic issue-support efforts, so consider this when developing the budget for your campaign activations.

  Record the Results

  • Typically, a phone patch operator will provide a daily report with the results of the program. Collect that data, and keep it for your records to help you strengthen future outreach efforts.

• Additional Things to Consider

  Whether you’re phone banking or phone patching, there are some tips to keep in mind so your process runs smoothly.

  • Avoid using computer or auto dialing systems, as some states prohibit these and federal rules restrict auto-dialed calls to cell phones. Instead, have people dial numbers by hand. Hand-dialed phone banks also have a higher completion rate (50% compared to 15% with automated dialing systems, according to The Voices of America).

  • Hybrid systems also exist. These systems allow you to download to the phone so that you just hit “dial.” Volunteers can record the answers to the survey on the phone, which can then be downloaded to a computer. It also allows you to record a voicemail, so the volunteer can push a button that automatically plays your recorded message after the beep without having to stay on the line. However, these systems may not be used to call cell phone numbers unless the recipient has given your organization consent to call their cell phone.

  • Try to make your calls between the hours of 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends, as these are the hours you will most likely find people at home.

  • Make sure volunteers know how to react in different situations (e.g., leaving a message on a machine or speaking with a hostile individual). Speaking to someone with a speech impediment or disability such as a hearing impairment.

  • Be sure the efforts of the campaign aren’t limited by do-not-call lists.

    • Typically, these apply only to telemarketing sales calls. At the federal level, the do-not-call provisions do not cover calls from political organizations, charities, telephone surveyors, or companies with which a consumer has an existing business relationship.

    • Most states follow the standard set by the federal government, but state laws can vary. Check state government websites to ensure compliance with these laws.

Why Op-Eds Matter

• Op-Ed Tips and Tricks

  • Choose your signer carefully. To ensure the best chance of earning placement on a news platform or gaining people’s attention, enlist a high-profile influencer to sign and submit your op-ed. Ideally, this influencer should be well known within your community and the audience of the publication, such as a doctor, researcher, teacher, active parent, school principal or superintendent, or politician. Keep in mind that if you write an op-ed that mentions legislation and ask a legislator to sign it, all costs related to researching, writing, and placing the op-ed are lobbying expenses.

  • Ask yourself: “Who cares?” Make sure your piece will clearly resonate with or be meaningful to the public. Start by writing from the reader’s point of view.

  • Keep things tight. News outlets have limited space, so keep your opinion editorial to 500 words or so. Some outlets have even shorter limits, while a few will accept up to 700+ words. Check your paper’s requirements before submitting.

  • Speak conversationally. Avoid jargon, fancy words, and slang. Your op-ed must be understandable to the general public, including people that may have no knowledge of the issue or your campaign. It is generally accepted for accessibility that information should be written at a 6th-grade reading level or lower.

  • Get to the point. Make your key points early and often, and back them up with facts and examples.

  • Offer a short, snappy headline. A good headline gives readers a preview of what your op-ed has to say. (Keep in mind that some news outlets will write their own headlines, regardless of what you submit.)

  • Be prepared to be edited. Op-ed submissions are subject to revisions, editing, and fact-checking. Editors usually do NOT need your approval to make revisions or edits to accommodate space limitations, provided they do not change the context of your position. Sources for factual statements should be listed at the bottom of your op-ed to expedite review and placement processes.

  • Include your contact information. Be sure to include your name, title, organization (as needed), email, and phone number in case the editors want to contact you.

Media Training Tips

• Choose Spokespeople

  Develop a small group of spokespeople whose perspectives are especially important to the cause and who the media might be interested in interviewing. Strive for diversity that represents your community as well as varying perspectives on the topic and be sure to include spokespeople who are fluent in other languages as it makes sense for your community.

  • Advocates directly impacted by the issue can provide a personal appeal that no one else can.

  • Decision makers who are supportive of healthy school meals for all students in their communities and local economy will add an air of credibility.

  • Researchers who can share data on your issue for a specific city or state will add quantifiable evidence to your stories.

  • Finally, top-level representatives from your organization or partner groups are always important faces to add to your campaign. They can speak specifically about your efforts in your state.

  Reach out to these types of spokespeople, ask if they would be interested in speaking on behalf of your organization and begin preparing them for the task. Be sure to identify those who would do well on television or on-air through radio or talk shows, and those who would be more comfortable with print articles.

