As the Congressional Management Foundation continues to expand the Partnership for a More Perfect Union, we are seeking ways to provide Partners with additional tools to educate your grassroots supporters on effective citizen advocacy. With that in mind, CMF is creating two new benefits for Partners.
New CMF Videos on Grassroots Advocacy
CMF is inviting Partners to participate in a pilot project featuring short videos for your website. Using CMF research and our experience with Congress, we will create an initial series of 3-5 minute instructional videos you can share with your members and stakeholders either through your online communications or as part of your presentations. This initial pilot project will be comprised of a three-part series of videos, which can be posted on your organization’s website. The videos’ topics will be:
- “What Congress is Looking for in Constituent Communications”
- “How Congress is Using Social Media to Gauge Public Opinion”
- “Quick Strategies for Influencing Undecided Lawmakers”
Each video will be customized for your organization – with your logo on the cover slide, effectively co-branding the content. To assess and improve this content, we are asking pilot program Partners for their assistance in marketing and researching the project, such as conducting outreach to your grassroots network and providing CMF with analytics on the use and value of the videos. CMF’s goal is to provide you with content and supporting research to help improve the management of your advocacy assets and to engage and motivate your grassroots and stakeholders. If you are interested, please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and mention this project in the email.
New Ongoing Surveys of Congressional Staff
In a focus group of CMF’s Partners we conducted earlier this year, CMF staff heard loud and clear what you want: more data on how Congress wants to interact with your supporters. With that in mind CMF is creating an ongoing survey series, primarily targeting Capitol Hill Chiefs of Staff. Unlike previous CMF research projects, these surveys will be conducted quarterly, allowing us to quickly translate the data into actionable guidance for congressional staff and our Partners. Also, the content will be more succinct than previous efforts. We’ve seen that briefer “briefs” are very popular and easier to integrate into your program efforts.
The first survey will be launched in August with content available exclusively to CMF Partners in September. The topic will focus on “leave-behinds” and “follow ups” for meetings with congressional staff. We expect many of you may be planning your Spring 2013 fly-ins/lobby days, so direct knowledge of what Capitol Hill is looking for in educational material could help with your preparations.
Questions could include:
- What is the best length, content and format for educational materials on issues pending before the Congress?
- Are most groups well prepared for meetings, and if not, what could be done to train those potential attendees?
- What are the ideal numbers and setting for a meeting with the Member and staff?
CMF research shows that in-person meetings with constituents or their representative is the most powerful tool for influencing undecided lawmakers. However, CMF experience with congressional offices also tells us that many groups do a very poor job preparing their supporters and providing information to lawmakers. It’s in the interest of both sides of the democratic dialogue for citizens and Members of Congress to have a frank and fully-informed exchange in crucial issues facing your organization, the Congress and the nation.
We hope you’ll find these new initiatives helpful to your organization’s advocacy efforts. CMF’s Partnership for a More Perfect Union will continue to provide creative tools to Partners to advance our common goal of building lasting and valuable relationships between citizens and Congress.
We appreciate your support. If you have any questions about either of these initiatives, please email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call us at 202-546-0100.
