Outline Pitch For Money: I’m running to
represent our community in the Texas House of Representatives. Our
families face countless challenges, but one issue stands out: the rigid
requirements for child care assistance that leave too many single
parents struggling to balance work and family. Imagine a parent securing
a 20-hour job that fits perfectly with their daycare schedule, only to
find out they don’t qualify for assistance because of a mere 5-hour
shortfall. This issue hits close to home for me. Watching a close friend
even myself navigate these challenges, missing out on crucial support
because of inflexible policies, propelled me into action. I’m running to
be a voice for those parents because I believe in a community that
supports every family’s unique needs. The solution is clear: We must
revise the child care assistance criteria to be more inclusive and
flexible. This change will open doors for countless families, ensuring
parents can work without worrying about who will care for their
children. To make this a reality, I urgently need your support. Campaign
resources are vital for spreading our message, and I’m asking for your
donation of $1,700 by the end of this week. This will help us get yard
signs up in key areas, an essential step towards victory. Your
contribution can make the difference in this race and, ultimately, in
the lives of single parents across Texas. Let’s stand together for a
future where every family has the support they need.
Create a plan: To get out the votes we’ll
host a local engagement event in Texas, US, focusing on child care
reform, scheduled for a Saturday afternoon about two months before the
election. Held at a community center or park, the event will invite
residents, particularly single parents and working families, to join
discussions and receive campaign materials. With volunteers’ help, we’ll
secure permits, arrange refreshments, and promote the event through
social media and local outreach, aiming to raise awareness and support
for flexible child care assistance.
Event: Local Engagement Event
When: The event would take
place on a Saturday afternoon on 20th April, ideally two months before
the election. This timing allows for sufficient preparation and ensures
that the event is held close enough to the election to maintain momentum
and engagement among voters, allowing for a relaxed and informative
afternoon for attendees.
Where: We’ll host the
event at the Willowbrook Community Center, conveniently situated in the
heart of the district, easily accessible by public transportation and
with ample parking available for those driving.
Who is Invited: All
residents of the district are warmly invited to attend, with a
particular emphasis on single parents, working families, and individuals
passionate about advocating for child care reform. We’ll reach out to
local community groups, churches, schools, and online platforms to
ensure broad awareness and participation.
What do you need: To make
this event successful, we’ll need to secure a permit from the community
center if required, arrange for event decorations to create a welcoming
atmosphere, provide refreshments such as light snacks and beverages to
keep attendees comfortable, prepare informational materials detailing
the campaign’s goals and initiatives for child care reform, set up
tables and chairs for seating and information booths, create
eye-catching signage to guide attendees, and enlist the help of
dedicated volunteers to assist with setup, coordination, and cleanup.
Who will help: Our
campaign volunteers, alongside passionate supporters and local community
organizations, will generously contribute their time and efforts to
ensure the event runs smoothly. We’ll also collaborate with childcare
advocates and experts who share our vision for inclusive and flexible
child care assistance.
Cost: To execute this
event effectively, we estimate a budget ranging from $500 to $800. This
includes expenses such as venue rental fees, refreshments, promotional
materials like flyers and banners, as well as miscellaneous costs for
supplies. These items can be sourced affordably from local stores such
as Target or Office Depot, or ordered in bulk from online suppliers to
maximize savings.
Time Needed: Planning and
organizing this event will require careful attention over the course of
4-6 weeks. This time frame allows for ample preparation, including
securing the venue, finalizing logistical details, recruiting
volunteers, and promoting the event to ensure a robust turnout.
Advertising/Organizing:
Our advertising and organizing efforts will kick off two months before
the event date. This timeline allows us to create compelling promotional
materials, leverage social media platforms to reach a wider audience,
establish partnerships with local media for event coverage, and engage
with community organizations to foster support and participation.
Calendar Outline:
2 months before: Begin planning the event, secure the venue, and design promotional materials.
6 weeks before: Finalize event details, obtain necessary permits, and commence advertising through various channels.
1 month before: Confirm volunteer roles, order event supplies, and
intensify promotional efforts to generate excitement and anticipation.
2 weeks before: Coordinate with local media outlets for event
coverage, refine logistical arrangements, and conduct a final
walk-through of the venue.
1 week before: Send out reminder emails to registered attendees,
ensure all event materials are ready for distribution, and rally
volunteers for a pre-event briefing.
Event day: Execute the event plan, greet attendees warmly,
facilitate engaging discussions on child care reform, distribute
campaign literature, and collect valuable feedback and contact
information for follow-up initiatives.
Assignment is to create a campaign calendar here are the instructions:
How to set up your campaign calendar
Now that you’ve learned about the various parts to a campaign, it’s time to put them together into a calendar.
A campaign calendar keeps your
campaign on track and prevents you from missing deadlines. In the next
unit, Ms. Chadderdon will show you an example of one that sets one up
your media to make sure you plan your mailers go out on time, but you
need a more complete calendar to make sure you are making use of
everyone, including the candidate’s, time efficiently. It allows you to
see important deadlines, holidays, invitations, etc. at a glance. It
also lets you see if you need to be more balanced in your efforts.
How can we use a calendar? Let’s discuss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrK27YU5sDk
Okay, so now that we’ve talked about
the why and how, let’s put it into practice so that you can create one
of your own for class.
What will be on your campaign calendar?
Let’s recap: these are the things that need to be on this calendar:
Election deadlines/information
election day, early vote, absentee, voter registration deadline
Holidays
federal, state, school district
Campaign events
events thrown with the help of your campaign
Interviews
speaking to the media, influencers, etc.
Free media
events that draw the media’ attention
Paid media
when mailers, emails, signs, radio, Facebook boosts will land
deadlines to create and approve paid media
Other
Candidate personal schedule
Candidate’s message (for the campaign, week, day…that is up to you)
Call time for ads
Phone bank and texting time
How do you set up the calendar?
The calendar can be set up on a
spreadsheet or any document that you prefer, but if it needs to be
updated and shared often, consider an online version with carefully
picked editing/viewing privileges. Most campaigns will start with the
election deadlines, then add holidays, and then work backwards with
their most important paid media. Some people color code their calendars
so that it can be skimmed more easily, but that’s personal preference.
For example, here’s a quick version I
set up in Excel for my proposed city council candidate, Manaya.
