Making Your Voice

Heard
CITIZENS’ GUIDE
TO ACTIVISM
 WHO WE ARE

Who We Are
The Maryland League of
Conservation Voters
(LCV) Education Fund is
a 501(c)(3) nonprofit,
nonpartisan organization
incorporated in 2000 to
build the effectiveness
and capacity of
Maryland’s
environmental
movement.
What We Do
We are dedicated to maximizing the
participation of conservation-minded voters in
public policy decisions made at the state and
local levels regarding Maryland's environment
and natural resources. Our programs strengthen
and build the power of the environmental
community, and they expand, deepen, and
activate the base of conservation-minded voters
around the state.

Why Should You Make Your Voice Heard?

• Do you care about the health of your family
and community?

• Do you want Maryland to invest in a clean

energy future— creating jobs and economic
growth now?

• Do you want more transportation choices,

and to revitalize our older communities,
protect parks and open spaces?

• Do you want to preserve the Chesapeake

and Coastal Bays, and halt pollution?

If you answered “yes” to these questions,

then make your voice heard by using this
Citizens’ Guide to Activism.

1
 MARYLAND AT RISK

Maryland’s Environment is At Risk

Time is of the essence. The Maryland LCV
Education Fund and other conservation
organizations are grappling with many
challenges and fast-approaching deadlines.
Marylanders face:
• Threats from global warming,
• Polluted waterways and runoff, and
• Intense land, transportation, and energy
demands from a booming population.
In 2010, Maryland will reach its self-imposed
deadline for achieving the Chesapeake 2000
Agreement goals. In the current economy,
legislators must wrestle with the realities of
the recession and the resulting need to deal
with a $1 to $2 billion revenue shortfall
affecting many of the programs that protect
our natural resources.

Public support for conservation issues

remains high. In the 2008 elections, the
environment—particularly energy
independence and green jobs—was an
important issue for many candidates. We
have seen encouraging signs from Governor
Martin O’Malley’s Administration and the
General Assembly in the first two sessions of
their current terms, but the present economic
situation underscores the need for the
environmental community to remain “on the
frontlines,” advocating for policies that
protect our air, land, and water.

Public pressure is very important in keeping

the environment in the forefront. Educating
conservation-minded citizens and generating
public awareness of and support for
conservation issues is the mission of the
Maryland LCV Education Fund—and why we
created this Citizens’ Guide to Activism.

2
4 The Legislative Process
5 Governor
6 General Assembly
7 Attorney General
Comptroller
Board of Public Works
8 State Agencies
12 Individual Actions that
Make a Difference
13 Contacting Legislators
15 Write to the Newspaper
17 Find a Local Group
20 Strengthen Your Local Group
21 Planning to Win
22 Develop a Message
23 Building Relationships with
Legislators
24 Holding Successful Legislator
Meetings
25 Convey Your Message in
the Press
27 Press Conference Checklist
29 Town Hall Meetings
30 Pick the Right Tactic

3
 LEGISLATIVE PROCESS

Remember Your Civics Class?

It probably has been a while since you took a

course in state government, so we thought a
crash course in the legislative process might be
useful.

When a state legislator decides that “there

oughta be a law,” he or she first drafts the
language of the bill and then introduces it in the
Senate or House Chamber, where it is assigned a
bill number. Then the long process begins of
“hopefully” making it to the Governor’s desk to
be signed into law.

First Chamber Second Chamber

First Reading on First Reading on Consideration in

the Floor the Floor Originating Chamber

Conference Committee
Referral to Committee Referral to Committee (when necessary)

Second Reading Second Reading To Governor

on the Floor on the Floor

Sign or
Veto

Third Reading Third Reading

on the Floor on the Floor

A bill can be amended in Committee and during

second reader, and can be “killed” at any point
along this process.

4
GOVERNOR

Maryland’s Governor
The Governor of
Maryland is the
Chief Executive of
the state. He or she
is responsible for
enforcing the laws
passed by the
legislature, drafting
a budget, and
overseeing all state
agencies. The
Governor is elected
every four years by
the citizens of Maryland but may not serve
more than two consecutive terms. While
the legislature enacts the laws for the
Governor to enforce, the Governor also can
submit bills to the legislature for approval.
If the legislature passes a law that the
Governor does not like, he may veto it. It
then requires 3/5 vote of each house of the
legislature to override a veto.

