ASF member Jerry McCarthy (left) and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA)
By Gerald P. McCarthy, Virginia Environmental Endowment
In his previous post on PhilanthroFiles, Jerry McCarthy shared pointers on lobbying. Here he offers ways to inform and influence policymakers without lobbying—all strategies to start now with the new Congress in place.
In conversations with elected representatives in Congress over the years, I have been impressed with how willing they are to learn what foundations do—and how little they know about what we are doing!
If the latter point surprises you, take a look in the mirror: When was the last time you told your Senator or representative a great story about what your grants are doing in your community for their constituents?
Here are some suggestions for how to go about this effectively.
