Working with a completely different
kind of animal:
The care and feeding of legislators
and government agencies
to cultivate support for
your programs

It’s Not About You.

Pitch your idea as a team
(Passion + Practicality)
• Politicians may recognize (and like) you
• But you also need the credibility of your
institution’s infrastructure
– President, VP
– Government Relations Director
– Sponsored Programs Office

Perception of your ability to deliver
• Partnerships (existing and proposed)
• OMB circulars – stewards of taxpayer dollars
• PLUS weight of the offering as part of an
organizational strategic plan or overall
product/program

Perception of your ability to deliver
(Continued)
• History of success
– Organizational
– Individuals/principals
• Where does your initiative fit within a regional
approach?
• Planned evaluation/assessment

“Horses vs. Human Rights” Issues
• Nothing in a vacuum
• Solution-oriented
• Risk adverse
• Put things in perspective
– Competitive edge
– “as big as…”
– National stage?

Can they hear you?
Why should they?
• Communication as a “transaction”
• Don’t make them work too hard
(It’s your job to reach them… wherever they are
emotionally, intellectually, politically.)
• Speak their language
– Commonality
– Constituent interests
– Votes, political bridge-building?

Misconceptions regarding your
initiative/issue
• By legislators
• By government agencies
• By your own administration
• By the public

What are the current legislative
priorities?
• To a non-horse person, horses aren’t sexy.
• Quantify this sector
• “Show” (don’t just tell) why the subject should
be a relevant part of current conversations.
– Jobs, Economy, Demographics, Trends
– Quality of life
– Regional collaboration
– Nascar, wine country

Talking Points
• Frame your issue. Don’t let someone else do
it for you.
• Articulate why this issue is important to the
legislator.
– Easily digestible components
– Spoon-feed
• Deliver in advance and also leave behind.

New York State Center for Equine Business Development
WHAT?
The New York State Center for Equine Business Development will serve as a focal point, a voice for the
industry, a vehicle that will spearhead a coordinated statewide approach to the industry’s needs, and
include the following:
 Agenda building
 Securing grants and other support
 Organizing training programs and hosting clinics with nationally known professionals
 Organizing industry trade fairs
 Establishing databanks to assist members of the equine community in accessing the latest and most
accurate information related to the management and growth of their businesses
 Exploring state-of-the-art methods that help the equine industry manage its most costly and
unpredictable expenses
 Acting as a clearinghouse for equine business-related solutions, fostering job growth in existing
enterprises and entrepreneurial growth throughout the state
 Identifying ways to improve business functionality and pinpointing ways New York State and local
governments can improve the environment that promotes sustainable equine industry growth
WHO?
An Advisory Council will be formed consisting of individuals who are working in different aspects of the
equine industry (those who train, who breed, equine businesses, corporations, government). The Center will
strengthen and sustain the equine sector of the state’s economy by tapping the knowledge of equine experts
and a network of national and international advisors.
Equine businesses will serve as clients of the Center. The Center will advise its clients and assist by
responding to their needs (product, data, government assistance, agenda building, training programs or
clinics) and working collaboratively to grow and develop all phases of the equine industry.
Cazenovia College will lead/coordinate the operations of the Center. Initially, Barbara Lindberg will serve
as the Interim Director of the Center. The President’s Office (through the Offices of Communications;
Institutional Research and Assessment; and Corporate, Foundation and Government Relations) will provide
additional support.
HOW?
Cazenovia College has received State funding to support the establishment of the New York State Center for
Equine Business Development. The State’s capital grant will specifically enable the College to make
investments in its facilities in order to expand the agenda of the new Center. The College is also currently
committing institutional resources to research the needs of this economic sector and survey stakeholders and
future partners. The Center will continue to seek additional program funding, which will aid in the hiring of
a director for the Center and additional staff.

