ABC Government Affairs' Regional Political Manager program is designed to assist and grow grassroots government affairs activities in all of ABC's Chapters. The services offered to chapters by ABC's seven regional political managers
include planning, communications, media outreach, grassroots, fundraising and legislative.
- During regular visits with the chapter, develop a written grassroots political plan for each chapter. The plan will encompass all government affairs areas including state and federal legislative activity, political opportunities, fund-raising, grassroots, and media. The plan will outline methods for the chapter to improve and/or expand their government affairs programs to reach goals of electing friends, enacting legislation, improving the image of ABC, and increasing resources available to ABC.
- Incorporate and implement employee involvement and campaign plans.
- Assist chapter Government Affairs Directors with activities, and work with chapters without these staff members to assist them in determining the need to hire a Government Affairs staff member.
- Track progress of each grassroots activity for each chapter in order to analyze progress.
- Promote and hold political education seminars and grassroots training opportunities for chapters and members.
- Communicate with Regional Vice Presidents with regular phone calls, travel schedule and weekly reports.
- Visit all Chapters in region regularly.
- Track and report any events, opportunities, legislative activity, or member input which assist in building a public record on our issues that will assist our legislative agenda.
- Encourage and develop earned media opportunities for all grassroots programs to advance the merit shop agenda.
- Promote letters to the editor, radio call-in show, editorial board meetings and press conferences.
- Work with chapters and ABC members to develop relationships with media outlets in the area with a goal of increasing the visibility of our issues in an attempt to educate the public.
- Seek opportunities to highlight issues and events that advance our issues or improve our image.
- Recruit additional grassroots action Team members.
- Coordinate at least one town hall meeting in each region.
- Coordinate one site visit by a member of Congress for each region.
- Assist in promoting an increase attendance at legislative conference.
- Recruit 2 members in each chapter who will develop a personal relationship with members of Congress.
- Encourage ABC members to run for office.
- Monitor and assist each chapter in reaching PAC and FEA goals.
- Assist with and develop finance committees, fundraising events, personal solicitation.
- Work with ABC national and chapters to actively advance federal merit shop legislation.
- Recruit additional cosponsors for ABC backed legislation.
- Assist chapters in encouraging active involvement of the chapter legislative committee. Ensure that the legislative committees are active and meeting at least once a month with real goals and programs to advance the merit shop agenda.
- Promote a state legislative scoring system that is utilized for an “Eagle Award” program for state legislators.
- Assist ABC National in coordinating and tracking state legislative and political opportunities.
- Encourage each state to assess possibility of introducing merit shop legislation in the state legislature, with a goal of each state introducing at least one pro-business, merit shop bill or resolution.
For more information on our Government Affairs Regional Political Manager program, please e-mail us at gainfo@abc.org.