Grassroots advocacy is when people directly affected by a problem take action to achieve a solution.
It is a subset of advocacy in general, which can be thought of in terms of the word’s Latin root: advocare, which means ‘to call to aid.’ Therefore, advocacy is everything you do to get others involved in your cause to effect change.
Grassroots advocacy specifically allows for a broader coalition with more diverse voices and deeper ties to their communities to push for change.
The unmanned systems industry has a strong network of individuals who can carry advocacy messages to their friends, communities, and legislators. AUVSI grassroots advocates are those people who either work in the unmanned sector, engage with unmanned systems as a hobbyist, and/or deeply believe in the technology’s promise.
Drones, autonomous vehicles, and unmanned maritime vessels are already changing the world for the better. Together, we can share those stories and advocate for legislative and regulatory policies that benefit our industry and change the world.
Becoming an AUVSI Grassroots Advocate is easy – just sign up, stay tuned for updates, and take part in our events! You will have the opportunity to learn more about specific issues and policies AUVSI is advocating for, along with the chance to read up on relevant local and state legislative initiatives the industry cares about. We will help to train you on grassroots advocacy best practices, and prepare you for effective advocacy engagement.
One of the most important aspects about becoming a grassroots advocate is placing the issue or proposed policy in the context of your own life, and then using that narrative to call for progress, or to stop a policy proposal that would be harmful. Generic talking points are not that effective; when you can position proposed legislation or a regulatory policy in the context of your everyday life – how it would affect you or your business – your message becomes very powerful.
Once you feel knowledgeable about the various issues and can relate the broader talking points to your own story, you will be asked to engage in various calls-to-action, or CTAs. This newest acronym refers to doing things such as emailing your legislator, talking to them on the phone, meeting face-to-face (or virtually), or any combination of the three in reference to an important industry issue or “ask.” The AUVSI Advocacy team will ensure that all CTAs include an “ask,” which is an explicit request for a legislator to do something – vote, co-sponsor, visit a facility, or some other measurable request. Your voice is what makes our industry strong, and by becoming a Grassroots Advocate you can be an instrumental part of moving unmanned systems forward.
In today’s world, there are many different ways to get in touch with your legislator or policymaker – over the phone, via email, through a Tweet, or face-to-face in their office. Regardless of how you may choose to communicate with a legislator, there are some recommended general tips in order to ensure your message is conveyed:
Focus on one issue at a time. You will overwhelm policymakers if you pile on one issue after another. Schedule multiple conversations if you have a laundry list of items or, better yet, focus on different issues with different policymakers, depending on legislator experience and knowledge levels.
Don’t assume that your legislator understands the unmanned systems industry. Avoid acronyms, explain how issues directly affect your specific community, and come prepared with the details they need to know.
Have specific details and facts (with references) to back your position, but if you don’t know the answer to something either in a face-to-face meeting or over the phone, don’t panic. This gives you an opportunity to follow up later!
Don’t forget to ask for what you want the policymaker to do. This doesn’t mean, “Do we have your support?” but, for example, “Will you vote for expanding AV testing?” or “Can you ask 2-3 colleagues if they will support increased funding to provide our local firefighters with drones” A good ask is one that is measurable, and allows you to check up on that action at a later date.
If meeting in person, be ready for a 3-minute meeting, a 5-minute conversation, or a 10-minute discussion. Policymakers are often short on time, but they may have questions and want to ‘dig in’ with you to make sure they’re ready for an upcoming vote. You want to leave a strong impression in a very brief amount of time, but you also want to know how you’ll fill more time, if you have it.
Regardless of how you communicate with your legislator or policymaker, there are some key components to remember when crafting your message, as outlined below:
A good story is:
Focused — What is the specific purpose for telling this story? If there is more than one, you’ll need more than one story.
Positively Charged — There can be grief and hardship, but to evoke change, focus on the positive. If there’s just sadness, why would anyone want to get involved?
Crafted and Framed — This is necessary so that anyone listening will capture the essential elements of your story and pay attention to details you intended to emphasize.
Practiced and Curated — Your story is too important to just “wing it.”
The story arc, for advocacy effect:
While most policymakers and their staff report that personal visits and phone calls receive the
most attention, there may be times when sending an email is most effective. When that is the case, the AUVSI Advocacy team will provide you with a suggested message to send, though you will be able to personalize it to best fit your communication style. Regardless, remember the following:
Specify that you are a constituent.
