“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead (1901-1978), American cultural anthropologist

Ask any effective association lobbyist and he or she will tell you that a trade association is only as strong as the people it represents. This cannot be overstated. “Grassroots” lobbying not only backs up, but also significantly enhances advocacy efforts by Washington representatives that work Capitol Hill every day. And, the best part of it is that it’s not hard to do.

While many NUCA contractors and associates are old hands at grassroots activity — especially those who do it at the chapter level and/or at NUCA’s annual Washington Summit — some may be new to it and even a bit apprehensive about giving it a try. What follows is an overview of the “why” and “how” of the process.

What Is “Grassroots” Advocacy?

Grassroots lobbying is simply citizen participation in the government process. The key to being successful at it is assembling a group of individuals who not only share common goals and concerns regarding issues addressed by the government, but are willing to step up and alert lawmakers to the concerns of their constituents about those issues. The second part is critical. If lawmakers don’t know that their constituents have a stake in the outcome of legislation under consideration, how likely do you think they will be to factor their concerns into the equation when the issue actually comes up for a vote? Looked at positively, I know first-hand that a likeminded group of constituents can make an enormous difference by collectively writing, calling, meeting, e-mailing or faxing their lawmakers. And, the more people there are communicating the same message, the stronger the impact will be.

You have no doubt read or heard about the enormous political clout of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO, both of which represent millions of people. The clout is real enough, but think for a moment what’s behind it. Consider who is doing the heavy lifting when you read about big victories enjoyed by large business groups or labor organizations. When 2,000 union members take to Capitol Hill in an organized and collective advocacy effort, it makes for a strong statement. The same can be said of a well-attended “fly-in” event by any organization. The key is to get as many people as possible to deliver the same message.

Grassroots Contact from Home

NUCA constantly encourages members to come to Washington for personal, face-to-face visits with congressional lawmakers to educate them about issues that are fundamental to the viability of the underground construction industry. While it’s true that nothing beats a one-on-one visit with a lawmaker or his or her staff, there are other effective ways to participate without leaving home.

For example, NUCA regularly sends out Legislative Alerts to members that serve as a “call to action.” They usually include a very simple message to be conveyed — namely, a request that the lawmaker support or oppose legislation that would impact the industry. Once the message is provided, simply call the congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121, and ask to be connected to the office of the senator or representative from your state or district who needs to hear the message. Once connected, ask to speak with the Chief of Staff, Legislative Director or Legislative Assistant in charge of the issue in question. Any of these people will take the point(s) you want to make to the lawmaker.

Make sure that you clearly identify yourself, not only as a constituent, but also as a business owner who employs a number of people in the lawmaker’s state or district. If communicating by e-mail or fax, the same rules of identification apply. You want to make sure that the congressional office knows the message is coming from someone they represent. It’s equally important to reference your association with NUCA and, if applicable, the NUCA chapter to which you belong. What that tells the lawmaker (and staff) is: “This group is organized nationally and within my state, and they’re watching.”

So you have someone on the phone, now what? When sending out a legislative alert, NUCA generally provides talking points. All you have to do is personalize them with statistics and other information relevant to your state or district. In the case of economic stimulus legislation, callers noted how many people they had to lay off, how many more they could hire if the work (projects) were available and how the local community and economy would benefit if more work were available.

A Case in Point

From the moment the 111th Congress convened, economic recovery legislation was in fact the only game in town. NUCA was all over town and on Capitol Hill making sure that environmental infrastructure investment ended up being a substantial part of the package. At press time, it was almost certain that approximately $18 billion of the bill would be dedicated to environmental infrastructure.

That outcome was not the result of Congress just doing what was right. It was in large part the result of NUCA being on the Hill or on the phone pushing for our provisions in the bill AND of regular, persistent contact from our strong grassroots network of chapters and active members throughout the process.

I suppose you could say that in many instances it’s the equivalent of a “one-two punch.” We visit congressional offices and when we go, we provide “leave behind” documents that include information regarding the issue at hand, as well as a list of companies we represent in that state or district. Then, if they get a follow-up call or letter from you, they think: “These people mean business. We better pay attention.”

NUCA is on Capitol Hill constantly, but the Hill doesn’t listen to us because they like us personally. We’re effective because of YOU — the people and companies we represent.

Eben Wyman is NUCA Vice President of Government Relations.