Powerful Public Partnerships: Connecting to Elected Officials

Despite dwindling governmental budgets and little programmatic support for Main Street revitalization at the federal level, local Main Street organizations must continue to make their case to elected officials at the local, county, state, and federal levels. Whether you are new to advocacy or an old hand, you’ll leave this session with an understanding of the importance of advocacy, along with the tools to reach your elected officials at all levels and ways to cultivate long-term relationships with elected officials, and make specific requests. Successful examples of local- and state-level advocacy activities will be shared, including an exciting case study on the successful social media campaign Washington State Main Street communities used to save their state program earlier this year.

Learning Objectives

  1. Enthusiastically know that advocacy and relationship building with elected officials is a “must” not a “maybe
  2. Clearly understand when and how they should be communicating with elected officials at the municipal, county, state, and federal
  3. Be able to use available tools and partner organizations ones to facilitate partnerships with elected officials

Speakers

Stephanie Redman, ReSurge, Inc, Albuquerque, New Mex.

Donna Anne Harris, CMSM, Heritage Consulting, Philadelphia, Pa.

Timothy Bishop, CMSM, Ellensburg Downtown, Ellensbur, Wash.

Track:

Capitalizing on the Power of Main Street

Date/Time:

Wednesday, May 5, 10:15-11:30 a.m.