Take Charge to Make Change Webinar Series - Part One
In this webinar series, the Best Friends advocacy team sits down to discuss topics around policy, advocacy, and grassroots efforts for animal welfare organizations. The series aims to provide information to help you save lives in your everyday work.
1. Law and Policy Making: Who is the boss when it comes to animals?
2. Demystifying Elected Officials
3. Anyone can “lobby” to get what they need from local elected officials
4. See beyond numbers: Making data work for you
5. No shortcuts! Do your due diligence!
Law and Policy Making: Who is the boss when it comes to animals?
So much of improving the lives of animals rests in the hands of elected officials, policymakers, and high-level decision-makers. After this session, network partners will have a better understanding of the legislative and policy-making process, be able to identify who generally has jurisdiction over different types of policy, and know how to impact the processes along the way.
Presenters:
- Kelsey Gilmore-Futeral - Manager, legislative attorney
- Eric Swafford - Senior manager, campaign strategy
- Kathleen Murphy – Policy analyst
Demystifying Elected Officials
Elected officials are just regular people who serve the public, yet approaching them can be intimidating. This webinar will give you tips, tricks, and best practices for initiating a relationship with an elected official, cultivating and maintaining the relationship, and understanding how to leverage that relationship when needed.
Presenters:
- Kathleen Murphy – Policy analyst
- Keiko Berkon - Manager, digital organizing
- Kelsey Gilmore-Futeral - Manager, legislative attorney
Anyone can “lobby” to get what they need from local elected officials
Network partners are the experts regarding what is going on with animals in their communities. This session will help them understand what different stakeholders can and can’t do, whether they are government employees or with a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, when it comes to lobbying, advocating for, and making policy change. Let the Best Friends advocacy experts explain where the black, white, and grey areas are so you are empowered to advocate at your full potential.
Presenters:
- Laura Donahue – Director, legislation and advocacy
- Ledy VanKavage- Senior legislative attorney
- Kathleen Murphy – Policy analyst
See beyond numbers: Making data work for you
How do you explain what your shelter and city’s animals need? How do you justify your budget needs? Using the right data is key in storytelling for elected officials. This session will discuss the importance of tracking data points, how to use that data effectively, and demonstrate the Shelter Animals Count dataset.
Presenters:
- Audrey Lodato, Regional director, East region
- Kathleen Murphy – Policy analyst
- Eric Swafford - Senior manager, campaign strategy
No shortcuts! Do your due diligence!
Political timing and community dynamics can often determine the success of an advocacy campaign or request for more resources. This session will discuss some of the essential due diligence you should do before embarking on a campaign or making an ask to elected officials.
Presenters:
- Elizabeth Oreck – National manager, puppy mill initiatives
- Kathleen Murphy – Policy analyst
- Kelsey Gilmore-Futeral - Manager, legislative attorney
Watch part 2 of the webinar series here.