Educating Elected Officials
Cultural organizations are typically low priority in the political realm. So it is our responsibility as staff members to educate our political leaders, both local and national, about the importance of preserving Florida’s cultural heritage. The collections under the care of our organizations are important and valuable not only to staff and volunteers, but to all members of our community. In this module, you will learn techniques to inform your potential donors, institutional leadership, and political leaders of the significance of your institution’s collections.
Webinars
Note: When viewing the webinars a new browser page will open.
Activity
Discussion Questions
As group, discuss how you can share the importance of the collections within your institution with elected officials.
- What opportunities do you have to talk about your collections?
- How would you communicate to officials that your collections matter?
- What are some “buzz words” you can use when discussing your collection?
Spinners
Utilizing the game spinner have each participant take a turn at the spinner. Read the question or topic to the group and discuss among the group. Use examples from your policy or institution.
Online Resources
American Alliance of Museums, Advocacy Resources
http://aam-us.org/advocacy/resources
American Association of State and Local History, Advocacy
http://about.aaslh.org/advocacy/
American Library Association, Advocacy, Legislation, and Issues
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/home
Florida Association of Museums, Advocacy
http://www.flamuseums.org/advocacy/
Florida Library Association, Advocacy
http://www.flalib.org/advocacy