One of the Governor’s most important

powers is drafting a state budget. The
Maryland Constitution requires the
Governor to submit a balanced budget to
the legislature each year. The legislature
can cut items from the budget but may not
add anything to it. In addition to enforcing
the laws, the Governor also holds a seat on
the powerful Board of Public Works that
has broad powers over state expenditures.
Other responsibilities of the Governor
include serving as Commander-in-Chief of
the Maryland National Guard, granting
pardons or commutations, and appointing
a person to head each state agency.

Learn more at: www.gov.state.md.us

5
Maryland’s General Assembly

The Maryland legislature, known as the

General Assembly, is responsible for
passing the laws of the state. Its members
are elected every four years. The General
Assembly is divided into two separate
bodies: the Senate and the House of
Delegates. The 47 senators and 141
delegates convene for a 90 day session
from January to April each year.

Any delegate or senator may sponsor a bill,

which he or she submits to the
Department of Legislative Services for
drafting. Once drafted, the Speaker of the
House or the President of the Senate
assigns the bill to a committee for review.

Senate Standing Committees

Budget and Taxation * Education, Health

& Environmental Affairs * Finance *
Judicial Proceedings

House Standing Committees

Appropriations * Economic Matters *

Environmental Matters * Health &
Government Operations * Judiciary *
Ways & Means

If the committee reports the bill favorably,

then it goes to the floor to be rejected,
amended, or passed. In order for a bill to
become law, it must first pass both
chambers by a majority vote and then be
signed by the Governor.

6
STATEWIDE OFFICES

The Attorney General

The Attorney General
of Maryland, elected
every four years with
no term limits, is the
principal legal officer
of the State of
Maryland. He or she
determines the
direction of the legal
business of the state and serves as the legal
advisor to the Governor, the General
Assembly, commissions, officials and
institutions of state government.

Learn more at www.oag.state.md.us

The Comptroller
The Comptroller of Maryland serves as the
chief financial officer of the state. It is a
statewide elected position with a four year
term. The main duty of the Comptroller is
tax collection but he or she also pays the
state's bills, maintains its books, prepares
financial reports, and pays state employees.

Learn more at www.marylandtaxes.com

The Board of Public Works

The three member Board of Public Works
is comprised of the Governor, State
Treasurer and Comptroller. They meet
every Wednesday to approve expenditures
for state bonds, the sale or transfer of the
state’s real property, and most state
contracts exceeding $200,000. Their more
high profile duties involve protecting the
state's submerged lands, shoreline, and
tidal wetlands, authorizing Program Open
Space expenditures, and issuing licenses to
dredge or fill wetlands.

7
MARYLAND’S AGENCIES

Maryland’s Department of the

Environment
The mission of the Maryland Department
of the Environment (MDE) is to protect
and restore the quality of Maryland’s air,
water, and land resources, while fostering
smart growth, economic development,
healthy and safe communities, and quality
environmental education for the benefit of
the environment, public health, and future
generations.

Recent key MDE actions include:

convening Maryland’s Commission on
Climate Change, which issued 42
recommendations to curb global warming
pollution; releasing updated regulations on
stormwater management, fly ash, and
poultry pollution; as well as actively
promoting programs for upgrading sewage
treatment plants and septic tanks.

BayStat and MDE Stat are two innovative

tools at MDE where citizens can monitor
progress on the environment.

Learn more at www.mde.state.md.us

and www.baystat.maryland.gov

Bill

8
MARYLAND’S AGENCIES

Maryland’s Department of Natural

Resources
The Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) preserves, protects, enhances and
restores Maryland's natural resources for
the wise use and enjoyment of all citizens.
For example, DNR leads Maryland’s
Chesapeake Bay Program, oversees more
than 400,000 acres of public lands across
the state through the State Forest & Park
Service, and manages the health and
recreational use of Maryland's fresh and
saltwater finfish and shellfish.

Recent key actions by DNR include:

proposing new crab regulations to modify
commercial and recreational watermen’s
female blue crab catch; using Program
Open Space (POS) funds for the state to
purchase and preserve forests, farms, and
parkland; and launching the online
interactive GREENPRINT to showcase the
progress of land conservation.

Learn more at www.dnr.state.md.us

Maryland’s Department of
Agriculture

The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s

mission is to provide leadership and
support to agriculture and the citizens of
Maryland by conducting regulatory,
service, and educational activities that
ensure consumer confidence, protect the
environment, and promote agriculture.

