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December 2002 – Positioning Your Organization During Challenging Political Times

Positioning Your Organization During Challenging Political Times

I. Current Political Environment:

Current and Future State Budget Cuts
The state constitution requires that Michigan close its books for the year with a balanced budget. To resolve the majority of the $460 million deficit there will be cuts in funding to health and human service programs, public universities and local governments. These cuts, significant enough, are only the beginning. The next administration will most likely face a deficit of more than $1 billion in the next fiscal year beginning October 1, 2003. The state revenue estimating conference will meet in January to form the basis for the budget that Governor-Elect Granholm will present to the legislature in February.

Term Limits
The 2002 elections marked the first complete turn-over of the legislative and executive branches since term-limits were implemented in 1998. There’s now a limit on service for state House of Representatives (6 years) and Senate (8 years), governor, attorney general and secretary of state (8 years). The short time that legislators are currently allowed to serve, has made it very difficult for nonprofit organizations to educate and lobby for issues critical to the sector. Organizations, including MNA, are dealing with policymakers who, because of the lack of experience, are often unaware of the pressing issues facing nonprofits and are unaware of how to work within the system to create change.

State Employee Early Retirement
In addition to the above changes, over 8,000 state employees opted for early retirement this year. This change further decreases the state’s institutional memory in terms of the nonprofit community and its activities. Also, the initiative has left many state departments to restructure and find ways to serve the people and resources of Michigan with less support.

II. What this Means for Nonprofits:

What this means to the Michigan nonprofit community is that we are now faced with state lawmakers and staff who are going to be making tough decisions regarding cuts in the state budget, and these individuals have little collective knowledge on the landscape of the state’s health and human service needs, environmental condition and the status of arts and culture within the state. In addition, they are most likely not aware of the nonprofit communities’ capacity to maintain and enhance the landscape. Although nonprofits play a vital role within the state, the sector does not have the capacity to provide all of the services and resources currently provided by the government. Unfortunately, policymakers may assume that the nonprofit community will fulfill these needs once government spending was cut. Additionally, with the current condition of the nation’s economy, nonprofits are already tightening their belts. Future budget cuts will most likely decrease the amount of funding provided by the state to nonprofits through grants and contracts.

III. What can you Do?

In these challenging times, organizations that once shied away from communicating with policymakers can no longer afford to do so. If organizations are not honest with state policymakers about the needs in their community and the nonprofit’s limited ability to meet those needs, there may be significant budgetary cuts that cause those services and resources provided by the government to no longer exist.

Government officials must realize the current climate of your communities and understand the capacity of the sector. Without this knowledge state officials may assume that nonprofits can fill the void left by the cuts in government programs and funding.

The following is a list of a few simple activities that groups can partake to educate policymakers, for additional ideas and more information regarding lobbying see the MPPI Public Policy Handbook at http://www.mnaonline.org/pdf/PublicPolicyHandbookTEXT.pdf.

Before you begin, take the time to develop a message for policymakers regarding what you do and why it’s important – make sure that this is concise and straight to the point.

• Put elected officials (include local, state and federal) on your organization’s mailing list
  
• Write policymakers at the local, state and federal level and introduce them to your organization
  
• Invite elected officials to visit your office or take part in a volunteer opportunity
  • Meet with the new government officials and share your story, bring brochures, pictures and volunteers
  
• Make friends with policymakers staff – share your information with them as well
  
• When a policymaker does something that’s beneficial to your group, reward their support (e.g., a thank you letter, or PUBLIC RECOGNITION)
  
• Begin to find allies in other organizations that work on similar topics
  
• Educate yourself on the political arena and upcoming political activity (see the MNA Public Policy E-mail Updates, available on the MNA Web site at http://www.mnaonline.org/ppupdate.htm)
  
• Enhance your work with media – educate them on who you are and those you serve (see the MNA Guide to Getting Good Media Coverage available on the MNA Web site at http://www.mnaonline.org/pdf/MediaGuide3.pdf) Remember, policymakers take note of what’s in the press

Specifically, MNA encourages your organization to submit names to the Granholm Transition Team to serve on the Michigan Boards and Commissions. Individuals that serve on these boards will provide critical insight to Lansing decision making. This submission can be accomplished in two easy tasks:

1. Visit the MNA Web site for a listing, description and criteria for the state boards and commissions. See which groups are relevant to your organization and those you serve.
   
2. Visit Governor-Elect Granholm’s transition Web site at www.granholmtransition.com. On this site you can submit your name or recommend someone to serve as a senior staff person within the administration or to serve on the state’s boards and commissions.

IV. What is MNA Doing?

Writing, Calling and Visiting
Last month MNA sent a letter to Lynn Jondahl, director of the Granholm Transition Team. The letter encouraged the new administration to consider the nonprofit community as a partner in solving the pressing issues facing the state. MNA also asked the new administration to view MNA as a conduit for the new administration to the nonprofit community. MNA’s membership consists of a diverse group of nonprofits differing in size, ideology, location and activities – and our staff is happy to assist the transition team and new administration in building relationships with these groups, seeking feedback regarding possible policy options, and much more. Also, we asked the Transition Team to please consider the very talented and expert leaders of the nonprofit community as potential appointments for the state’s numerous boards and commissions.

To date, Governor-Elect Granholm has mentioned at several public appearances that she hopes the nonprofit sector sends the new administration the resumes of its best and brightest to work on her team.

In addition, MNA staff is making appointments to meet with Governor-Elect Granholm, Attorney General-Elect Mike Cox, and leadership from both the house and the senate. During these meetings, MNA staff will provide information about the sector as a whole and about the Association and its membership. These meetings will also be a follow-up to the Michigan Nonprofit Agenda – Recommendations to State Policymakers, which, in draft format, has already been distributed to Governor-Elect Granholm and Attorney General-Elect Mike Cox. Over 80 nonprofits from across the state have endorsed the Agenda, which will be sent to all statewide elected officials in February. To view the Agenda, and to voice your support for its recommendations, visit the MNA Web site at www.mnaonline.org.

In order to avoid cuts to critical programs and services provided to Michigan residents, nonprofits must share their actual capacity to meet these needs and show the faces of the people and things they are serving. As you build these relationships with policymakers, please keep in mind that the Michigan Public Policy Initiative is available to assist you. Specifically, in 2003, MNA will be providing members with the second edition of the Lobbying Guide and additional resources for advocacy and lobbying.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Erin Skene, Director Michigan Public Policy Initiative at 517/492-2400 or via e-mail at skeneeri@mnaonline.org.