ARCHIVE OF ORGANIZING MATERIALS for Council Actions
-
Small business outreach page to recruit small business leaders to join with Power Up America
-
Online event registration for all upcoming Organizing Meetings
-
Materials for House Energy & Commerce Committee (Waxman) districts
-
Online event registration ("Bob") for Congressional Meetings
-
Attendee Recruit Script to use when recruiting MoveOn members to your Organizing Meeting
-
Clean Energy Business Recruit Script to use when calling clean energy business leaders
-
Sample letter to request a congressional meeting
-
Sample script for when you call to request a congressional meeting
-
-
Materials for National Track
-
Online event registration ("Bob") for Clean Energy Jobs Day
-
Attendee Recruit Script to use when recruiting MoveOn members to your Organizing Meeting
-
Clean Energy Business Recruit Script to use when calling clean energy business leaders
-
Attendee Recruit Script to use when recruiting for Jobs Day event
- National host call recording:
We held a national organizing call on Thursday, May 21, where we reviewed breaking news and went over some organizing tips. Here's how to listen to the call recording: Click here: http://www.spiderphone.com/RealCast/9596771305/c_RAM.ram (you'll need RealPlayer), or: Dial 212-812-2800, press #1 on your phone, and enter recording code 95967 71305
-
Speaker's script *Updated May 21*
-
Materials to help you invite your senator or representative *Updated May 21*
-
Call script *Updated May 21*
-
Sample letter *Updated May 21*
-
-
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When can my upcoming events take place?
A: Here is some guidance on upcoming action dates, with particular details on the "wiggle room" for each action.
ENERGY & COMMERCE TRACK
Energy & Commerce Organizing Meeting:
Deadline to get in Bob: Tues 4/28
Deadline for e&c Organizing Meetings to take place: Sun 5/3
Wiggle room: If there's a good reason the council can't hold the e&c Organizing Meeting before 5/3, it's OK to hold it before 5/10.
Energy & Commerce Congressional Meeting:
Deadline to get in Bob: Sun 5/3 (Or, as soon as you can, once you get the date set)
Deadline for District Meetings to take place: Mon 5/11
Wiggle room: If there's a good reason the council can't hold the district meeting before 5/11, it's OK to hold it by 5/18.
NATIONAL TRACK:
National Track Organizing Meeting:
Deadline to get in Bob: Tues 4/28
Deadline for national track Organizing Meetings to take place: Sun 5/3
Wiggle room: If there's a good reason the council can't hold the national track Organizing Meeting before 5/3, it's OK to hold it by Sun 5/10.
Clean Energy Jobs Day:
Deadline to get in Bob: 5/14, with secondary deadline for late-comers of 5/21.
Default date is Thurs 5/28.
Wiggle room: If Council can't do it on Thurs 5/28, it's ok to take place Tues 5/26, Wed 5/27, or (least good) Fri 5/29. Later isn't great, because recess ends on Friday.
Q: I'm in an Energy & Commerce Committee district. How should I schedule my district meeting?
A: Here are some tips on how.
Start by requesting a meeting with the member of Congress during the week of May 4. You can use this script for the call, and here's a sample meeting request letter if they ask for one.
Start by asking for a meeting with the representative during the week of May 4. Don't settle too easily for a "no" answer—be persistent and keep following up!
Be polite. Whether or not you agree with your representative's politics, treating the staff you talk to with courtesy is the best way to get a meeting.
Say that you're asking on behalf of local small business owners, clean energy business owners, and MoveOn members who want a meeting. It's important to be clear that you represent local constituents.
Explain that this is a timely meeting. Your representative is a member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, and as such he or she has an important role in expanding opportunities for local clean energy businesses by voting on the American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act in the next few weeks. You should explain that you want the meeting to discuss the ACES Act, and how it could benefit small businesses and clean energy businesses in your community.
Be persistent, and follow up. You may not get a firm answer right away, so don't give up. Call back every few days to check on the status of your request.
If it's clear that the representative is truly unavailable to meet with you, you should ask for a meeting with a staffer. Ask to meet with the District Director. If he or she is unavailable, ask for whoever is responsible for energy and climate policy.
You may be asked to submit a written meeting request. If so, click here for a sample letter you can work from: http://pol.moveon.org/districtmeeting/meetingrequest.doc
Not sure how to find your local congressional office? Check www.house.gov for contact information.
Q: Can I organize a Clean Energy Jobs Day that stays at one location instead of touring multiple sites? *UPDATED 5/4*
A: Remember, the Clean Energy Jobs Tour is what your council makes it! You can have a successful Jobs Day whether you go to multiple stops -- that's the ideal -- or just stay at one clean energy jobs site. Here's some more detail on what the different options might look like.
A) Multi-stop tour
This is really the ideal event. That's because it’s different and interesting to local media. By letting reporters know that you’ll be running a tour to multiple locations, you’ll increase your chances that they will show up – even if they only attend the first stop.
It can be as simple or complicated as your council wants to make it. In some places, the multi-stop tour just means inviting MoveOn members, the press, and elected officials to come with you to stop by at a local clean energy business and one or two other sites that represent the job creation potential of clean energy (like a energy efficient home, or a building that just put in a new efficient heating system).
Don't be intimidated even if you haven't organized a multi-stop tour before. There are plenty of tips throughout our Host Guide about how to arrange transportation, recruit multiple site hosts, and handle other logistics. It can be really simple, and really powerful.
B) Single-stop tour
If your council really can’t organize a multiple-stop tour because of the layout of your community or other challenges, it’s possible to organize a great “single-stop” media tour. Here are some ideas on how to make a "single-stop tour" a compelling and exciting event:
Feature diverse speakers. Even at a single-stop tour, you can and should have several speakers from different businesses in your area.
Find ways to bring other businesses to you – even if only symbolically. Even if you can’t physically take the tour to several sites, you can make sure they’re represented at your press conference. For instance, you can bring blown-up photos, posters, or other visuals from other local clean energy businesses, and arrange them behind your speakers. Or you could make a big banner that includes the names and/or logos of other local clean energy businesses.
Talk about the other tours happening in your region. You can check with your Field Organizer or Regional Coordinator to find out where Jobs Days are happening elsewhere in your region, and mention that to reporters and attendees at your event. This helps demonstrate that you're part of a much broader multi-city "tour"!
Announce a “by appointment only” tour. Before the Jobs Day, compile information from a few local clean energy businesses that are willing to open themselves up to media and the public by appointment. You can hand out the appointment information at your event. You can also show the locations of these special sites on a map – that could make for a great visual.
Don’t over-focus on the fact that you’re a “one-stop tour”. Hundreds of businesses around the country are going to be toured; and if you’re holding your event at a clean energy site, you’re part of the excitement! You have nothing to apologize for. Celebrate your event!
Bring green hard hats. This is a great visual, and it’ll make any tour look great!
Q: Can I invite a local elected official to speak at my Clean Energy Jobs Day? *UPDATED 5/12*
A: You definitely shouldn't invite anyone to speak who's up for election or re-election within the next three months. However, aside from that, it's fine to invite local or state elected officials to speak at your event.