Learn more at www.mda.state.md.us

9
Maryland’s Department of Planning
The Maryland Department of Planning
(MDP) promotes growth that fosters
vibrant, livable communities, preserves
and protects the environment, and makes
efficient use of state resources. MDP
provides data, trend analysis, research
assistance, and policy development and
implementation support for local
governments, communities, businesses,
and organizations. MDP also provides
technical assistance, local program review,
and planning design services for
Maryland's counties and municipalities.

Learn more at www.mdp.state.md.us

Maryland’s Department of
Transportation

The Maryland
Department of
Transportation
(MDOT) is
responsible for
building, operating
and maintaining a safe and seamless
transportation network that links
Maryland with the rest of the country and
the world. MDOT directs and oversees the
planning, construction and operation of
Maryland's highway, transit, maritime, and
aviation facilities. The decisions made by
MDOT have far reaching implications on
growth in Maryland, climate change, and
even the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

Learn more at www.mdot.state.md.us

10
MARYLAND’S AGENCIES

Maryland’s Energy Administration

The mission of the Maryland Energy
Administration (MEA) is to maximize
energy efficiency while promoting
economic development, reducing reliance
on foreign energy supplies, and improving
the environment. MEA advises the
Governor on directions, policies and
changes in the various segments of the
energy market. As demand/supply
competition, technological innovations,
and policy changes by the federal
government cause
major changes in
market sensitive
energy sectors (e.g.,
petroleum markets,
gas deregulation,
and emerging
competition in the
electric utilities
sector), state government must be in
position to respond to new opportunities,
as well as adjust to any potential dangers.

Learn more at: www.energy.state.md.us

Critical Area Commission

The Commission was created by the
Critical Area Act in 1984. Today, the
Commission's primary responsibilities are
the following: review and approve state
projects on state-owned land in the Critical
Area; review and approve state or local
agency actions resulting in major
development on private lands or lands
owned by local jurisdictions; and review
and approve all changes to a jurisdiction's
Critical Area Program, including changes
to ordinances, regulations, and maps.

The Commission consists of 29 voting

members who are appointed by the
Governor.

11
Individual Actions that Make a
Difference
Whether you are eight or eighty, you can
take action to protect our air, land, and
water! Here are some ways that YOU can
make a significant difference:

Vote for the Environment:

Register Today
We need you to show support
for cleaning up the Chesapeake
Bay, protecting our air and
water, preserving our open space, and
combating the effects of global warming at
the polls. Voting is an important way to let
your representatives know how you feel,
however, you can’t vote if you are not
registered. Register to vote at
www.elections.state.md.us today.

Stay Informed about Environmental

Challenges
An informed advocate is an effective
advocate! Good citizen activists possess a
passion and general knowledge about the
issues -- you don’t have to be an expert!

Visit www.marylandconservation.org to
find out the latest on environmental
legislation in Annapolis and Washington,
D.C. and, more importantly, learn what
you can do to help.

The Maryland LCV Education Fund

provides tools for you to “stay current on
the issues," sign up on our website for:
• E-newsletters and action alerts,
• Environmental media clips,
• Weekly “Hot-List” of important
environmental bills moving through
the legislature, and
• “Legislative Wrap-Up” every April.

12
CONTACTING LEGISLATORS

Call Them

Your legislators need to hear from you!

Let your legislators know that you care

about Maryland's environment. It is most
effective to call their office and request an
in-person meeting (either in your
community—known as an “in-district
meeting” — or in
their Annapolis
office). If you
don’t have time
for a meeting, the
next best thing to
win their vote on
a bill is call their
office or write a personalized letter, urging
their support. Finally, if you only have 5
minutes, visit
www.marylandconservation.org to send
them an e-mail.

How do I find out which legislative district I

live in?

Go to www.mdelect.net to look up
your Maryland state senator and
delegates.

How do I contact my legislators?

Call 1-800-492-7122 and the Legislative

Reference Desk will connect you.

Write Them a Letter

A well-written, personal letter to your
decision-maker is a highly effective way to
shape his or her decisions. You can write a
letter on behalf of your organization and
ask your members, board, or coalition
partners to sign it. Or you can plan a letter
writing campaign, where you ask many
people to write personalized letters within
a short period of time.

