Creating a Partnership with Elected Officials to Promote Student Achievement and Career Exploration in Math and Science

As non profit organization, we are constantly looking for ways to obtain resources and support for our programs and services; for without resources we can't achieve our mission. People always see grants, volunteers and corporations, but have we explored the resources and connections that we can get form our elected officials.

I know that me personally,although I am the first person to vote in an election and sign a petition, I don't have much interaction with my elected officials on the local, state and federal level. However, as I am beginning efforts to make SEM Link a national organization, I am getting suggestions that I can't do that without building relationships with elected officials on the city, county, state and even federal level. What resources can these elected officials provide to our organization? The first thing that I can think about is name recognition, even if the elected official doesn't give you a dollar, it validates your organization's presence in the community having the endorsement and support of the elected official. The second resources is connections in the community, it takes a lot of money and influence to become an elected official, if he or she believes in your mission that politician can connect you to all the money, power and influence that helped them get elected to not only get the resources that are needed, but to get your name out in the community as well as build your brand. Finally, the new relationship with the staff of elected officials can get you access to discretionary funds, information about upcoming grants and in some cases a voice to affect policy in the area in which you serve.

As I think about what we can do to become a national organization, that is able to "unveil potential through exposure", I have to look at building relationships with the elected officials in the areas we serve.