B4: Advancing Your Organization’s Mission Through Advocacy

Presented by Ben MikschAffordable Housing Policy and Advocacy

SpecialistThursday, May 22, 2014

What is advocacy?

2

4

Washington Housing Trust Fund

Low Income Housing Tax Credit

HUD Self-Help Housing Program

City of Grandview grant to widen the road, add a curb, gutter, and sidewalks

SSV Irrigation District – irrigation line piped around the property

Regulations on required number of parking spacesCity zoning rules multifamily homes

Regulations on size of units

Public policy choices directly impact your organization

Public policy choices directly impact your organization

Widening Gap Between Income and Rent

Source: “America’s Rental Housing,” a report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

YWCA Seattle | King | Snohimish Key Strategies for Change

• Ground advocacy in mission• Tie it to the budget• Recruit Champions• Install Guard Rails• Embed it in the rhythm of the business

• Ground advocacy in mission• Tie it to the budget• Recruit Champions• Install Guard Rails• Embed it in the rhythm of the business

Step 1: Ground Advocacy In Your Mission

Public Policy Choices Matter

• Shape Our Community• Express Our Values• Contribute to the problems we’re trying to

solve• Can help with solutions

• Shape Our Community• Express Our Values• Contribute to the problems we’re trying to

solve• Can help with solutions

Some Causes of Homelessness

Homelessness

Policies Contributing to those Causes

Homelessness

Promising Policy Solutions

Homelessness

What policies are impacting your organization?

What policies are impacting your organization?

2. Tie Advocacy to the Budget

3. Recruit Your Champions

• Already on your board and in your organization – they just need a venue!

• Create a Board Public Policy or Advocacy sub-committee

• Provide opportunities to develop public speaking and advocacy skills

• Sign people up for advocacy alerts/create a email distribution list for advocacy opportunities

• Already on your board and in your organization – they just need a venue!

• Create a Board Public Policy or Advocacy sub-committee

• Provide opportunities to develop public speaking and advocacy skills

• Sign people up for advocacy alerts/create a email distribution list for advocacy opportunities

Attend Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day

February 17, 2015

4. Install Guard Rails

• Help people understand legal limits– No supporting or opposing candidates– Advocacy around issues and legislation is okay– May need to file 501(h) election with the IRS

• Help people understand legal limits– No supporting or opposing candidates– Advocacy around issues and legislation is okay– May need to file 501(h) election with the IRS

4. Install Guard Rails Continued

• Self-Imposed rules can help as well– Framework + guiding principles for what kind of

policies the organization will work on– Establish annual priorities

• Self-Imposed rules can help as well– Framework + guiding principles for what kind of

policies the organization will work on– Establish annual priorities

5. Embed it in the Business

• Rolling Board Calendar– Embed annual priorities and policy work into the

calendar

• Board Member Job Description• Non-Financial Commitment Form• Advocacy updates at every Board Meeting• Add it to the Strategic Plan

• Rolling Board Calendar– Embed annual priorities and policy work into the

calendar

• Board Member Job Description• Non-Financial Commitment Form• Advocacy updates at every Board Meeting• Add it to the Strategic Plan

6. Connect with advocacy

organizations

6. Connect with advocacy

organizations

The Housing Alliance – Your

Partner in Advocacy

Vision of the Board Advocacy Project

• Bring new voices to the advocacy movement by turning board members into lifelong advocates for affordable housing and homelessness

• Expand the advocacy capacity in communities by helping organizations build advocacy into the foundation of their board work and their structure

• To harness the untapped power of board members and the organizations they represent to help build the movement we need to ensure that everyone in Washington has access to a safe, healthy, affordable home in a thriving community.

• Bring new voices to the advocacy movement by turning board members into lifelong advocates for affordable housing and homelessness

• Expand the advocacy capacity in communities by helping organizations build advocacy into the foundation of their board work and their structure

• To harness the untapped power of board members and the organizations they represent to help build the movement we need to ensure that everyone in Washington has access to a safe, healthy, affordable home in a thriving community.

Overcoming Challenges

Your Voice Belongs the Public Policy Process

• Legislators need to hear from you

• Advocacy is legal• Lobbying is legal – with some

easy guidelines• Campaigning is illegal

• Legislators need to hear from you

• Advocacy is legal• Lobbying is legal – with some

easy guidelines• Campaigning is illegal

Advocacy Doesn’t Need to Take a Lot of Time

http://org.salsalabs.com/o/2685/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=13719

You Don’t Need to be an Expert!

Advocacy Works

• 27 years ago we didn’t have a housing trust fund.• 12 years ago we didn’t have document recording fees.• 11 years ago landlords could legally discriminate

against survivors of domestic violence when choosing tenants.

• This year we revived a document recording fee bill from the dead and protected significant funding from sunsetting

What will we accomplish next year?

• 27 years ago we didn’t have a housing trust fund.• 12 years ago we didn’t have document recording fees.• 11 years ago landlords could legally discriminate

against survivors of domestic violence when choosing tenants.

• This year we revived a document recording fee bill from the dead and protected significant funding from sunsetting

What will we accomplish next year?

Thank you!

For more information:

Ben Miksch, Aff. Housing Policy and Advocacy SpecialistBenM@wliha.org206.442.9455 x 204www.wliha.org/board-advocacy-project

For more information:

Ben Miksch, Aff. Housing Policy and Advocacy SpecialistBenM@wliha.org206.442.9455 x 204www.wliha.org/board-advocacy-project