Planning an Early Childhood Leadership Breakfast

June 1, 2006

First Steps• Establish a Public Policy Committee

– Designate Breakfast Subcommittee – Assign staff– State goals (written) for Partners and Co-hosts

• Determine Budget

• Seek Partner/Partners

• Consider Co-host options, be strategic– Democrat

– Republican

First Steps

• Legislative Co-host options– Opportunity to groom a children’s

champion? Newly elected?– Well respected – Interested in children’s issues– Ongoing relationship– Connection to Business supporter

• Decide PR issues

First Steps

• Consider potential locations– Accessible– Rush hour traffic– Parking– Food options– Comfortable room set-up– AV Equipment hook-up/availability

Determine Date• Minimum one month after Governor’s

Budget is released is recommended– Analyze children’s budget– Time to determine “The Ask”

• March, or April - to coincide with Week of the Young Child

• Friday is usually best for Legislators in their home district

• Check calendar and local community events for any possible conflicts

Timeline July/August

Establish budget for breakfast and designate primary staff person

September Subcommittee discuss focus for Breakfast

If annual, consider logical progression of topics

Decide two (or three) possible dates

October Make recommendations to CE Board

Timeline Mid October

Confirm Partners (and funders) Decide focus Subcommittee (and partners) brainstorm for

speakers Begin gathering supportive materials for packets Decide invitation list (Legislators, Business, others)

November Finalize Co-chairs, ask to hold possible dates Ask location event coordinator to hold possible dates

Timeline November

Subcommittee review suggested speakers Final preparation of mailing list

4Include fax numbers for sending reminders

4Check position/titles as well as names

4Any “special” invitations, ie, Mayor, law enforcement

December Decide date Confirm Keynote speaker (Check with Co-hosts) Mail “Save the Date” Cards (or after 1st of Jan)

Timeline January

Set up database for responses to invitations Draft Invitation letters for Co-hosts to send Draft invitation letter to the “others”

End of January Visit Co-hosts, approve invitation letter Establish administrative contacts in Co-hosts offices

For obtaining signatures For determining “to whom” invitations will be sent

For any last minute issues

Timeline February

1st Tuesday - Get the Governor’s Budget

Finalize all speakers and agenda

“Coordinate” sending invitations to Legislators

Send invitations to “others”

Establish RSVP date

Mid February Finalize travel arrangements, AV and other needs

Review PR decision

Write “Talking Points” for calls to legislators

Timeline March

Get final budget analysis from PPC Draft “Ask” for Board approval Draft Scripts for Co-hosts (and MC if applicable) Print/copy all materials for packets Check RSVPs 10 days prior to event

Fax reminders to those legislators who have not responded

Calls to legislators (from those who live in their district) to encourage attendance

Timeline

March Visit Co-hosts, get approval for Scripts Complete nametags

(Have nametags ready for all legislators - even if they did not RSVP)

Complete packets Finalize count with location event coordinator Send out Press Release (if applicable)

Rules for the Event

• Start on time

• End on time

• Have Co-hosts recognize other elected officials and dignataries in audience (elected officials will do this as a matter of course, but you can help by doing a list prior to the opening)

• Don’t surprise your co-hosts!

Sample “Save the Date”

DDRRAAFFTT PPLLEEAASSEE HHOOLLDD TTHHIISS DDAATTEE!!!! March 31, 2006 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

SEVENTH ANNUAL LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST THE LONG TERM BENEFITS OF INVESTING IN PRESCHOOL

hosted by Representative Dan Frankel and Representative Tom Stevenson

Keynote speaker Attorney General Tom Corbett

sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh, Institute of Politics

United Way of Westmoreland County location

Pittsburgh Athletic Association—Pittsburgh, PA (Oakland) For more information call 412-624-1837

February 12, 2006 «Prefix» «FirstName» «LastName», «Title» «Organization» «AddressLine1» «City», «State» «Zip» Dear «Prefix» «LastName»: We are writing to invite you to the Seventh Annual Early Childhood Legislative/Leadership Breakfast, March 31, 2006. The event will be held at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association (PAA) located at 4215 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. The breakfast is sponsored by United Way of Westmoreland County, PNC Corporation and the University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics. Our keynote speaker is Attorney General Tom Corbett, whose unique perspective will provide information about the long term benefits of investing in early childhood programs and services, the future savings to government and benefits to society; including increased school success and desired social behaviors.