• Develop Content

  When you are pitching to the media, you are able to prepare your spokesperson before you ever reach out to the media. Sometimes a reporter may hear about your campaign and contact you for an interview. Either way, it is important to begin preparing your spokespeople as soon as possible. The more your speakers prepare, the more comfortable they will be, the better their delivery will be, and the more effectively your message will resonate with the right audience(s). However, before you compose your media training materials, make sure you answer the following questions:

  • Who is your audience? Before developing your messages, it is important to consider the audience you will be reaching through the publication conducting the interview.

    • Who typically reads the outlet that this reporter represents?

    • What are the additional topics this outlet typically covers?

    • What are the demographics of the readership or viewership?

  • What should you say? Speakers will need to know your talking points, but these core messages are just a starting point. Make your content more relevant by considering the following questions:

    • What are the two or three most important points you want to make during the interview? Write them down, and check to see if you were able to include them each time you practice.

    • Are there facts you want to highlight during the interview? What is the central theme you want to discuss—the core statement you return to repeatedly?

    • What would success look like? Provide numbers, statistics, and milestones for your state to help frame the problem as well as the resolution.

    • Can you make your interview more tangible? Consider adding comments about specific experiences or testimonials.

    • Are you telling a good story? Facts can easily be forgotten, but stories remain in people’s memories.

    • Are there other groups or individuals taking part in the interview? What are their positions likely to be, and will you have to comment on them?

  • What matters most? Spend some time thinking about how your speakers can best portray themselves and the issue.

    • How should the interview begin and end? The most important parts of an interview are the introduction and conclusion because they are what the audience is most likely to remember.

    • Are there more ways to restate the main goal of the campaign? People need to hear things at least three times to remember them, so make sure to keep bringing the messaging back to your core points.

    • Is this still relevant? Reread talking points the day before the interview to be sure the proof points are still relevant. Read local news of the day and reference anything that makes sense.

    • How can others get involved? Make sure the audience knows that there is a call-to-action for them to get involved with your campaign, and be sure to share easy information on how to do so, either by visiting a website or contacting the spokesperson directly.

  • What questions do you expect? What questions do you least want to be asked? Spend some time anticipating questions and developing direct responses or ways to turn the conversation back to your key message.

• Rehearsal

  No matter how familiar spokespeople are with your talking points, it is important to have them rehearse multiple times before the interview. Ask your spokesperson to rehearse your talking points in the following ways, and work alongside them as they do:

  • Read the text alone silently. Read the content with a critical eye. Do all proof points support the overall story? Is the central theme clear?

  • Read aloud alone. Spokespeople might be surprised to hear themselves speaking aloud, especially if it is their first time participating in an interview. Watch your speakers talk, and make note of places where they take natural pauses or get tripped up on words.

  • Stand and read in front of a mirror (if the interview is on television). When spokespeople read the content aloud standing, they will begin to get a feel for their natural body movement and non-verbal cues that will help bring the story to life.

  • Stand and read in front of peers. Gather your colleagues to listen to the spokespeople deliver their talking points. This can help increase speakers’ confidence and provides a safe place for them to receive feedback. At this point, they should be able to deliver their content without reading directly from papers.

  • Record their delivery, and learn from it. One of the best ways to rehearse is to make a video recording of your spokespeople presenting—smartphones are an excellent tool for this purpose. This allows them to see what the interviewer sees and will make speakers aware of any distracting movements or phrases they may unknowingly use.

  • Rehearse in a comparable setting to where the interview will be held. You may not be able to take your spokespeople to the actual interview location, but try to create a setting that feels similar. Spokespeople can practice their movement in this similar space, developing a sense of how to move and talk effectively when they are in the interview room.

• Interview Delivery

  As your spokespeople arrive for the interview, they should be friendly and engaging, greeting reporters, editors, and producers confidently.

  • Own the space. When you are on-site in the room, remind your speakers of the movements they practiced. If it is the right setting, encourage them to move around or use gestures so he or she doesn’t appear stiff or uncomfortable.

  • Engage the interviewer and the audience. Remind spokespeople to maintain eye contact with the reporter as often as possible. They are the window to the viewers who are watching or listening. If there is an audience present, make sure spokespeople speak directly to them.

