Legislative & Budget Update
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Government Relations
Making It Easier for Volunteers to Engage in Grassroots Advocacy
The Ewald Consulting Government Relations team provides various services to help associations achieve their legislative aims. Government Affairs Director Valerie Dosland says the team is well-equipped for success. “Each member of our team has previous experience working as legislative staff inside the Minnesota capitol and provides a broad range of skills to our lobbying team. Each of us specializes in specific issue areas — ranging from early childhood and K-12 education to health and human services, local government, elections, taxes, and transportation.”
As government relations continue to evolve, the Ewald Consulting team remains vigilant to adapt and support its clients from a position of strength. “We have greatly expanded our capabilities to provide effective grassroots engagement strategies for our clients,” Valerie continues. “This includes bringing on grassroots advocacy software to make it easier for our clients to engage in the legislative process.” In the most recent legislative session, associations that leveraged grassroots advocacy tools to augment their impact saw engagement from members at higher levels than ever before.
Ewald Consulting Welcomes Josh Ney as Senior Government Relations Manager
October 2023 – Leading AMC and government relations firm Ewald Consulting is happy to announce the addition of Josh Ney to our Government Relations team as a Senior Government Relations Manager.
Josh joins Ewald Consulting with over 12 years of experience in public service representing elected officials at the state and federal levels. He most recently was the human services, homelessness and housing, and addiction policy advisor for Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, where he led budget and policy strategy development and shepherded historic investments for Minnesota’s children, families, and seniors through the legislative process. This includes the passage of the largest HHS and housing budget bills in state history.
Before joining the Governor’s office, Josh was manager of state affairs at the Alzheimer’s Association. He previously was committee legislative assistant to the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee and a legislative aide to two state senators. Prior to his state public service, Josh was Deputy Legislative Assistant for appropriations and budget for a United States Senator in Washington, DC.
“We are thrilled to add Josh to our Government Relations team, “said Valerie Dosland, Director of Government Relations at Ewald Consulting. “His legislative experience, knowledge of the legislative process, and his strong bipartisan relationships will be a great asset for our clients.”
Josh has a MS degree in Public Affairs from the University of Massachusetts, Boston and a BA in Political Science and French Linguistics from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. He served as a 2017-2018 Humphrey School Policy Fellow and was on its board from 2018-2022. Josh also participated in the Minneapolis Regional Chamber’s Leadership Twin Cities program from 2021-2022. In 2019, Governor Walz appointed Josh to the Board of Directors at the Minnesota Humanities Center, where he is currently Board Chair.
Associations Next: A Wild Ride
In this episode we are joined by Government Affairs Director Valerie Dosland, and Government Relations Specialist Alana Martinson, who take us through the wild ride of the 2023 Minnesota legislative session. They remind us of the importance of having a government relations strategy for your association.
- Despite the partisan dynamics, the legislative session saw instances of collaboration and bipartisanship. Some bills and initiatives received support from both Democrats and Republicans, highlighting the potential for finding common ground on certain issues. This collaborative approach among the House, Senate and Governor’s office resulted in the successful passage of several bills, demonstrating that bipartisan cooperation can lead to effective governance and the achievement of shared objectives.
- The session discussed had a historic budget surplus of over $17 billion, which provided opportunities advance priorities and accomplish goals for our association clients and for other lobbyists.
- The session saw a DFL trifecta, with the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party controlling the governor’s office, the House, and surprisingly, the Senate. This contributed to the passage of many bills and the implementation of priorities such as paid family leave, labor provisions, tax changes, and investments in areas like education.
- The session highlighted a surge of retirements among legislators before the 2022 elections, and an influx of new legislators with ambitions and high levels of activity. The increased number of bill introductions posed challenges in tracking and managing the legislative process. Furthermore, the session witnessed a diversification of representation in the legislature, with more legislators of color, the first African-American president of the Senate, and vocal caucuses advocating for specific priorities, such as the queer caucus. These factors demonstrated a generational change and its impact on legislative outcomes.
