TU relies on volunteer leaders working in collaboration with staff to deliver on the mission through advocacy, hands-on restoration and community engagement work.
Because TU members have rolled rocks, planted willows, picked up trash, taught the next generation of local kids to fish and care about the resource, and much more… when TU members speak-up for trout and salmon, they are heard. This makes TU uniquely positioned to make real and lasting impacts on conservation advocacy.
Of course, an organized, effective volunteer advocacy campaign does not always happen of its own accord, and TU’s rapid growth and unique organizational structure can present challenges in terms of effective coordination aligning staff with grassroots engagement in complementing ways. Accordingly, this section of the Tacklebox is designed to help with just that and is loaded with resources to help TU volunteer leaders embark on effective advocacy campaigns.
Getting Started as an Advocacy Champion
If you’ve got the passion for lending your voice to important issues, there are many ways you can get involved at the local, state and national levels.
- Shout for Trout at standup.tu.org: Find the latest information on TU’s most important national campaigns, read up to get informed on the priority issues and be sure to submit your comments using our VoterVoice platform.
- Reach out to your local chapter or state council: See if there is already an Advocacy Committee in place where volunteers like you are organizing around important coldwater conservation issues. If not, offer to help start recruiting for and building a local committee!
- Connect with TU National staff: Check to see if there is a current TU staff policy lead for your state. If not, reach out to your Volunteer Operations staff for help.
Spending time to understand TU’s policy priorities at the national, state and local levels is important so you can identify the most meaningful way for you to make a difference, or the commitment that matches your current time availability.
On the local level, each chapter and state council may have a different overarching advocacy strategy based on decision making processes in the town, county or state, existing relationships and the specific policy effort so be sure to find out what they are currently planning.
If you are starting a new effort locally, this sample of local advocacy actions may be helpful to review.
Advocacy Examples & Opportunities
The simplest way to step up as an advocacy champion locally is to help spread the word and get more members and supporters to sign onto national efforts at standup.tu.org. If you’re looking to do more – and after you have connected with other local chapter and council volunteers, and touched base with your state policy staff, some of the following opportunities for advocacy may meet your needs – and be a fun and impactful way to shout for trout!
Legislator Relationship Building
Developing relationships with legislators and their staff well in advance of reaching out to share your point of view on an issue is critical. Strong personal relationships are the best means of influencing legislative decision-making. Personal visits, letters, phone calls, faxes, and emails are especially important when they come from constituents who are well known, highly regarded, and have been helpful in the past. Building relationships takes time and careful effort, but it is the most effective way to shape the thinking of those who decide public policy. Introduce yourself and invite decision makers to go fishing, visit a critical project site or paddle an important stretch of water.
Congressional Town Halls
Members of Congress come home between sessions and often host town halls to speak to and hear from their constituents. Attend these town halls to elevate your concerns for coldwater conservation. Read our guide to participating in a town hall meeting and don’t hesitate to contact TU staff for support.
Mobilizing Members
When looking to mobilize your membership you may facilitate a multifaceted plan that may include one or more of the following; orchestrate an online petition to generate supporters to elevate in action through a phone tree urging members to contact their elected representatives, hosting postcard writing events to key elected officials, promoting email action alerts via social media, and planning other in-person special events around a particular issue to garner support.
Letter to the Editor Campaigns
A letter to the editor campaign can be a great way to get your issue in front of thousands of readers with little to no cost to your team. Not only do you get to make your case with a specific call to action but you also have an implicit nod from the newspaper’s editor indicating that your message is worth consideration. When considering a letter to the editor, confer with your council and staff as the nuances of an effective and well placed letter are critical.
Candidate Forums
A nonpartisan candidate forum is a powerful tool to engage your community around an upcoming election while advancing your advocacy goals. Whether your chapter needs issue support, wants to change state law, or simply wants to increase awareness of your priorities, a successful candidate forum during an election year will build awareness and greater recognition for your organization and the communities you serve. There are many nuances to organizing an effective candidate forum to attract media interest, stay within 501(c)(3) regulations and build constituency around your priority issues. Review this forum template and contact Volunteer Operations staff to learn more about planning an upcoming forum.
Share your advocacy successes and learn from other chapter leaders in the online Advocacy Champions Forum (email Doug Agee to be added to the forum.)