Also presenting is Ms. Donna Cooper, Director, Governor’s Office of Policy and Planning. Ms. Cooper will describe the Administration’s funding proposals for investing in early education and child care as strategies for helping children become successful productive adults. We look forward to your attendance as a member of our regional delegation so that we may collectively further our understanding of the importance of early education and seriously begin to work in a bipartisan way to support the needs of children and families in Western Pennsylvania. As always, out of respect for your time, we will start the program promptly at 8:30 A.M. and end by 9:45 A.M. A continental breakfast will be provided beginning at 8:00 A.M. Please R.S.V.P. to the Institute of Politics, 412-624-7780 by March 23, 2006. If you have any questions, or need further information, please don’t hesitate to contact Martha Isler, 412-421-5049. We look forward to seeing you on March 31st. Sincerely, DAN B. FRANKEL TOM STEVENSON State Representative State representative

Letters/Mailings/ Nametags

All invitations to legislators should be on “General Assembly” letterhead

When writing a letter to a legislature all salutations should say Senator or Representative (i.e., Dear Senator Costa)

When addressing an envelope to a legislature write Honorable (i.e., The Honorable Dan Frankel).

All mailings must go to legislator’s Harrisburg office (for scheduling) Copy staff in local office if you have a relationship

The mailing list must be finalized with correct spelling and titles several months prior to first mailing (save the date cards).

Always have “Representative” or “Senator” listed on the nametag, have a nametag ready for all invited even if they did not respond or RSVP’d “No.”

Always have nametags for all CE staff, consultants and Sub-committee members.

Packets Packets should be completed at least two days prior to

the event “Scripts” must be included in all speakers/presenters

packets (in case they forget to bring the one you provided earlier.)

Include a list of planning committee members in the packets

A “dummy” packet should be completed with all information included and in the order it should be placed, left side and right side using a logical sequence - this packet is usually referenced by the MC (or Co-host) and also provides speaker materials and probably the speakers PowerPoint slides for note-taking.

Sample Agenda PNC

United Way of Westmoreland County and the

University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics Presents

The Seventh Annual Early Childhood Legislative/Leadership Breakfast Friday, March 31, 2006

Pittsburgh Athletic Association 4215 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

PROGRAM AGENDA 8:00 AM REGISTRATION AND CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST 8:30 Welcome and Remarks by The Honorable Dan Frankel, Member, PA House of

Representatives Remarks and Introduction by The Honorable Tom Stevenson, Member, PA House of

Representatives 8:35 Attorney General Tom Corbett, The Long-term Benefits of Investing in Preschool 9:00 Ms. Donna Cooper, Secretary of Policy and Planning, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,

Overview of Governor Rendell’s Proposals to Increase Investments in Early Childhood 9:20 Q & A and Closing Remarks by The Honorable Dan Frankel, Member, PA House of

Representatives 9:30 AM ADJORN

Day of Eventh Have staff/committee members/volunteers

available to greet legislators

h Note elected officials attending

h Ask participants who live in legislators districts to introduce themselves to their representative

• Track attendance

• Photos for Newsletters (digital can be sent to co- hosts too)

Debriefing• Use list of attendees for report• Copies of remarks or notes for future reference• Visit (send letters to) legislators who did not attend

– Deliver packet of materials and “The Ask”• Thank you letters to Co-hosts• Thank you letters to Speakers• Thank you letters to legislators who attended• Review budget • Make recommendations for next year