Legislative Action Network Tools and Resources

Find out about the State Grant
Tell your friends and family that you support this aid
Recruit five people to join the Legislative Action Network
Contact or visit your legislator (consider attending Day at the Capitol) to ask them to invest in the State Grant Program
Write a letter to the editor to express your support
Join Expand aid for Minnesota college students on Facebook

To help Minnesota’s economy move ahead, state policymakers should strengthen need-based aid for college students through the State Grant Program.
Investing more into the State Grant program will increase aid to low-income students and expand eligibility for middle-income students.
It will help students at all institutions, two-year and four-year, public and private.
This is the most efficient way to target limited state dollars.
Helping keep higher education affordable is essential to preparing our future workforce.

Letters and e-mails to your legislators

Keep them short and to the point; always be polite. Include the following information:
Identify yourself as a constituent (see legislator finder)
Describe who you are and your connection to the issue (briefly tell your story)
State what action you want the legislator to take
Express your appreciation for their consideration of your request
Include your full name and address, and if you wish, your phone number

Phone calls to your legislators

Identify yourself as a constituent (see legislator finder)
State your purpose; make one or two key points about specific legislation
State what action you want your legislator to take
Listen to your legislator’s point of view
Thank them for their time and send a follow-up note afterward
If you do not connect, be sure to leave a message about why you are calling and how they can reach you

Visiting your legislator

Introduce yourself as a constituent and thank the legislator for taking the time to meet
State your purpose and the issue or legislation you want to talk about
Give the legislator time to talk about their perspective on the issue
Ask for their vote and try to get a commitment on your issue before leaving

Expect the meeting to last no more than 5-10 minutes
Follow up with a letter as soon as possible. Thank the legislator for their time, restate your issue and mention any commitment they made during your meeting

Writing a letter to the editor