Fighting For Our Profession! Thank you for your commitment to The REALTOR Action Fund and organized real estate! Agenda What is the REALTOR ACTION FUND (RAF)? Captains Mission/Objectives Where Should We Start? Talk to Your Association Staff Education and Incentives Reach Out/Talking Points RAF Payment Plan Investor Recognition Timeline Legal Disclosures Resources Questions What is the REALTOR Action Fund (RAF)? The RAF is the money raised to advance the goals of our REALTOR political action committees (PACs) at the local, state and federal levels of government. Put simply: RAF makes sure good laws (what C.A.R. wants) get passed and bad laws (What C.A.R. doesnt want) get defeated! Every REALTOR is asked to make this voluntary investment when paying their yearly membership dues. For more information refer to RAF Guide PAC Allocation Flow Chart RAF Statistics Year Total Membership Number of Contributors Per Member/ Per Contributor Total Contribution %of Members Contributing to RAF ,74532,948$18 / $57 $1,872,15832% ,15334,193$16 / $56 $1,929,08229% ,97743,709$19 / $58 $2,553,83032% ,24556,689$24 / $67 $3,808,11535% ,93262,667$23 / $71 $4,474,45632% ,24561,151$25 / $89 $5,466,04629% ,99956,826$22 / $82 $4,649,21027% ,83539,690$18 / $83 $3,301,79622% ,18331,786$15 / $80 $2,540,84219% Fundraising Captains Mission & Objectives Lead by Example: Invest $197! Provide leadership, education, organization and urgency to your associations fundraising efforts Encourage participation at levels of $49 and above outside regular dues billing. Where Should We Start? Educate Association Staff personnel Reach Out! Talk to your colleagues and Ask them to invest! Post information in your newsletter and on your website! Discuss payment plan-- $20 and above can be put on a monthly schedule! Ask members to complete pledge card. Educate Your Local Staff Your local staff interacts directly with your members. What happens to your industry effects them too. But they may not be aware of the threats. C.A.R. has created an RAF Staff Awareness training program to assist you. (Lynn Movroydis is available host a RAF/Staff training for your association) C.A.R. Staff Recognition Program Local staff can receive gift cards for encouraging members to invest: $10 card for every 20 new members or 1 st time participants who invest $49. $20 card for every 20 new members or 1 st time participants who invest $197. $10 card for every 40 members who renew by investing $49. $30 card for every 40 members who upgrade by investing $197 from $49. Can only be earned by direct member contact! Gift cards: Best Buy, Barnes and Noble, Starbucks. For more information refer to RAF Guide Now is the time to: REACH OUT ! Reach out to your fellow REALTORS, wherever they congregate (new member orientations, office meetings, caravan meetings, and local association meetings) (Use the pyramid approach: Reach out to larger offices and work your way down) When speaking about RAF, briefly state why REALTORS and their allies need to be involved politically. Tell them why you are an investor. Thank any recent or high dollar investors. Ask them to participate in RAF. Ask them to help you spread the word. A field representative can assist you on your outreach efforts. For more information refer to RAF Guide Why Give To The REALTOR Action Fund? Talking Points The Good : Here are the 2009 Successes : PRESERVED: Property Profiles: Title insurance companies stopped providing property profiles in a reaction to a letter issued by the California Department of Insurance. C.A.R. worked to restore access to protect your business; DEFEATED: 3% Independent Contractor Withholding: 3 times in 2009! Politicians proposed an acceleration of income tax payment in the form of 3% withholding; and DEFEATED: Point-of-Sale Bills: Multiple bills were introduced, which if passed, could have resulted in, as much as, $20,000 of costs per home to close escrow. The Bad : Just some of the 2010 Threats: (Given our State budget deficit) SERVICE TAX: Sales tax on all services including Real Estate Commission, Title, Escrow and Home Inspection Fees; INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR WITHHOLDING: This issue will be back again; MORTGAGE INTEREST DEDUCTION: Could be eliminated and; POINT-OF-SALE: Always more to comestayed tuned! The Ugly : RAF funds are only at 19%We have two major upcoming elections. Your support is vital in order to help protect your industry! Again, Above All Ask! Again, make a personal investment of $197 to the RAF. This shows others that you are doing your part and makes asking others to contribute easy. Have a one line answer memorized for why you personally felt it was so important to contribute to RAF. Remember To Ask Everyone To Invest On the Spot When surveyed most people say that they dont contribute because no one has ever asked them to. Always end a presentation with, Can we count on your support today? If they say not today, ask when, and always follow up. Why Should REALTORS Invest in RAF? They get a terrific return on their $197 investment. C.A.R.s legislative successes, save members over $13,000 a year by defeating costly legislation that threatens their ability to serve their clients and sell real estate. And its easy! REALTORS can simply contribute in monthly installments! Contributions of $197 may be paid over 12 months at a rate of $16.42. RAF Payment Plan Investment AmountMonthly Payment $ 20$ 1.66 $ 49$ 4.08 $197$16.41 2010 REALTOR Action Fund Pledge Card Investor Recognition Ideas Invite investors to special events with industry experts, legal or economic updates or a celebrity type guest; Thank You list of investors in local newsletter and website or Investor Recognition Wall at local association; A special gift to all $197 and above investors; Designated investor of the month parking spot, seat at head table, certificate of appreciation, or verbal acknowledgement at meetings and Personal thank you call from local association leadership. For more information refer to RAF Guide Timeline Create a plan timeline, working backwards from the date your dues billing statement is mailed. Decide what strategies to employ. Identify how long your individual strategies will take to implement and at what cost. Determine what dates you will need money or human resources in place to put your strategies into action. Review your plan often, revising it if needed. For more information refer to RAF Guide Legal Fundamentals DO Use C.A.R. Contest templates; Get C.A.R. staff approval, prior to planning a supplemental fundraising activity; Discuss REALTOR issues not side issues or personalities; Explain why their investment will make a difference and THANK your participants. DO NOT Discuss pending legislation when conducting fundraising activities; Discuss a legislators voting record at a fundraising event; NEVER Accept cash payments! Host Casino Nights. They are a prohibited RAF fundraising activity and Use the word raffle in any fundraising efforts or materials. For more information refer to RAF Guide Resources Government Affairs Field Representatives Laiza Garcia - Northern Coast Matt Garth - Greater L.A Rian Barrett - Central Valley Julia Parenteau OC, SD, and the Desert Lynn Movroydis Political Affairs, Fundraising Field Representative Lisa Edwards CREPAC Staff Coordinator David Howard Political Affairs Director RECAP Help elevate RAF participation in 2010 Lead by Example Educate Staff and Colleagues Always get C.A.R. staff approval, prior to planning a supplemental fundraising Activity Always refer to your RAF Guide NEVER ACCEPT CASH PAYMENTS!