13
Send Them an E-mail
How do I find their e-mail or mailing ad-
dress?

Go to www.mdelect.net to find the e-mail

addresses of your elected officials.

How do I make an e-mail effective?

• Use the “subject” line to state why you

are writing them,

• Emphasize up front that you are a con-

stituent, include your name and ad-
dress,

• Share a personal story about why you

care about the issue, and

• Ask them to reply

to you with their
position on the
issue.

When communicating
with a legislator remember to:

• Give him or her enough time to con-

sider the issue before needing to vote
on it,

• If writing a letter, be sure it is clear and

concise—two pages is more than
enough,

• Include the bill name and number,

• Use your personal experiences to illus-

trate your point, and

• You can also clip a newspaper article

and mail it to your elected officials. In-
clude a handwritten note asking how
they are going to address your issue.

14
WRITE TO THE NEWSPAPER

Write to Your Local Newspaper

A great way to get attention for

environmental issues is to take your
message to the press by writing a letter to
the editor of your local newspapers. Not
only will you influence many of your
neighbors—elected officials often use this
widely read section of the newspaper as a
means to gauge
public opinion
when making
decisions.

Tips:
• Be concise and to the point - a
maximum of 200 words,

• It is most likely to be printed if you

respond to and reference recent
articles,

• Write about only one topic per letter,

• State your point at the beginning and

end of your letter,

• Use vivid language to express your

view,

• Draw conclusions and recommend a

course of action, and

• Always include your name,

organizational association if you have
one, and phone number (someone
from the paper may call to verify that
you are the author of the letter).

15
COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY

How to Talk to the Media

Be Clear – Be aware of information
overload; you should have two or three
major points.

Be Concise – Less is more! Know what

your “sound-bite” is and keep it to 20
seconds for TV and Radio, and two
sentences for Print Media.

Be Connected – Try to make an emotional

connection with your audience.

Be Compelling – Try to make your story

interesting— cite specific examples when
possible.

Be Consistent – Repeat your major message

point a number of times— the more you
repeat the message, the more it will be
remembered.

Tips:
• Think about who you are trying to
persuade: is it legislators, voters, home
owners? Ask yourself—what is the best
message to reach your target audience?
Who is the best messenger?

• Remember—people don’t like being

blamed or told what to do. Instead, be
clear about who the real enemy is and
give them a vision and the opportunity
to make a difference.

• Use facts and local examples to

illustrate a story, but remember—
without the vision, facts are
meaningless.

• Understand your audience’s

perspective and talk about what is
relevant to them now.

16
FIND A LOCAL GROUP

Join an Environmental Group

Maryland has a large and diverse
environmental community with groups of all
sizes that are fighting to protect our
environment. Whether it is a neighborhood
organization working to protect a local
stream, or a statewide group fighting to
address the impacts of global warming, all
these groups have one thing in common:
they need people like you. You can be an
integral part of their work by
volunteering your time and skills, joining
their e-mail networks, and providing
financial resources.

Find a Group Near You

The Maryland LCV Education Fund has built
an extensive grassroots program— we are
working to identify, educate, and engage
people like you all over the state. As a
result, we have the ability to connect you to
groups and activities in your area. If you
would like to find a local group near you,
please call our office and we will assist you.

To join the Maryland League of

Conservation Voters Education Fund
or request information:

E-mail: edfundinfo@mdlcv.org
Phone 410-280-9855
Website: www.marylandconservation.org

To join or learn more about our affiliated

organization, the Maryland League of
Conservation Voters:
E-mail: info@mdlcv.org
Phone 410-280- 9855
Website: www.mdlcv.org

17
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS

Maryland’s many statewide environmental

groups have a long and successful tradition of
working together for common goals. At the
Maryland LCV Education Fund, we consider it
part of our mission to strengthen the state’s envi-
ronmental coalitions and build the power of the
environmental community.
Please take a minute to look into these groups
and consider volunteering your time or making a
contribution. These groups are on the frontlines,
fighting to protect our air, land and water, and
making Maryland a better place for us all.
Please visit their websites to find the right
group for you and then call them!