- It’s extremely important for people from all parts of Minnesota (and from all walks of life) to provide information to legislators. Associations are a key resource to educate legislators and state agencies about positive and negative impacts of proposed legislation.
Announcing: 2022 Minnesota Election Outlook Presented by Ewald Consulting on Oct. 6
Please join us on October 6 for an event with Walker Orenstein and Todd Rapp! We look forward to their election prognostications for the 2022 Minnesota legislative and statewide races and their implications for the 2023 legislative session. Get expert analysis from our speakers on the current political landscape, trends, polling and other factors that will come into play for the November election.
Learn more and register here
Influencing State Agencies: An Essential Component of Government Relations
In previous blog posts, we discussed how to communicate with lawmakers. It is just as important to understand the ins and outs of state agencies.
State agencies are part of the executive branch and have tremendous power in the lawmaking process. These groups develop policy and help the governor make budget decisions and recommendations. Because these agencies are so specialized, they offer detailed information on legislation.
According to California Globe, “administrative agencies of state government are often important players in public policy development both as it relates to pending legislation being considered by the Legislature and, ultimately, to a determination by the Governor. For example, by influencing pending legislation that impacts their jurisdiction (such as air quality by the California Air Resources Board), interest groups, the Legislature, and the Governor are influenced by the views of these state agencies on bills.”
From the Minnesota Board on Aging to the Minnesota Zoo, there is an agency, board or commission for a plethora of interests in Minnesota. Understanding which groups your cause may fit into is a crucial part of your government relations work.
Tips on how to work with state agencies:
- Identify agencies and individuals within them that could help your organization. This will help you continue your reach into the legislature.
- Use these agencies to help support your organization by gathering information and data from them.
- Attempt to get your proposal included in the governor’s budget recommendations.
- If there is legislation that harms your organization, talk to agencies to see what they may be able to do to help and show them how it harms you.
- Know the governor’s view on issues relating to that agency so you can adjust your approach when representing your organization.
It is essential for lobbyists and citizens to understand the important role that state agencies play in the executive branch and in the legislature as a whole. By knowing the ins and outs of state agencies, you are setting up your organization for a successful government relations strategy.
How to Communicate with Lawmakers
Government is not always easy to navigate, so learning how to connect and communicate with lawmakers is crucial. Ewald Consulting’s Government Relations team has represented a multitude of clients at the state and federal levels. Here are some of their top tips for communicating with lawmakers:
- Know your audience. This goes for just about any presentation, but make sure you have a thorough understanding of who you are speaking to. Our lobbyists recommend doing research beforehand to figure out the legislator’s party affiliation, the geographic area they represent, and issues they are passionate about. Even if this information does not directly relate to your initiative, you may be able to tailor your language to better appeal to your audience. Further, keep in mind that you or your organization may not always align with legislators politically. Be thoughtful about how you communicate and try your best to get your message across.
- Be succinct and clear. Legislators are busy people who are required to give their attention to a wide variety of topics and issues. Our staff recommends avoiding acronyms, jargon or any other details that legislators do not need to know to understand the issue at hand. Additionally, be sure to keep it short and simple. Do not get bogged down with unnecessary information. Give them what they need to know. A one-sheet document that highlights your key points can provide just a bit more background.
- Plan well. If you are able to choose who presents, think about who will be the most articulate and confident in front of lawmakers. This person is representing the people you serve, and they need to get your organization’s message across clearly and passionately. Further, you need to keep your message at the heart of your presentation. Make your audience understand why your issue is important.
- Take advantage of every channel you have. It is now easier than ever to follow what is going on with legislators and their staff. Many are on various forms of social media like Twitter and Facebook. Traditional methods like phone calls and scheduled in-person visits are also essential. Keep up to date with all information related to your initiative and the audience you are bringing it to.
Communicating with lawmakers may seem like an intimidating feat, but with the right approach, you and your organization can make a major impact on the legislative process.
For more about government relations, check out our newest episode from our podcast, Associations Next.
