What is a Key Contact Program?
The key contact program is an essential part of the credit union movement's permanent grassroots infrastructure. The goal of the program is to identify those credit union members who have an existing relationship with a policymaker and who will communicate with the policymaker about credit union issues. To the degree each League and its constituent credit unions are successful at recruiting effective key contacts, credit unions won't have to tap into their rank and file members for anything but the most major future lobbying battles.

Power in Grassroots Communication

Establish a Goal: Three Principal Key Contacts per Congressional District

Good Contact, And How To Identify The Best Key Contacts

Circles of political influence - a proven approach

Think of a lawmaker as surrounded by a number of concentric circles, each moving outward. At the core (center) is the lawmaker. Now, think of circles existing around the lawmaker. Inside the closest circle are the lawmaker's family, staff, professional (paid) and informal (unpaid) political advisors -- the so-called "inner circle."

Moving out to the next layer of the circle of contacts, you'll find political activists and political contributors, party officials, other Members or elected officials and perhaps business interests.

The next distant circle contains organized political or interest constituencies. Each usually has a "gatekeeper," the head of the local organization or chapter particular to that member. Traditionally these have included business interests. It may consist of a Chamber of Commerce, the largest employers (usually hospitals or large plants, or perhaps universities), the "fastest growing" companies, or trade and professional groups like doctors, or realtors. Other groups in this layer include pro-taxpayer groups, organized labor, teachers, trial attorneys, government employees, environmentalists, consumer groups or senior citizens to name a few. Added to that are non-partisan, non-political groups, often called "white hats," such as church groups and local charities.

Can a credit union key contact get into the inner circle? Bankers often host fundraisers, sit on campaign finance committees and are seen by members of congress as stewards of the local economy. They are already close to congressional members. And they make loans to businesses, have strong economic relationships and give to local charities, staying visible in the community. Over time, a carefully developed key contact program can and will help us neutralize any advantages bankers have in this arena.

Desirable Qualities in a Key Contact

Rarely will you find people who exhibit all these traits, but here are some things to look for in the recruitment process. Look at these more as "ideals" than as barriers or qualifiers:

1. A solid connection to the credit union movement (and thus an understanding of our philosophy) - a volunteer board member, rank and file members having an account, a SEG representative.
2. Someone the Member of Congress feels kinship to, or recognizes by face and knows their name (rather than vice-versa).
3. Usually someone of the same party affiliation as the target Member, or, alternatively, someone not of the same party but who the member sees as being a politically valuable supporter.
4. Someone who lives in the appropriate congressional district.
5. Someone willing to commit the time necessary to successfully fulfill the duties of a key contact.

Avoid if possible too much overlapping of key contacts (e.g., using one person for four Members of Congress, even if he/she truly knows them all well. That person would have to do four times the work). Also, try to avoid having all of the contacts be employees or all directors, etc. Strive for a quality mixture to make up a "key contact team" where possible. Think about what kinds of people help send a message to a Member "this group reflects my whole district/constituency, beyond just credit unions," and who the Member has a difficult time saying "No" to. Here are some suggestions:

• One local credit union CEO (or their designated branch manager)
• Volunteer board member(s)
• A credit union member who has a solid personal relationship with the Member (Did a credit union supporter go to high school, college, or law school with a Member? Is a family relative? Share a common interest or belong to a club with a Member? etc.)
• Business or association SEG representatives, or a representative of the credit union's sponsoring group
• Local elected officials of the same party as the Member, or local political folks, such as county party chairs or precinct workers.

People Resources to Help Build a Key Contact Program.

Here are some recruiting ideas if you have some difficulty finding key contacts for a particular Member of Congress in your state. Talk to these folks; they might already be just the fit you want, but if not can help lead you to someone who is, if you get them involved and excited about the program.

• Credit Union CEOs (best if district-based)
• Credit Union volunteer board members
• Your retained in-state lobbyists, or ex-lawmakers who support credit unions
• Local elected officials with a credit union tie
• Local political party officials (of same party as Member)
• SEG groups in the district -- these are VERY effective
• Known local community activists that support credit unions, such as pro-taxpayer groups, AARP chapters, consumer groups, labor unions

How Do I Recruit People To Become Key Contacts?

Start with in the credit union movement. Use League annual meetings, state GAC or PAC meetings, and chapter meetings by making the key contact program an agenda item. Request nominations in publications or through credit union statement stuffers. You may even ask lawmakers themselves who they are close to within the credit union community.

Once credit union folks identify key contact prospects, have the people who know the key contact best ask him/her in-person - it's always hardest to say "no" to someone face to face who is a friend. This is a good way to "give something back" to their credit union.

Although everyone is pressed for time, people love their credit union. In a community you'll often find the most ifluential people are involved in so many things they just don't have time or will be unable to commit. Findingn influential people who love credit unions enough to be key contacts is like mining for gold -- it may be hard work, but the payoff is tremendous.

What Key Contacts Need To Do

The League, working with local credit unions, may ask key contacts to do any or all of the following at given points in time:

1. Make a paid visit to Washington, DC once a year to meet with a Member of Congress and talk about credit union issues.
2. Attend a private meeting in the district with a lawmaker
3. Attend a town hall meeting or public forum held by a Member
4. Write a personal letter
5. Make a phone call
6. Help author an opinion editorial or letter to the editor
7. Provide financial and grassroots support to the member's campaign
8. Provide feedback to CUNA and the state League regarding the outcome of discussions.
   
   The first two are the most effective, but also require the most time.

Key contacts must provide their credit union and you with their contact information. Put them in your League fax or e-mail list as appropriate, to help them stay informed and become educated on our issues. CUNA will be happy to put them on the News Watch mailing list if requested.

Tracking Key Contact Program

A comprehensive database (such as GNOSSOS) can help your League and CUNA track key contacts' interactions with legislators. Actions tracked will include participation in legislative visits, letters, phone calls, in-district meetings, PAC contributions and campaign involvement.

Specifically, this database system:

• Contains activists identified as active grassroots and/or PAC participants
• Matches and sorts activists by federal and state legislators (district and zip code matching)
• Generates reports that track and sort by multiple activity (i.e. those who wrote letters, met with legislators, contributed to the PAC, etc.)
• Has the ability to blast-fax "Call To Action" to key grassroots contacts based on congressional districts, committees and other criteria

If you do not have a database CUNA will be happy to place your key contacts in their database for you. As always they will not contact any key contacts directly but will keep them for you.

Copyright © 2008 - Credit Union National Association, Inc.