Title: Grassroots Campaign Original CoS Document (slug): [[https://conventionofstates.com/files/grassroots-campaign|grassroots-campaign]] Login Required to view? No Attached File: Grass_Roots_Campaign.docx County Council, Town Halls, and Civic Engagement grassroots campaign program Created: 2018-04-27 21:30:19 Updated: 2019-04-27 23:00:05 Published: 2018-04-28 20:00:00 Converted: 2025-04-14T19:30:46.113607274 ---- County Council, Town Halls and Civic Engagement Grass Roots Campaign Program Overview This is a guide to assist with soliciting and growing a strong and influential support for the CoS Action initiative from the ground up. The plan offers beginning ideas for implementing a successful campaign within local towns and counties across each respective state. It is also designed to assist with developing relationships on the local level that will strengthen efforts. The following information provided is not meant to be the only avenue to accomplish the CoS Action grassroots movement, but to offer a jumping point. Solicit additional ideas from local CoS leadership team members to design the best plan for the local community. Information Dissemination and Media Release Planning - Determine all avenues to disseminate information - Construct a targeted contact list ahead of time - Table the list until it is time to implement Begin with determining the best plan for disseminating information in your local community. Each community is different so the exact method will be different as well. Compile a list of all avenues that can be effective in disseminating information, such as: online blogs, small local newspapers, large newspapers, TV stations, radio stations, social media (FaceBook, Twitter, Snapchat, MySpace, etc.), faith based organization bulletin boards, political party organizations, local non-profit civic engagement organizations (i.e., Ruritan, Masonic Lodge, Woman's Clubs, Urban League, Rotary, American Legion, Daughters of Confederacy, Chambers, local businesses, friends, family, etc). It is important to recognize that large media venues are not the only way to effectively disseminate information. Small media venues often pick up stories before larger media venues. This may also offer incentive for the larger media venues to pick up the story. Town Hall Venue - Search for 'no-cost' venues - After securing the venue, schedule Town Hall meetings well in advance - Invite County and/or Town Council, as a courtesy - Invite Legislators, as a courtesy - Invite civic engagement organizations - Schedule on regular intervals using different locations, if available If possible, inquire with venues that do not charge 501 (c) non-profit entities. Check with the local county office, library, museum, electric coop, faith based organizations, community clubs, etc. Completion of an application may be necessary for use of the venue. It may be necessary to contact the COS State Director for the CoS FEIN for the venue application if the venue is offered at no cost. If it is not possible to secure a venue without cost, be sure to check with state leadership and ask for input. Once a venue has been secured, schedule the Town Hall well in advance. Ideally, presentations should be delivered to County and/or Town Council and a few civic organizations prior to the Town Hall meeting. This will promote a greater attendance. Announce the Town Hall during each pre-scheduled presentation and provide a flyer invitation. Consider scheduling intermittent Town Hall meetings so that the CoS Action information is thoroughly disseminated in the community. This will reinforce activism within supporters and build the support base numbers. Media Release 1 - County and/or Town Council - Develop written media release - Schedule media releases Work with the media team on a written pre-release announcement of the County and/or Town Council presentation. Schedule media releases with all available media sources and information dissemination avenues. County or Town Council Presentation - Get on the County or Town Council Agenda - Inform/Invite legislators - Inquire on format and time limits prior to the presentation - Inquire and consider any preconceived ideas that should be addressed - Prepare or obtain an information material binder or packet with no more than five tabs - Be prepared to give a current legislative update as to where the bills stand in the local House and Senate, as well as, which representatives are supportive - Let council members know there will be a series of Town Hall Meetings - Ask to return for the purpose of providing progress reports - Ask for their support and for them to contact local legislators - Schedule the County and/or Town Council presentation prior to the Town Hall meeting so that council members can be invited to the upcoming Town Hall meeting The goal is to appeal to all political parties through the verbal presentation and the material provided. The council will be comprised of politically diverse constructs so use a neutral approach. Always start out by thanking them for their service to the community. Be thankful and gracious. It is important that the local County and/or Town Council members are on board. They have frequent contact with state legislators and the trust of their local constituents. Prior to the presentation, contact one of the local council members and inquire if they are familiar with CoS Action. Let them know of the growing support for the CoS Action project. Inquire on any concerns that the council may have as a whole so that those concerns can be addressed appropriately during the presentation. When scheduling the presentation, always ask about the forum and time limitations and rules of conduct for the council meeting. Prepare for a short verbal presentation and expect possible questions from the council members. The presentation should include a brief and personal introduction of the presenter and why the presenter supports CoS, keeping within the presentation time limitations. The presenter should present in a positive mannerism and express their hope through the CoS Action project for the future of America. Quick topics to address in a short period are; 'What is a Convention of States' and 'Why Call a Convention of States'. Table questions that cannot be answered and follow up with a letter to each council member afterwards. Don't make up answers just to give one! It may be prudent to clarify that the term limit proposal and the other CoS Action items focus solely on federal bureaucrats and elected federal officials. Statesmen may misconceive CoS Action as being ‘anti-elected officials’, but this is not always the case. Provide a brief explanation of the material that is provided. Provide council members with a CoS binder or packet that includes the following tabs; 1) Executive Summary 2) Article V Process 3) Article V Status [containing the US color map] 4) Expert Articles and 5) Supplemental [for miscellaneous information, including social media resources]. Insert the following information in the back of the binder 1) CoS CD 2) pocket constitution or parchment copy 3) Town Hall flyer and 4) business card. Prepare enough binders or packets for all council members, media, and any officials or legislators that were expected or invited to the meeting. Invite council members to the upcoming Town Hall meeting and inform them of the intent to hold a series of Town Hall meetings. Finally, ask County or Town Council members for their support. Encourage them to contact the local House and Senate legislators to encourage their support and activism among their legislative peers for the CoS Action project. Also, ask council members if ‘in-person’ updates can be provided as to the progress. This will allow further relationship building. Media Release 2 - Town Hall Schedule the Town Hall meeting media releases with all available media sources and information dissemination avenues two to three weeks in advance, possibly multiple times. Town Hall Presentation //Consider the following:// - Security Attendant (low priority) - Parking Attendant - CoS Banner and Props (annotated constitution and parchment paper constitution) - Handout slicks - Equipment (video, computer, screen, projector, etc.) - Seating arrangement - Presentation table - Refreshments (water) - Determine the main points to be presented - Keep the format simple and informal Team up with one other DC or state leadership team member to conduct the Town Hall meeting. Introduce yourself as a community member and express what attracted you to CoS Action. Always be friendly and informative. Never be rude, condescending, or discount audience beliefs. Remember, CoS may not appeal to everyone and the presenter should not engage in a heated debate. This is ideally where relationships can be further developed and strengthened through the presenter’s knowledge and mannerisms. Involve the audience by starting out with asking them what their concerns are with the federal government. Relate each concern back to one of the three main initiatives that CoS Action is proposing; 1) impose fiscal restraints, 2) limit the power and jurisdiction, and 3) term limits. Consider using props to clearly provide a true depiction of the original Constitution and the 27 Amendments in comparison to the annotated Constitution, which includes an overwhelming amount of judicial interpretations. The annotated Constitution is close to 3000 pages. Always, solicit petition signing and ask that citizens contact their legislators as a show of support for the CoS Action. Civic Engagement Organization Presentations Conduct each presentation, as done for the Town Hall meetings. This is another opportunity to develop relationships to strengthen the support base. Some individuals that are members of civic organizations are more likely to become involved in activism and offer strong support to CoS Action.