• 1000 FRIENDS OF MARYLAND

410-385-2910
www.friendsofmd.org

• AUDUBON NATURALIST
SOCIETY
301-652-9188
www.audubonnaturalist.org

• CHESAPEAKE BAY
FOUNDATION
410-268-8816
www.cbf.org

• CHESAPEAKE CLIMATE ACTION

NETWORK
240-396-1981
www.chesapeakeclimate.org

• CLEAN WATER ACTION

410-235-8808.
www.cleanwateraction.org

• ENVIRONMENT MARYLAND
410-467-0439
www.environmentmaryland.org

18
• MARYLAND CONSERVATION
COUNCIL
www.mdconservationcouncil.org

• MARYLAND PUBLIC
INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP
410-467-9389
www.marylandpirg.org

• MARYLAND PESTICIDE
NETWORK
410-849-3909
www.mdpestnet.org

• ONE LESS CAR

410-960-6493
www.onelesscar.org

• PARTNERS FOR OPEN SPACE

410-830-9741
www.partnersforopenspace.org

• SIERRA CLUB-MD CHAPTER

301-277-7111
www.maryland.sierraclub.org

• THE CONSERVATION FUND

410-757-0370
www.conservationfund.org

• THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

301-897-8570
www.nature.org

• TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND

202-543-7552
www.tpl.org

• WATERKEEPER CHESAPEAKE
202-257-0877
www.waterkeeper.org

19
STRONG LOCAL GROUPS

Your Local Groups

Local groups have a tremendous impact on

their community and the environment. If
you are a member or volunteer with a local
environmental group, you know that it
takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and
cooperation to get the job done. This work
can be incredibly rewarding, fun and - if
successful - you are a part of making
change for the environment.

There are a number of tried and true ways

to achieve victory on an issue. At the
Maryland LCV Education Fund, we believe
that a good plan, a coherent message, and
well executed tactics are the keys to a
strong campaign. In this next section, we
give you some helpful tips on how your
organization can
be more efficient
and effective.

Whether at the
U.S. Congress, the
Maryland General
Assembly, or your
local town council,
your group can make a difference.

Every action your group takes should

match the message of your campaign. So,
after setting the goals of your campaign
(e.g., convince the County Council to ap-
prove once a week recycling pick up), then
define your message.

Everyone in your group needs to commu-

nicate the same message when giving pres-
entations, talking to the press, e-mailing
other activists, etc. It is critical to have the
group agree on and USE the same message.

20
 PLANNING TO WIN

The Campaign Plan

Successful
campaigns begin
with a strong plan.
A good campaign
plan needs to
contain all of the
following elements:

• Campaign Goal: This is what you

ultimately want to achieve. It should be
a broad, short statement.

• Lay of the Land: Find out what is

happening on your issue now and what
happened in the past. This is important
because it will help to shape your
objectives and the tactics.

• Strategy: Determine who will support

your goal and why.

• Campaign Objectives: Break down your

campaign goal into specific,
measurable, and realistic objectives you
want to achieve. These will help you
reach your overall campaign goal.

• Campaign Tactics: Break each objective

down into tactics: research, lobbying,
designing leaflets, sending letters to
the editor, generating calls and letters
to decision-makers, etc.

• Timeline: It is highly unlikely that you

will be able to work on all of your
campaign objectives at the same time.
Plot out your tactics on a calendar to
“space out” your work and ensure that
your objectives and tactics are realistic.

Remember: a plan isn’t worth much unless

it’s written down and used!

21
 DEVELOP A MESSAGE

Message Creation

An important element of any successful

issue campaign is the message. It's the
story you want your audience to hear. It
drives your communication strategy (Who
do they need to hear the story from? How
will you tell them?).

Organizationally, agreeing on a clear and

concise message will help your group
effectively communicate why you are
running your particular campaign in a tone
that resonates with decision-makers (use
their reasons, not yours).

The message should be a short, snappy

statement that encapsulates why the issue
is important and why people should care
about it. It will be your key
communication tool with the public and
the media.

• The first step is to craft a statement

about why you care about this issue -
why your group picked this campaign
goal, and why is it important.

• Think about your strategy and what

story your decision-makers need to
hear to support your campaign.

• Think about language that enables you

to communicate effectively with the
media about why they should take an
interest in your cause. Also, think
about what the public needs to hear to
engage in your campaign.

• Complete your message statement in

the following order: context, problem,
solution, conflict, and call to action.

