Get Involved in Government

Local businesses are the lifeblood of a community; the development and progress of one are directly reflected in the growth of the other. The two are so intrinsically entwined that oftentimes business leaders and civic leaders are one and the same within a community.

Getting involved in government seems like a natural endeavor for local businesses because you experience firsthand the effects of government regulations and legislations—or lack of—so you are the best source of information and gauge of success for lawmakers.

Stay Informed
So how exactly does a business go about getting involved with their government? First and foremost, businesses should always work on staying informed about local, state and federal issues that affect their industry, as well as the marketplace as a whole. In addition to watching the news and reading the newspaper, a great way to keep up with these issues is to utilize web resources.

NAWBO’s website boasts a wealth of resources and tools that are constantly being updated to better serve businesses that are trying to get involved with their government. The site’s Legislative Action Center, which is located in the Advocacy section, features legislative alerts, a breakdown of key votes and Capitol Hill basics, as well as a “Find Your Officials” tool that generates a list of elected officials for your district when you put in your zip code.

And most, if not all, elected officials have their own websites, where you can subscribe to e-newsletters that inform you of issues specific to your district or state, and let you know about upcoming events and meetings.

Get to Know Your Reps
Building a relationship with your state assembly person and congresswoman or congressman is crucial to making any headway in getting involved with government. Email or write a letter to introduce yourself and your business; attend meetings and events where you can interact in person; even social networking tools such as Twitter and Facebook can be useful resources for staying up-to-date with the issues that your elected official is currently focusing on.

Join a Committee
Once you have become acquainted with your government representatives, consider serving on a local board, commission, committee or task force. Beyond establishing a line of communication with an elected official, this allows you to take on a certain amount of decision-making responsibility and make a direct impact on your community.

Host an Event
Host or sponsor an event related to an issue that is important to you and your business. Consider organizing a fundraising event or discussion panel, and make sure to invite your elected officials and community leaders. This will allow your government representatives to interface directly with their constituency and find out how their legislative efforts are being received.

Vote
As simple as it may seem, informed voting is the best way for anyone to make an impact on what the government does and can do. Encourage everyone in your business to register to vote, if they have not already, and lead by example by making voting a priority.

 
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