Forecast: Budget deficits, new legislators, new leadership, increased needs for nonprofit services and programs.  Minnesota's nonprofits need to be ready to have an impact on the policy decisions made by the legislature.

The NONPROFITS REACH OUT! campaign is designed to make sure nonprofits and legislators get to know one another before they need each other.  The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits urges nonprofit organizations throughout Minnesota to invite elected officials to their sites.  Let them see what your organization does, learn about how you benefit your community, and begin to see you as a resource.  Nonprofits need to act NOW to seize this opportunity!

Goals of the NONPROFITS REACH OUT! campaign:

• Visits that acquaint legislators with the mission, programs, people and accomplishments of individual nonprofit organizations.
• Information in the hands of new legislators that enables them to utilize nonprofits as a resource when they need information and contacts on specific issues.
• Opportunities for nonprofits to learn about the interests and priorities of legislators in their area.
• Solid beginnings (or reinforcement) of strong working partnerships between nonprofits and legislative leaders.

• About the campaign - Use this one-page handout with your staff, board, volunteers, and program participants.
• How to plan a visit - This two page handout lays out all you need to know to plan a successful visit. (Available as a PDF document.)
• Inviting candidates and nonprofit election law - There are a few key guidelines for nonprofits to follow when inviting candidates for a site visit during an election year. (Available as a PDF document.)
• What makes a good visit? - This one-page handout has a checklist of things to help make the legislator's visit a successful one. (Available as a PDF document.)
• Writing a case statement - This handout tells you how to develop a clear one-page case statement to use in your meetings with legislators (or with reporters).
• Site visit report form - Once you have completed a visit with a legislator, please fill out this form for your own records and fax a copy to MCN so we can compile information for the upcoming legislative session.
• 2003 Minnesota Nonprofit Economy Report - Use this report to show the important role nonprofits play in the state's economy.  The report includes both state-level data and regional profiles.
• Send letters to new and returning legislators! - We have put together a tab-delimited text file with addresses for new and returning legislators.  Just load it into your favorite spreadsheet program and you can mail merge into letters or address labels.

Other resources
-About the campaign
-How to plan a visit
-Inviting candidates and nonprofit election law
-Checklist for a good visit
-How to write a good case statement
-Site visit report form
-2003 Minnesota Nonprofit Economy Report
-Addresses for new and returning legislators