Now, more than ever, birds need you to advocate on their behalf in Congress, district offices and local city councils. But how do you develop a relationship with your elected official and influence conservation decisions?

You can start by setting up an in-district meeting with your Congressman or State Senator or Assemblymember. These visits are an effective way to influence your representative and voice your concerns about birds. Elected officials want to hear how their decisions affect their constituents.

These resources will help you become an effective advocate and build a strong working relationship that can benefit Audubon’s conservation work for years to come: 

1. Checklist to guide your preparation for your legislative meeting. 

2. PowerPoint that walks you step-by-step through the process of advocating with an elected official. 

3. Template for leave behind handout.

4. Thank you card template from Golden Gate Audubon and Mt. Diablo Audubon.

5. A reporting form to share your feedback from your meeting with National Audubon Society’s policy team. You can also use this online form.

6.  ​Role playing exercise you can use with your chapter to prepare for the meeting with your elected official. It’s a great way to help train chapter members and others to be the most effective advocates during an elected official meeting. 

Thanks for being advocates for birds!