Advocacy 101

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Tips for Advocating to Policymakers

When legislators know more about the programs and the people they serve, they are more likely to support these programs. Help your legislators put a face and place to the programs they fund by meeting your legislators and connecting with them frequently to share your story and concerns. Use multiple advocacy strategies to most effectively advocate to policymakers.

Meeting with Your Legislators

Meeting your legislators in person is the best way to convey your story and concerns. Don’t be intimidated by your legislators. They work for you to represent your concerns in policy decision making. Remember you are the expert. There is a good chance that your legislator isn’t very familiar with the issue that you are discussing. This is your opportunity to educate them.

Tips for Meeting with Your Legislator:

  1. Call and schedule a meeting: If the legislator is unavailable, set up a meeting with his or her aide who will deliver your message to the legislator. To ensure you can meet with your legislator or an aide, call a few weeks in advance to schedule a meeting.
  2. Be on time. Legislators and their aides are really busy, so out of respect for their time, be on time.
  3. Be polite: Legislators will be most likely to listen to your perspective if you are respectful and polite, even if they disagree with you.
  4. Be brief and to the point: You should plan for a half hour meeting and be able to convey your story and message within this time frame. Allow for time for the legislator to ask questions and respond to your concerns.
  5. Be specific: If you are referencing a bill, use the bill number if you have it; describe the issue if there is not a bill number or if you don’t know it. If you are referencing a particular program in the state budget, reference the line item number.
  6. Explain your position and make it personal: Tell a story about how the issue affects you, your family, your school, your community or your job.
  7. Ask for a response: Ask your legislator if he/she will support the program or if he/she will sign the bill for which you are advocating.
  8. Thank the legislator for his/her time when you are leaving and mail them a personal thank you note.

Take Action:

Writing and E-mailing your Policymakers

Tips for Writing or E-mailing:

  1. Identify yourself: Name, age, town you live in
  2. Be specific: If you are referencing a bill, use the bill number if you have it; describe the issue if there is not a bill number or if you don’t know it. If you are referencing a particular program in the state budget, reference the line item number.
  3. Be timely: Write when the issue is current, and no later than 7-10 days before any action.
  4. Be polite: Legislators will be most likely to listen to your perspective if you are respectful and polite, even if they disagree with you.
  5. Be brief: Policymakers are really busy. A written letter should not be more than about a page.
  6. Explain your position and make it personal: Tell a story about how the issue affects you, your family, your school, your community or your job.
  7. Ask for a response: Urge your legislator to take action, and request a reply. Clearly articulate what you want your legislator to do (e.g. “fund teen pregnancy prevention, line item DPH 4530-9000”).

Take Action:

  • Find your Massachusetts legislators and their contact information.
  • Email the Governor: We recommend advocating to the Governor toward the beginning or end of the state budget process (October to November and May to June) to ask support for government funded programs you care about.

See the latest advocacy alert and Alliance state budget recommendations.

Calling Your Policymakers

Don’t be intimidated by your legislators. They work for you to represent your concerns in policy decision making. If the legislator is not available, ask to speak with his or her aide. This person will share your concerns with the legislator. Remember, you are the expert. There is a good chance that your legislator isn’t very familiar with the issue that you are discussing. This is your opportunity to educate them.

Tips for Calling:

  • Identify yourself : Name, age, town you live in
  • Be specific: If you are referencing a bill, use the bill number if you have it; describe the issue if there is not a bill number or if you don’t know it. If you are referencing a particular program in the state budget, reference the line item number.
  • Be polite: Legislators will be most likely to listen to your perspective if you are respectful and polite, even if they disagree with you.
  • Explain your position: Explain how the issue affects you, your family, your school, your community or your job.
  • Be brief: Convey your message in 5 minutes or less.
  • Ask for a response: Urge your legislator to take action. Ask your legislator if he/she will support the program or if he/she will sign the bill for which you are advocating.
  • Don’t forget to thank them for their time

Sample Phone Call to Ask for Your Legislator’s Support:

  • You: Hello. May I please speak to Senator Willis?
  • Receptionist: I’m sorry, the Senator is in a meeting right now. Would you like to speak with her aide, Adam?
  • You: Yes, thank you.
  • Aide: Hello, how may I help you?
  • You: Hi. My name is Joe Martinez and I live in Brockton. I am a member of the Steering Committee for the Brockton Teen Coalition. I have read in the newspaper that there may be mid year budget cuts to the Department of Public Health.  I would like to urge Senator Montigny NOT to cut the Teen Pregnancy Prevention.
  • Aide: I would be happy to pass that information along to the Senator. Do you know the line-item for that account?
  • You: Yes, it is DPH 4530-9000.
  • Aide: Thanks for your call. I will be sure to pass this on to the Senator.
  • You: Thank you, Adam.

Take Action Now:

  • Call your legislator.
  • Call the Governor: You can also call the Governor, especially toward the beginning or end of the state budget process (October to November and May to June) to ask support for government funded programs you care about. Governor Patrick’s number is 617.725.4005 or 888.870.7770 (in Massachusetts).
  • Click here for the latest advocacy alert and Alliance state budget recommendations.

Other Ways to Advocate to Your Policymakers:

  • YouTube: E-mail a link to a 1-2 minute video on YouTube. In the video, say your name, where you are from, what you want the policymaker to support and why. This is an excellent way to tell your story and make it personal when you are unable to meet with your policymaker in person.
  • Blog: Engage with Governor Patrick via his blog
  • Impromptu Meeting: If you have not set up a meeting a head of time, you can still stop by a legislator’s state house or district office and ask if they have a minute to talk. If they are not available you can ask if one of their aides is. You should not take up more than 5-10 minutes of their time, though, since the meeting was not planned in advance.
  • Fax: If your legislators or the Governor are about to make an important decision on the budget or a bill and a letter will not arrive in time, you can fax them a letter or fact sheet.
  • Invite Legislators to Your Program for a legislative breakfast or other event.
  • Register to Vote! Voting is a very important means for you to have a say in the policy making process
Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy
105 Chauncy Street, 8th Floor Boston, MA 02111
617.482.9122 Main 617.482.9129 Fax