Place the legislative “ask” in the context of your life and experiences.
Conclude by re-stating the “ask”
Many advocates, advocacy groups, and ordinary citizens communicate with policymakers through phone calls. If the AUVSI Advocacy team asks you to call your legislator, we will provide you with talking points the relevant contact information.
Often, when you call a policymaker, you will speak with a staff member, not the elected official him/herself, although you may develop telephone channels of communication with local and state officials.
At the federal level, don’t be disappointed if you speak with a staffer. These are influential and knowledgeable individuals, and a strong relationship with a policymakers’ staff can be a great asset to your advocacy.
At the same time, if you have trouble reaching a local or state policymaker, be persistent. These policymakers represent levels of government that are designed to be literally and symbolically closer to their constituents, and you have every right to expect some time to make your case and hear the perspectives directly from these office holders.
When calling a policymaker:
If you are a constituent, let them know that as you introduce yourself. Be prepared to provide your address. If you are not a constituent, make sure that you can explain your connection to the policymaker. If you don’t have this connection, spend your time getting someone else (who does) to call instead.
Know your facts. If you’re not using a script, have some talking points ready. Have paper to note any questions you can’t answer right now, so that you can follow up. Make sure you know the name of the individual with whom you’re speaking, be it a legislator or a staffer.
Be brief. Phone calls to policymakers should ideally not last longer than 3-4 minutes.
Be timely. If the vote on your issue is imminent, the staffer is much more likely to pay attention and, especially important, to convey your message quickly.
Call about only one issue at a time. Regular communication is better anyway, and it can be a great advocacy practice to call even when you don’t have an urgent ask. Sometimes, you might call to share new information, or if you have a question that your policymaker can help you answer. These are often different kinds of calls than those that occur within the context of an urgent call to action. You are calling because you want to deepen or extend a relationship.
There is no substitute for meeting with a legislator or policymaker face-to-face, and AUVSI eagerly awaits when in-person meetings become viable in states around the country, as well as in Washington, D.C. When face-to-face meetings resume, remember the following tips when embarking on grassroots advocacy:
Just as you would craft your message carefully to appeal to the particular target audience, the way that you conduct advocacy will also vary, particularly depending on the level of government where you are trying to make change.
At the local and state levels, you are likely to communicate directly with the city councilperson, county commissioner, or state legislator him/herself. You may have conversations in the evening, since these policymakers often have other full-time jobs, and it is not uncommon for a home or cell phone number to be the preferred channel of communication.
Conversely, at the federal level you will likely communicate with a scheduler to see if a legislator has time to meet in person, or one of their legislative assistants if they do not. Don’t be put off by speaking with staff instead of the member!
It is always important to have written information to give to the policymaker. You will want to include important details about your work, as well as the policy issues you have prioritized and the specific asks you have around those issues. In these instances, AUVSI will equip you with one-pagers for you to leave behind, as reference material for the legislator and their staff moving forward.
Your meeting/visit with the policymaker should be just the beginning of your relationship. Follow up with a thank-you note and any requested information. Remind the policymaker of any next steps promised and make plans for your next interaction. You can also share photos and updates from the visit on social media, which can demonstrate your ongoing advocacy activity and may be valuable to the policymaker.
Examples of Grassroots Advocacy
What does effective grassroots advocacy look like? Below are a few notable examples showcasing successful campaigns and, therefore, successful advocates.
- The American Society of Anesthesiologists has worked with their grassroots advocates to build personal, in-district relationships between individual advocates and their Members of Congress. These relationships allow the priorities and needs of the anesthesiology industry to be delivered to legislators by trusted friends and constituents, allowing for more effective advocacy and better communication in and outside of Washington, D.C.
- The American Farm Bureau has worked with their network of advocates to teach folks how to become great storytellers. Their advocates are so skilled in grounding industry priorities within their own life experiences that Congressional offices began proactively reaching out to Farm Bureau advocates because they had established themselves as trusted messengers who were not just regurgitating generic talking points.
- Veterans for American Ideals implemented an outreach system where grassroots advocates could respond to a call-to-action via email, phone, and social media all at the same time. By integrating these various channels, VFAI enabled its advocates to push a message on multiple fronts, virtually ensuring it would get Congressional attention.
