Resource Type: Tips & How-Tos

We try hard to influence policymakers like elected leaders and other government decision-makers. But do our tactics work? Turns out, our assumptions (such as more = better) can be wrong. Here are evidence-based tips for getting through to policymakers, through your supporters and via direct contact.

Recorded live on January 8, 2021, this webinar, led by Elana Levin from New Media Mentors, is aimed at people with Twitter experience looking to get more intentional and strategic on the platform. Elana covered advanced tactics, building your organization’s thought leadership position, reaching journalists, and incorporating Twitter intentionally into issue campaigns. The webinar is useful for communications and campaign staff and emphasizes the ways in which organizations can use Twitter to do more than just win a conversation.           

The first chapter of the Washington State Environmental Justice Task Force (EJTF)’s Fall 2020 report provides context for what environmental justice (EJ) is, how to build on existing EJ work in Washington, and why state government must prioritize addressing EJ issues and environmental health disparities. The second chapter focuses on the EJTF’s process for developing recommendations, a statewide EJ definition, and EJ principles. The final chapter of the report includes all EJTF recommendations. The report appendices include additional resources, including guidance developed by the EJTF’s Community Engagement Subcommittee for how state agencies can develop their own community engagement plans. 

This webinar is a 90-minute overview of the organizing model pioneered by the retail workers organization United for Respect. It was presented by O2O Strategies, a sister organization of UFR dedicated to helping other people-powered organizations use what they’ve learned to help them build the power they need to win. This interactive session features the historical context surrounding the development of this model, the strategic reasons to lead with digital tools, case studies on organizing campaigns and victories achieved using this model, and an in-depth explanation of how the model works, from supporter recruitment to members leading campaigns to victory.             

In this webinar, the Lab team is joined by the Regulatory Assistance Project to explore recommendations from the new report Energy Infrastructure: Sources of Inequities and Policy Solutions for Improving Community Health and Wellbeing.
In addition to the report, participants also learn from advocates across the country fighting for an equitable clean energy future. Contributing speakers shared their reflections and lessons learned from a variety of perspectives on what it takes to achieve energy equity, including how they’re financing low-income solar, how they’re growing solar through state-level policy, and how to work in strong coalition.
Contributing speakers include: Donna Brutkoski, Communications Associate, Regulatory Assistance Project; Yesenia Rivera, Director of Energy Equity and Inclusion, Solar United Neighbors; and Jacqueline Hutchinson, Vice President of Operations, People’s Community Action Corporation.