  • Relax and enjoy. By this point, your spokespeople will have mastered their text and be comfortable with their delivery, so remind them to relax and enjoy their time on stage or in front of a reporter.

  • Say thank you. Thank the reporter at the end and suggest meeting with them later for a follow-up interview.

  • Before you arrive. If your spokesperson is someone with a disability make sure ahead of time that the location is prepared to accommodate them. Stages should be made accessible and equal thought should be given as to how they can best deliver the information. This may require the removal of an ill-placed podium or mic or require the interview to be moved altogether. Have confidence in making any accommodation requests so that your speaker can deliver the information without any unnecessary distractions.

Days at the Capitol

• Choose the Right Day

  Planning a day at the capitol takes a lot of time and work. It is a large investment for one short day. Therefore, it is important to make sure you schedule the event for when it will be most effective.

  • There are certain points in the rhythm of the legislative calendar when a day at the capitol could be particularly helpful. Policymakers will be more focused on your issue if a vote is upcoming or if a specific committee is viewing relevant legislation. By talking to them at this point in time, you can grab their attention and remind them why this issue matters to you. Remember, if you talk about specific legislation with a legislator, it is considered lobbying.

  • If you choose to reflect a view on specific legislation in this type of meeting, make sure you have ample, unrestricted dollars to cover the costs of both planning and hosting such an event. These activities will be a lobbying expense since it involves communicating directly with legislators about specific legislation.

  • The legislative calendar lends itself to a variety of opportunities for meetings. Consider a time when things are slower at the capitol, not at the start of a new legislative session. That way you may be able to secure more quality face time with your legislator. If there is an opportunity to connect your visit to an awareness day (for example, International School Meals Day), this could give an additional emphasis to your visit.

  • If you focus your message more generally on your topic separate from a specific legislation focus, it may be possible to use non-lobbying funds for this activity. When using non-lobbying funds, you must stick to educating legislators on general discussions regarding your issue. You can also secure a legislator’s general backing for your issue, obtain support for non-legislative matters or request their support for a particular grant application to help your campaign. Alternatively, if you want to use your visit to influence legislators to introduce or support specific legislation or appropriations, you must use lobbying dollars to pay for these activities.

• Invite the Right People

  When you schedule these types of events, remember that legislators and their staff want to hear from constituents with direct experience with the issues at hand. Remember to include a variety of voices in your attendees, including parents, professionals, youth, and local community leaders who can speak credibly about the topic and its impact on creating healthier futures for our children.

• Help Advocates Attend

  • If you have the resources, make plans to help your advocates get to the capitol, especially those with financial or transportation limitations. Consider offering gas money or assistance in paying for their plane ticket. An investment like this, to get the right people on the front end, can help ensure a successful visit. If the capitol is within reasonable driving distance, identify who can drive and who would like or need to carpool with others.

  • If overnight travel is necessary, settle on a hotel and send out the booking information well in advance of the rally so people can get the cheapest rates and stay together for easy coordination (this may be another opportunity to help individuals out with the costs, if you are able). Always ask the hotel if it has group discount rates.

  • Make sure your accommodations are pleasant and have sufficient space for group training meetings or debriefings. Consider gathering advocates the night before your event, once everyone has arrived, to align on the following day’s agenda and key talking points. Lodging arrangements should also be fairly close to the capitol so it does not take long to get there from the hotel. We recommend visiting the hotel in advance to make sure it is suitable for your advocates. Remember, you want people coming back next year, and comfort—even modest comfort—is important! Lack of accessibility for someone who needs it will be a deal-breaker. Be sure to prepare ahead of time for accommodations requested. This could include but is not limited to acquiring accessible hotel rooms, accessible travel to and from the hotel to the meeting space, locating accessible entrances ahead of time for ease of travel, and more.

  • Ask advocates if they have any barriers to participating, such as transportation accessibility or child care, and brainstorm ways to help overcome these issues to ensure full participation.

  • Keep in mind that if the event is a lobbying effort, all related expenses incurred by your organization (including transportation and lodging) must be paid using lobbying funds.

