Grassroots Advocacy

 

2010 Grassroots Advocacy Award

 

G. Dan Griffith

KET Friends Board

 

Nominated by KET

 

KET has experienced significant state budget reductions in the past two years.  We felt a great need to educate our elected officials on the significant educational resources and access to education that KET provides teacher and students across the state, regardless of their location or background.

 

Long-serving KET Friends Board member G. Dan Griffith helped establish a Friends Board Advocacy Committee to “share the KET Education message.”  Under the leadership of Advocacy Co-Chair Dan Griffith, KET Friends have been working tirelessly over the past two years to inform our elected state officials about KET and its important services as related to education, lifelong learning, adult education, quality of life, public affairs, and quality programming.  From meeting with elected officials in their home districts, attending town hall forums with the Governor, to having their friends and neighbors write, call, and email their legislators about the important of KET, the Friends Board has been committed in telling the KET story.

 

In addition, arranging in-school demonstrations showcasing KET educational services in local schools to elected officials has been at the core of their advocacy grassroots efforts.  The Friends Board has worked to develop KET advocacy messages that succinctly and collectively communicate the important services KET provides to every elected official.

 

During the Kentucky General Assembly, KET Friends Day in Frankfort was held on January 26, 2010.  The Friends members met with their elected officials in the Capitol and then were recognized on the House Chamber floor and Senate Chamber floor for their efforts and service with a proclamation.  It was a great day for KET to be recognized for its long standing service to the Commonwealth.

 

Dan Griffith continues to lead KET’s advocacy efforts, and his dedication and commitment to the agency is admired by all that know him.   The attached photos show KET Friends at the Capitol event along with the Advocacy messaging card that Friends members carry with them.  Also attached is a photo the Owensboro Messenger ran in the paper of our legislative demonstration held in the Daviess County High School highlighting the important educational services KET provides.

 

Although the Kentucky General Assembly budget session has not adjourned, KET has improved its position and built a better awareness among elected officials of the educational services the Agency provides due to the dedication of the KET Friends Board.  The Governor placed KET under the “preserve” category as other state agencies experienced additional cuts.  The House of Representatives voted to restore KET’s funding to its previous funding level prior to the 23.5% cuts we have experienced over the past two years. 

 

 

 

2010 Grassroots Advocacy Award

 

Daniel T. Allen

Community Engagement Coordinator

Friends of Thirteen, Inc.

 

Nominated by Friends of Thirteen

 

From December 2009 to February 2010, Dan worked closely with students from the Macaulay Honors College at CUNY to prepare for Capitol Hill Day 2010, when public broadcasters from around the country meet with their representatives and encourage them to support public media.  Friends of Thirteen has been involved with Capitol Hill Day for over 20 years, but this has been an unprecedented collaboration, bringing the issues facing public broadcasting into the future.

 

Students helped to set up and confirm appointments with the thirty-three elected officials representing the tri-state area, promoted and attended an on-campus “Lobbying Crash Course,” and conducted research to provide information about public broadcasting to the college community.

 

For the “Lobbying Crash Course” advocacy training session that took place at the Macaulay Honors College building in late January, Association for Public Television Stations (APTS) Senior Vice President/Director of Communications Jeffrey Davis traveled from Washington, D.C., to meet with students.

 

Attended by thirty-five students, the training session lasted three hours and included lunch.  Students learned about the federal budgeting process, the specific funding challenges of the public broadcasting system as well as learned about innovative initiatives at THIRTEEN.

 

From an applicant pool of eleven students who applied by sending in their resume and brief essay describing their interest in advocacy, five were chosen to join the teams of station staff and volunteers that would travel to Washington for Capitol Hill Day.  Unfortunately, inclement weather shut down Washington for nearly a week and Capitol Hill Day was indefinitely postponed.

 

Without Dan’s leadership and close connections to the student body, this project would not have been possible.  He is dedicated to initiating the next generation of public broadcasting supporters, and he truly makes it his job to mentor students.  His background in production gives him a sharp eye and he is able to design flyers or produce short videos that enhance the impact of our advocacy work on the fly.  He is comfortable presenting to large groups.  He hopes to continue to build the relationship with the Macaulay Honors College in ways that benefit both the station and the students.

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