January 4, 2021 - Montana Wildlife Federation

To be successful, MWF needs one thing: YOU. It’s important that the voices of parents, grandparents, community members and others are heard by our legislators and the Governor so they know how important Montana’s wildlife and wild places are to you. Together, with your support, we’ll again achieve great things for Montana.

Check out these strategies to get your lawmaker’s attention and advocate for Montana’s wildlife, habitat, and public access. You can also download a PDF version of this toolkit.

THE BASICS

JOIN OUR LEGISLATIVE ACTION TEAM

CAPITOL REPORT 2021: BILLS AND BUDGET

HOW TO LOBBY THE 2021 MONTANA LEGISLATURE

LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP & CONTACT INFORMATION

VIEWING AND LISTENING TO LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS

As a Legislative Action Team Member You Will:

-Receive insider updates and breaking news as bills are moving during the session.

-Safely engage in online advocacy using your own social media accounts.

-Build relationships with other conservation advocates.

-Get previews of bills that are scheduled for hearings each week.

-Have opportunities and expert help weighing in with your legislators on wildlife, habitat, and access priorities.

-Engage with other Montana conservation advocates and leverage grassroots action to make our collective voice heard.

BEST PRACTICES

TAG MWF AND USE #MWFSHOWSUP

This helps us to see your stories! By tagging or using our hashtag you’re letting us know which bills, issues, and places matter to you.

MAINTAIN CIVILITY

Always be polite online. Do not use all capital letters to make a point since it may be perceived that you are yelling. Avoid cuss words.

USE PICTURES

When possible, include a photo of you, landscape, wildlife, or live streaming events.

FOLLOW UP

Be persistent and your message will get through. You might not get a response the first time when you Tweet at your decision-makers or leave your elected officials a comment on their Facebook page.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

@MTWildlife https://twitter.com/MTWildlife

@MontanaWildlife https://www.facebook.com/MontanaWildlife/

@MTWildlife https://www.instagram.com/mtwildlife

@MontanaWildlife Federation http://bit.ly/MontanaWildlifeYouTube

TIPS FOR INSTAGRAM

When applicable, tag your elected officials, partners, or supporters of conservation issues in MT in the image to notify them and continue building the relationship.

Make sure to share photos and videos taken in your community.

Use #MWFShowsUP and don’t forget to tag us @mtwildlife.

TIPS FOR FACEBOOK

Tag us @MontanaWildlife! When applicable, tag your elected officials, partners, or supporters of conservation issues in MT in the image to notify them and continue building the relationship.

Comment and share our posts. This will help boost our reach.

TIPS FOR TWITTER

Use #MWFSHOWSUP

Help us create a spike. To demonstrate broad support for an issue, we will be hosting “Day of Action.”

Tag us @mtwildlife!

Creating videos for use on social media is a great way for MWF to share your story. Two powerful ways we can use video are 1) recording testimonials and 2) live-streaming events. Use these tips to create high-quality videos that MWF can use to further protect and preserve Montana’s wildlife, access, and habitat.

BELOW ARE SOME IDEAS FOR YOUR VIDEO:

Respond to the prompt “Why do you advocate for Montana’s wildlife?”

I am calling on you to support bill #___

Respond to one of the following questions:

What impact has public lands had on your life or your community?

What do you want people to know about Montana’s wildlife?

Why do you love the Montana’s public lands?

What would you tell people who want to become supports for MWF?

GUIDE TO WRITING LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Pick a timely topic. Newspapers rarely publish letters on topics that are not already being covered in the news.

Research Guidelines. Most paper’s length limit on LTEs is around 250 words. Stick to this so that an editor does not cut out the important points of your letter.

Do not assume that your readers are informed about your topic. Give a concise but informative background before plunging into the main issue.

Also include any relevant credentials that prove you are informed about your topic.

Find a local angle Readers are more interested in an issue when they see how it affects their lives and communities.

Joined the Legislative Action Team and missed one of our calls? Watch the previous meetings here.

QUESTIONS?

Connect with MWF’s Conservation Director Nick Gevock at ngevock@mtwf.org.

Legislative Action Team Meetings

2021 Legislation Toolkit

THE BASICS

As a Legislative Action Team Member You Will:

BEST PRACTICES

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

BELOW ARE SOME IDEAS FOR YOUR VIDEO:

GUIDE TO WRITING LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

QUESTIONS?

Join Today

Add your email to start protecting Montana's natural treasures.

Alec Underwood

Federal Conservation Campaigns Director