22
Building a Relationship with your
Elected Officials
Whether your group is a local watershed
association, garden club, or global warming
advocacy group, one of the best ways to
make sure your voice is heard is to build a
positive relationship with the lawmakers
who vote on issues that you care about.

When building a relationship with

lawmakers, remember that:

• Elected officials work for you, the

constituents who elected them, and
their duty is to fairly represent the
values and ideals of the community.

• Lawmakers are “regular” people with

families, jobs, and their own personal
concerns and causes.

• Lawmakers really care about the things

that they think are important to their
constituents.

There are a number of ways for your group

to build relationships with lawmakers:

Meet with Your Legislators

Meeting with your legislator is one of the

most effective persuasion tactics that your
group can employ. Lawmakers always
respond well to constituents, particularly
when they are making a personal appeal.

It doesn’t matter if you are requesting a

meeting with a U.S. Congressperson, a
state legislator, or your local mayor, there
are a few things to remember if you want
to have a successful meeting.

23
SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS

Holding a Successful Meeting

• Create an agenda ahead of time. Ask
people attending the meeting with you
to come early so you can finalize the
agenda and talking points.

• Designate one person in the meeting

to clearly explain the issue, and an-
other person to “make the ask” or tell
the lawmaker what you want them to
do (vote for bill, request funding for
your project, etc.). Be prepared to ask
twice before you get a clear answer.

• Leave time in the beginning to ask the

lawmaker how he or she is, inquire
about family, the community, or to ask
about his or her priorities for the legis-
lative session. This is an opportunity to
start building a personal relationship.

• Invite others to speak and take the

pressure off you—this shows that lots
of people care about the issue. Identify
the right messengers (e.g., a nurse if
you are talking about children’s
health).

Tips:
• Send a thank you note and follow up
on any questions after the meeting.

• Continue to look for chances to be a

resource.

• Remember—building a relationship
means not always asking an elected
official to do something. Arrange op-
portunities to get to know them better,
and for them to get to know you and
your organization better.

• Thank them when they do what you

ask!

24
CONVEY YOUR MESSAGE

Get Your Group’s Message

in the Press
The press is a great way to build support
for your issue and put pressure on deci-
sion-makers. Here are two simple ways to
get your message out to the media.

Organize a “Letter to the Editor” Campaign

On page 15, we gave you tips for writing

letters to the editor (LTE). As an organiza-
tion, you can turn this tactic into a much
larger campaign:

• When you see an article in the paper

about your issue, have 5 to 10 of your
members each write an LTE in re-
sponse (remind them of your mes-
sage!). Many news-
papers use the quan-
tity of letters they
receive on a specific
article to determine
which letters to
print. So, sending
more than one letter
will enhance the
chance that one of your activists’ letters
will be printed.

Tips:
• Hold an LTE writing party at some-
one’s house, or dedicate the last 30
minutes of a meeting to everyone
helping each other write and submit
letters to the paper.

• When a favorable article or LTE is pub-

lished, have a few of your activists clip
out the article or LTE and send it to
their lawmakers with a personal note
about the issue and a request for fur-
ther information.

25
TOWN HALL MEETINGS

Hold a Town Hall Meeting

Town hall meetings are large events (30 to
200 people) designed for public education
and political pressure. They are most
effective when the subject of the event is
relevant to an upcoming vote. Here are
some tips to organizing a successful
meeting:

• Find a speaker or speakers. Who will

attract people to the meeting? Who are
the right messengers to put pressure on
your decision-maker?

• Arrange logistics in advance. Reserve

a room in a local library or church, set
the time (7:30 p.m. is usually good),
figure out electronic needs
(PowerPoint, etc.).

• Invite others to get involved. You

can ask other groups to co-sponsor the
event (in exchange for promoting the
event offer them a table).

• Pick up the phone. If you want

people to show up, then you need to
call and ask them to do so. The best
way to ensure someone attends is for
an actual person to call. Set up a few
nights when activists get together and
call through your lists. Remind your
activists the night before.

26
Write an Op-Ed

An Op-Ed is not a news

story; it is your opinion
about your issue.

• Ask writers who will

reflect your message to
submit one. Offer to
draft a sample.

• Check a publication’s requirements

(most are 500-800 words).

• Begin by telling readers why they

should care, and conclude with a call to
action (attend hearing, vote for bill,
etc.).

• Review opinion pages to get a sense of

what papers are publishing.

