ACWA Outreach Training

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ACWA Outreach Training
ACWA Region 9 Mojave Water Agencys Regional
Legislative Alliance
The Value of Grassroots Outreach
Friday, July 10 Victorville City Hall
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About ACWA

• Formed in 1910 by 5 agricultural irrigation
  districts
• Statewide, non-profit, non-partisan association
• About 500 public agency members

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What We Do
Leadership state and federal Policy
development Advocacy state and
federal Legislative 500 bills tracked Regulatory
Water quality treatment Environmental
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Who We Represent

• Independent special districts
• Formed by the people
• Perform specific water-related services
• Agriculture and urban agencies
• North, south, east, and west
• Big and small, and all between
• ACWA members responsible for 90 of the states
  distributed water

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ACWA Region Structure

• ACWA members are divided into 10 regions
• Each region has representation on statewide
  board of directors
• Outreach to regions helps ACWA understand member
  needs

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What Does Grassroots Mean?
grass-roots adjective of, pertaining to, or
involving the common people (dictionary.com)

• Grassroots efforts include
• coalition building
• coordinated advocacy
• focused information/message
• grassroots activism on a local level

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Grassroots Works
Grassroots actions can add up to big changes.
Education and engagement is key.
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Grassroots Tips

• Focus on grassroots outreach
• Educate people on the complexity of water issues.
• Examine successful organizations as model
• Build relationships, partner
• Form local alliances, legislative groups

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ACWAs Outreach Program

• Outreach Program Launched in 2000
• Internet-based grassroots action center launched
  in Fall 2007
• Web-based Alerts Advisories
• Agency Profiles Customization
• Reporting for ACWAs Outreach Awards Program

www.acwa.com
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ACWAs Outreach Action Center

• Located at www.acwa.com
• Allows ACWA members to
• Customize Alerts and Advisories
• Track their to do list with a personalized
  profile
• Send letters directly to legislators
• Much more!

ACWA Homepage www.acwa.com
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ACWAs Public Outreach

• Save Our Water is a partnership between the
  California Department of Water Resources and ACWA
  to increase public awareness about Californias
  water situation and the need to conserve.

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ACWAs Public Outreach

• Water for Tomorrow
• In 2009, ACWA partnered with National
  Geographic custom publishing to produce a
  20-page, four color consumer magazine on
  California water.

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Californias Water series with Huell Howser
Californias Water is a 21-segment series for
public television produced by Huell Howser and
underwritten by ACWA. Topics in the series are
based on ACWAs 2005 water policy document, No
Time to Waste A Blueprint for California Water.

• Some Segments
• We All Live in a Watershed
• California Water System
• Regional Solutions for Local Needs
• Beyond Drought Factors Affecting CA
• Living with Nature
• Tightening the Water Belt
• Many More!

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Involve the Public
In 2007 and 2008, ACWA held four public Town
Halls with Huell Howser. The goal educate local
elected officials, organization leaders and
educators about water.
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ACWA Contacts

Jennifer Persike, Director of Strategic
Coordination / Public Affairs, jenniferp_at_acwa.com
Ellen Manolis, Outreach Specialist,
ellenm_at_acwa.com Tiffany Giammona, Regional
Affairs Representative tiffanyg_at_acwa.com
www.acwa.com