Associations Next: The World of Government Relations
In this episode, we got to sit down and discuss setting professional development goals with our Vice President of Human Resources and Staff Development, Becca Pryse.
Takeaways:
- Everyone has a lobbyist. From the Boy Scouts to golf courses, Phil explained that just about every area of your life has someone who represents you. It is easy to hear “lobbyist” and think of corrupt politicians, but the reality is many are out there to help everyday people and organizations.
- It is crucial to maintain relationships in the legislature. Allie conducts check-up meetings to make sure that everything is in order with each client.
- Call your representatives. Allie explained that many politicians, especially on the state level are everyday people. They are not experts on everything, so using your experiences and stories to help them understand their constituents helps them while also helping you.
How to Use Your Organization’s Stories in Government Relations
In a recent post, we covered the importance of associations to the government and vice versa. The two have an interdependent relationship—associations support areas that the government may not have the ability/resources to cover, and the government is essential for creating legislation that helps associations and their members.
So how do you go about influencing legislation and making real change? One way is by utilizing the powerful stories and testimonials your organization has.
According to the Public Advocacy Council, “Professionals in advocacy and public affairs can use stories to humanize less exciting issues to improve the success of their lobbying or advocacy campaigns and boost their organization’s reputation.”
The Public Advocacy Council suggests that video is a great way to tell a story. Some issues are quite complex to those outside your industry, so creating an engaging prerecorded video can provide you with exposition and emotion that you know will hit the mark.
Further, The London School of Economics and Political Science lays out 5 steps to create an effective narrative to influence policy:
- Understand that you are telling a story. It may not seem like it, but your mission has a narrative.
- Decide what you need to include. Some details are necessary, some are not. Use only the information you need to get your point across and make sure that you add some tangible, attention-grabbing elements.
- Follow a plot. A story arc can help you drive home the issue at hand and why it needs to be solved.
- Use your people to show how important your issue is. Show why you are the heroes of your story and why your association is needed.
- Show that you are morally right – that your desired policy change is needed to better the lives of those you serve.
The Association of Fundraising Professionals recommends identifying members of your association who would be willing to provide testimony for government relations purposes so you know ahead of time where you can go for a compelling story.
Building a narrative for your organization is key to successfully influencing policy.
As The Public Advisory Council put it, “It is important for organizations to see beyond routine relationship building with policymakers and focus on sharing their story and trying to shape the narrative around their issue.”
A Brief Rundown on the Importance of Government Relations for Associations
Ewald Consulting was originally founded in 1982 by former Legislator Doug Ewald to provide government relations (GR) services to associations. Since then, we have grown to include a multitude of services such as sales, marketing, events and more. Still, government relations remain as a core part of our mission.
Why are government relations so important for associations? As an association, you aim to create a community that provides resources and support for those you serve. According to Association Forum, associations are the unified voice that can be used to impact legislation or policy.
In Lobbying: A Misunderstood Profession, Paul Miller explained, “One of the misunderstood facts about the lobbying profession is that the individuals and organizations listed in this book — all 17,000 of them — represent the interests of every American all across the country, from the small rural towns to the big cities. Yes, that’s true. If you were ever a member of the Girl Scouts. If you ever used a library. If you ever rode a snowmobile. If you ever played on a sports team…If you have done any of these or thousands of other activities in this country, you have been represented at some time by a lobbyist. In other words, anyone young or old or somewhere in the middle has a lobbyist and, in most cases is unaware of it…It’s not the stereotypical caricature, which is as familiar as the name: portly, cigar-smoking men who wine and dine lawmakers while slipping money into their pockets.”
While associations may rely on the government, the government also needs non-profits. According to Sarah Pettijohn for Urban Wire, the government may make budget cuts where they know non-profits will fill in the gaps. So while your association may need the government’s help from time to time, they need you too.
Because multiple layers of government and associations benefit from each other’s help, nurturing your association’s relationship with the government is paramount.
The American Society of Association Executives offers several resources to help nonprofit organizations know when to speak out and how to engage policymakers during the pandemic.
Having a great government relations program is just part of what it means to be a people-serving association.