New York State Center for Equine Business Development
WHEN?
Now … Agenda building commenced this fall using the Equine Alley community as a way to begin
reaching out to people and businesses who are working day-to-day in the equine industry. Reaching out to
“clients” throughout New York State will also take place.
Spring 2010 – Begin implementing physical changes to the Equine Education Center. The NYSCEBD will
need more facility space to move its agenda. Examples include the installation of a heating system for the
main arena, improvement of parking and road ways, lighting, sound systems, and engineering studies for
expansion of the arena.
Modifications to the College’s facilities will allow more public access for the purposes of conducting
research, workshops, clinics, training, networking, and so forth.
WHERE?
The new Center will be housed at Cazenovia College’s nationally recognized Equine Education Center, in a
geographic area tagged as “Equine Alley” because of the high concentration of horse farms and equine-
related businesses that contribute to the State’s economy and support a growing percentage of the region’s
workforce. As a matter of fact, Central New York is home to nearly 25% of the state’s newest equine related
businesses. The region surrounding Equine Alley represents 16% of the state’s equine activity.1
In Central
New York, there are over 40 equine events and shows annually, including national and international
competitions. In addition, Cazenovia College annually hosts approximately 10 intercollegiate equestrian
competitions.
WHY?
Equine-related businesses now directly account for $2.4 billion of New York State’s annual economic
activity, nearly a 100% increase in the last 18 years.2
The industry directly supports approximately 12,500
jobs in New York State and accounts for approximately $170 Million in wages annually – representing
nearly a 100% increase in just 5 years.3
Moreover, the value of investments in equine-related assets currently
exceeds $10 Billion in New York State. Nationwide, the equine industry is as big as Hollywood, but it can
also be a volatile economic environment because equine entrepreneurs and horse farm owners often struggle
to keep their businesses operating successfully, despite their excellent technical skills.
WHAT’S NEXT?
1
NYS Dept. of Agriculture & Markets, New York Equine Survey 2005
2
NY Agricultural Statistics Service, 2005 Equine Survey
3
Id.

Tell your story early & often
• In many venues, regardless of legislative
connection
– Nothing happens without collaboration
– Get yourself invited into conversations
(Governor’s Task Force on Industry/Higher
Education Partnerships)
– Media support (public conversation)

Tell your story (continued)
• Revolving staffer door
• “Schumer years”
• Understand/respect what they’re committing to the
journey… and why (unlike stereotype of a civil servant)
• Parties/events where there are ‘friends of
friends’
• Get others to tell your story too

Tell your story (cont.)
• Logos
• Pathos
• Ethos

Political donations
• Non-profit status
• Lobbyist approach vs. common good

General advice:
• Everyone loves a good party
• No one gets on the train until it’s ready to
leave the station
• Regardless of government level, same issues
apply
– People are motivated by personal connections and
individual priorities
– Process may be different, but players are similar

Your journey to a federal appropriation
request
• Begins very early, often a year or more in
advance of deadline
– Need support from both House and Senate
– Bi-partisan is better
– Need state support as well
• Federal process
• Roadblocks? Surprises?

Your journey (cont.)
• Letters of commitment (not just letters of
support) from collaborators
• Get legislator to visit you!
• Make personal appearances in Washington, DC
(with teams of support)
– Your administration
– Village board,
– Students/consumers,
– Convention and visitors bureau
– Economic development agencies

Steps to federal funding success
• Get staffers’ attention first!
– Regional
– DC
• Prepare appropriation requests
– Due dates
– E-application
• Make funding requests to members of congress
• Member advances your request to the Appropriations
Committee
• Secure an earmark in legislation
• President signs bill with your earmark into law

What could go wrong?
• The appropriations committee could, for
whatever reason, decide not to fund
• Possibility that no earmarks are included in
bills in a given year
• Earmarks are included, but stripped out at a
later point
• Individual senators target specific earmarks to
be stripped while a bill is on the floor

Tips
• Find a way to answer the questions that are
not asked
– Forms are limiting
– Find a way to convey your key message
• Highlight the area of need
– Make sure you’re highlighting a need that is of
particular interest to the legislator
– Research legislator’s priorities (different for each
region)

Tips (cont.)
• Very competitive
– Only one chance to make a first impression, but…
– Appropriation request had better NOT be the first
contact with your legislator
• Complete the form completely and properly
– Font size, margins, deadlines
– Reflection on your institution’s ability to comply
with regulations after funding

Context (federal disclosure rules)
• Transparency in legislative process
– Legislators put their names next to your request
– Must provide statement describing the purpose
– Earmark requests advanced by legislator must
include certification that it will not benefit
lawmaker or spouse
– Bills must be available to read 48 hours before
vote
– Legislators must post earmark requests, even if
not funded

Questions?
• Matthew Clark, JD
Director of Corporate, Foundation & Government Relations
Instructor, Communication Studies
Cazenovia College
(315) 372-9594
meclark@cazenovia.edu