• Create a Schedule

  Plan a clear itinerary that you can distribute to advocates in advance of your event as well as when they arrive; you can even place it in their hotel rooms with a gift bag to make them feel welcome. An itinerary will communicate that this trip is important, purposeful, and set expectations for what they will get out of participating. On the itinerary, note the key message for advocates, make the goal of the event clear, and emphasize what the common ask and next steps will be for follow up. Be sure to schedule time at the end of the day to receive immediate feedback and debrief on key conversations. Be sure the itinerary is appropriate and feasible for anyone with a disability that may require breaks for restroom use, medication, or extended travel time from one location to the next.

• Build Time for Fun

  Beyond meeting with their decision makers, this is an excellent time for advocates to connect. Advocates are often more committed and inspired to support the issue at hand when they feel as though they are a part of a community. Although your advocates are connecting online, they may have few opportunities to connect in person so they can learn from each other and share experiences. Make sure to schedule intentional times for this to happen in the form of meetings as well as fun outings.

• Create a Leave-Behind

  Make sure your advocates are armed with tools that will help drive the point further home to decision makers. That could be the decision maker fact sheet in this toolkit or something more, like a petition from advocates in their community. If your visit is a lobbying visit, materials you create specifically for the visit are considered lobbying materials and should be supported with unrestricted resources. But if you create materials in advance and distribute them broadly to the public, you may be able to use non-lobbying funds for your leave-behinds. Plan your campaign materials several weeks or months in advance, think strategically, and consult a lawyer who is familiar with these issues.

• Follow up with Successes

  After the day at the capitol is finished, make sure you follow up with advocates about the meetings, reporting any successful interactions or resulting legislative movement. The important thing here is to let advocates know their efforts were worth it so they will continue to be active for your cause.

Meeting with Legislators

• Save the Date

  Making an appointment is easy—simply call your legislators and talk to the office’s scheduler. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Be flexible with the date and time. Legislators have busy schedules, and meetings usually last 15 to 45 minutes.

  • You may end up meeting with a staffer rather than a legislator, which is fine. Many legislators rely heavily on staff to keep them informed and make decisions about issues.

  • Choose one to two issues to discuss so you can talk about them comprehensively in a short amount of time.

  • Feel free to bring a colleague or an advocate with you who can also offer their insight on the issues. Be cognizant that bringing an advocate simply to demonstrate diversity can come across as a token appearance. Be sure to have a strong role for each person engaged in the meeting.

• Essentials for Success

  Nervous about how the conversation will go or what to say? Bring these essentials to the meeting to help it run smoothly:

  • A pen or pencil to take notes during your meeting.

  • A business card to leave with your representative.

  • Cameras, so you can share photos showcasing how this issue directly impacts children in your community or take a picture with your legislator while you are visiting his or her office.

  • A one-pager with key statistics about the issue and more information about your campaign. Include a list of key influencers who are also involved and a way that the policymaker can be more involved to help serve as a champion for your cause.

  • A clear “ask” for the meeting to move the conversation forward—for instance, a site visit, newspaper column or op-ed signature, or asking the legislator to urge the governor or mayor to take an administrative action. All of these may be structured to use non-lobbying funds.

  Remember: your visit won’t be considered lobbying if you keep the conversation focused on your campaign and the general policy issue you are working to resolve without discussing legislative solutions. But you may discuss administrative actions without the communication being treated as a lobbying cost. If you have a specific request surrounding a piece of legislation, that would require separate lobbying funds to support the visit itself or the supplemental materials created for the meeting.

• Make the Most of Your One-on-One

  • Dress professionally when visiting your representative.

  • Introduce yourself and talk about your position on the issues you have prepared to discuss.

  • Share personal stories and examples to illustrate how the issues affect you and your community. Facts and statistics are easy to forget, but personal stories remain in people’s memories.

  • Listen to your legislator’s response and be prepared to answer questions. If you cannot answer his or her questions, jot a note down and get back to him or her.

  • Even if you do not see eye to eye, always be respectful and polite.

  • Research your representative’s stance and voting history on the issues you plan to discuss, as well as opposing viewpoints, to help you frame your talking points.

• Thank your Legislator

  • After taking time out of his or her very busy schedule, your member will definitely appreciate a brief thank-you card or email.

  • A follow-up note is also a great opportunity to remind them of the stories you shared, your stance on the issues you discussed, and how their actions as an elected official could help impact your community.

  • Based on the in-person response to your request or “ask,” determine what appropriate steps to take in following up with your legislator and whether you need to repeat the ask or share additional information to bring them on board.