CHAPTER PLAYBOOK

Advocacy Chair

The Advocacy Chair has the overall responsibility for the Chapter's legislative programs, as well as oversight of the Grassroots Involvement Team and the PAC Fundraising Team.

The Chapter’s Advocacy Team has the overall responsibility for the Chapter’s legislative program, including State Government Relations, Grassroots Involvement and PAC Fundraising. The Advocacy Team consists of a Government Relations Team, Grassroots Involvement Team and PAC Fundraising Team who work separately and together to form a successful advocacy program.

Grassroots Involvement Team

1. Contact System: Maintenance of the contact system is an ongoing task which needs constant attention. The Grassroots Involvement Team should concentrate on the following two areas:
   1. Recruit contacts to interact with elected officials. Ideally, each member of Congress should have at least six legislative contacts. Forward the names of contacts to the Grassroots Involvement Office at NAIFA (advocacy@naifa.org).
   2. Provide ratings for all legislative contacts based on the degree of the relationship with the legislator. Be sure to consult with other Chapter leaders, such as the Chapter Executive Director, Government Relations Chair, IFAPAC Chair, Local Grassroots Chair, etc. when assigning ratings.
2. Local Involvement: Encourage Chapter members to develop a rapport with the top staff people in the district offices of your member(s) of Congress.
3. Hold at least one legislative meeting annually where your member of Congress (or top staff person) speaks. Ensure that the Grassroots Involvement Office at NAIFA is apprised of such visits.
4. Federal Coordinator Appointments: Identify one Federal Coordinator for each Senator and Representative in your state. Monitor the activities of the Federal Coordinators in your state to ensure that:
   1. All Federal Coordinators have formed a Constituent Group and reported their names to NAIFA.
   2. Federal Coordinators are holding regular meetings in the district with their legislators (ideally 3-4 times per year).
   3. Federal Coordinators are reporting the results of their meetings to NAIFA.
5. Communication
   1. Communicate effectively and frequently with your National Grassroots Involvement Regional Vice Chair and with the Grassroots Involvement Chairs in your state.
   2. Make routine reports at your Chapter meetings and ensure that Chapter members understand NAIFA’s goals and objectives.
   3. Disseminate all NAIFA GovAlerts throughout your state to ensure prompt and extensive action during a legislative “call to action.”
   4. Make use of and inform your membership about NAIFA’s Advocacy in Action website where extensive legislative information is available, including legislative bulletins, issue briefs and other timely materials. By using this website, NAIFA members can search for the names of their Senators/Representative online and send emails to members of Congress.
6. Work closely with other Chapter leaders, particularly the IFAPAC Chair and Government Relations Chair to ensure a well-coordinated legislative program in your Chapter.
7. Campaign Involvement: Encourage the involvement of Local Chapter members in political activities including local, state and federal election campaigns and attendance at town hall meetings.
8. Fundraising Activities: The Grassroots Involvement Chair, in coordination with the IFAPAC and Government Relations Chairs, should encourage personal dollar fundraising activities on behalf of congressional candidates.
   
   

PAC Fundraising Team

1. The IFAPAC Team is critically important to the success of the fundraising activities of your Chapter. You will want to start fundraising as soon as your appointment is effective.
2. Your most critical task will be to get your fellow members involved. Tell them that elected officials are shaping their future every day. Health insurance reform, retirement and pension restructuring, insurance regulatory reform, government-mandated fiduciary standards, tax reform, estate planning and many other issues are being legislated daily. Everyone in the insurance and financial services business who wants to stay in business and protect their clients should be contributing to IFAPAC.
3. Your top priority is to work with Local Chapters and Affiliate leaders to form your PAC Fundraising Committee. No one-time fundraising event, even a well-planned one, can take the place of an effective committee with a workable plan and goals. Committee members push one another to achieve goals. Soloists, however well-intentioned, can’t reach everyone in the Chapter. It’s too big a job. Recruit people for your fundraising committee who believe in the PAC, have an interest in politics and are already contributing generously to the PAC.
4. Other roles and responsibilities include:
   1. Renew last year’s contributors who are still current NAIFA members.
   2. Encourage members to increase their contribution amounts over the prior year.
   3. Acquire new contributors—A top priority for the first quarter of the year.
   4. Get all State and Local Chapter board members to contribute.
   5. Ensure that your Chapter makes a budget line item for an administrative contribution to IFAPAC.
   6. Attend your National IFAPAC region’s conference calls.
   7. Work with State and Local leaders to increase the number of IFAPAC Directives.
   8. Comply with all federal and state election laws.
   9. Host an IFAPAC booth at the state convention to increase IFAPAC visibility and raise funds.
   10. Utilize IFAPAC’s monthly reports to track your progress and plan.
   11. Train, educate and motivate your IFAPAC team.
   12. Report state activities to your IFAPAC Regional Vice Chair, as well as your State Board and Local Presidents.
       
       

Quick Links

Advocacy in Action Website
Advocacy Handbook - IFAPAC
Advocacy Handbook - Grassroots