Editorial (Ed) Board Meeting

Editorials are similar in length to Op-Eds,

but are powerful because they are written
as the opinion of the newspaper.

• Identify members of the editorial board

who specialize in your policy area.

• Call or e-mail to request a meeting.

• Prior to meeting, research Ed Board

members and adjust your message.

• Invite experts to attend who can tell a

story using your message.

• Bring relevant materials.

• Follow up
with a thank
you note.

27
PRESS CONFERENCE

Press Conference Checklist

Hold a Press Conference

Do you have something newsworthy and

urgent to report— such as a report release
or a coalition launch? A press conference is
a great way to share information and
“control the message.” They are also a lot
of work so make sure you have a good
visual event and have help to pull it off.
Sometimes just a press release is fine.

About two weeks before the press

conference:

• Determine the location of the event -

does it add value to the press conference
and send a message? Is it easy for the
reporters to find?

• Determine the time of the event -

reporters are always working on
“deadline”, so between 10:30 am and
noon is a good bet.

• Set the agenda for the event, invite the

speakers, determine the main talking
points and assign speakers to make
them. Make sure that the speakers
understand the logistics and the
messages you wish them to convey.

• Develop a “press list”: this is a list of

the important newspapers, radio and
TV stations and bloggers that you want
to attend your press conference. You
will need their e-mail addresses and
phone numbers.

About one week before the press conference:

• Send a “Media Advisory” to all the

reporters. This is simple announcement
that includes: who will speak, the
purpose of the event, where and when
it will be held, and why a reporter
should cover it.

28
CHECKLIST

• Draft the press release with quotes

from each speaker, include his or her
contact information. Make sure that
each speaker approves the release and
quote.

• Produce any “props” that you may need

for the press conference. Prepare press
sign-in sheets.

One or two days before press conference:

• Send out the media advisory for the

second time. Follow that up with a call
to all the reporters and ask if they plan
to cover the event.

• Check in with your speakers to make

sure their remarks are written. Also, to
ensure you are prepared, practice your
remarks out loud.

• Make press packets that include: the

approved press release, background
materials on the issues, and basic
information about your group.

The morning of the press conference:

• Send the media advisory out for the

third time around 8:00 a.m., to the TV
stations only (TV editors make decision
in the morning about what events they
will cover. Follow that up with a call to
the TV stations’ news desks, ask if the
event is on their calendar.

Immediately after the press conference:

• Send out the press release to everyone

who did not come. Follow that up by
calling the reporters.

The day or two after the press conference:

• Make sure that you clip any print

media and download any TV, radio, or
blog coverage that you have received.

29
Checklist: Choosing the Right Tactic

One of the most strategic ways to increase

the effectiveness of your group’s efforts or
campaigns is to wisely choose the right
tactics to employ. This will make a HUGE
difference in how decision-makers view
your organization, how you retain
volunteers or members, and, ultimately, in
whether or not you reach your vision of
protecting Maryland’s environment.

Before choosing a tactic (e.g., holding a

rally, organizing a town hall meeting,
starting an online petition, sponsoring a
stream clean-up, etc.) always ask:

• Which specific goal do we hope to

achieve through this activity?

• Who is our target or audience for this

tactic? Identified decision-makers?
Media outlets?

• How will this tactic communicate our

campaign’s message?

• Will this activity hurt your

organization’s overall credibility?

• Do we have the time, money, and

people necessary to execute this tactic?
Is its impact on your goals worth the
investment of limited resources?

• If the media is your audience, is the

activity “newsworthy”?

• Can your coalition partners contribute

money, people, or connections?

• Will it help you build your group by

engaging and inspiring your base?

30
NOTES

31
NOTES

32
 9 State Circle, Suite 202

Annapolis Maryland 21401

Phone (410) 280-9855 * Fax (410) 280-9857

www.marylandconservation.org

STAFF:

Cindy Schwartz, Executive Director

Jen Brock-Cancellieri, Director of Outreach

Aaron Mintzes, Legislative and Political Manager

Catherine Stirling, Development Manager

Ryan Ewing, Online Communications and

Community Organizer

Kim Dissen, Administrative Assistant

BOARD MEMBERS:

Jackie Savitz, Chair

Nancy Davis, Secretary

M
Jennifer Bevan-Dangel

Marissa Brown

Harriett Crosby

Liz Nelson