Travis Brown, Rachel Keller Brown, Rex Sinquefield and Jeanne Sinquefield

In its fourth year, the annual Christmas benefit for St. Vincent Home for Children continues to build momentum. This year’s benefit brought in $75,000 through sponsorships from community leaders and businesses, and a live auction. St. Vincent’s creates a safe place for some of St. Louis’ most vulnerable children to live and learn.

One of the reasons that ideas like St. Vincent’s have been so successful is our country’s rich legacy of philanthropy. It is not casual. It’s not an afterthought. With centuries of growth and innovation, philanthropy has truly become a national treasure – and a nimble vehicle for change.

Early philanthropists like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller used their wealth to create public assets – hospitals, schools, libraries, research – that are still used today. They popularized the idea that one could donate wealth while they were still alive, and that it could be a dynamic part of life, instead of a perfunctory part of a will.

In the early 20th century, fundraising grew to include more group giving, foundations that report on social conditions, and corporate giving. Recently, venture philanthropy and online fundraising have again revamped the idea of giving.

Applying the idea of venture capital to philanthropy has changed the donor-foundation relationship from one of transaction to one of ongoing support. Beyond financial support, a company assists with management and structural support, helps measure and improve outcomes, and typically invests over a period of years. Riffing on that model, organizations like Venture Philanthropy Partners pair D.C.-area donors who want to see great, positive change in their community with a portfolio of projects that combat a litany of issues facing children in D.C. Of charities and not-for-profits, VPP Co-Founder and Chairman Mario Morina says, “We ask them to do the remarkable, but we don’t give them the support to even do the negligible.” Venture philanthropy models hope to help donors give more strategically, and provide more comprehensive, long-term support for organizations.

Online giving has been especially powerful in giving donors of any size access and information to donate at any time. It’s a way for people to seek out causes they care about, and helps charitable organizations educate the public about their cause. E-philanthropy has also tapped small donors who may not be the target of mail campaigns, but could spare “as little as a cup of coffee”, and helped engage large efforts to respond quickly to disasters like Hurricane Katrina or this year’s devastating earthquake in Haiti. More than $30 million of donations to Haiti came in the form of text message. The Future of Philanthropy estimates that 25% of personal giving will be done online this year. But that still leaves 75% of personal giving that happens through personal appeals or fundraisers, and remains the core of fundraising.

Think about this for a minute: of the $303.8 billion charitable dollars given in the US in 2009, individual donors gave 75% of those dollars. The majority of US giving came not from corporations or foundations, but from individuals. In 2004, donations to tsunami victims reached $2 billion – three times what the US Government spent on disaster relief. Donations after Hurricane Katrina were nearly $6.5 billion, and donations to Haiti reached a similar level – in the first three weeks.

That’s an incredible force of people who weren’t coerced to give anything, but who chose to take action and donate to advance the causes they felt strongly about.

Missouri’s charitable giving is also quite strong: Missouri Foundations provide the state with $675 million in giving, and Missouri individuals gave $2.8 billion in 2008 (that’s an average of $3290 in contributions from each person who filed itemized charitable deductions). While individual donations may go to causes around the world, Missouri Foundation giving is a good measure of how Missourians support in-state needs.

We’re fortunate to work with the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation, which gives to such diverse causes as the Boy Scouts of America, music composition, education and chess – their giving directly impacts children in the area, our friends and neighbors, and it makes Missouri a magnet for organizations, talent and leaders who also want to see these causes thrive.

Philanthropy is more than a way to make us feel good. It might have that effect, but something more significant is driving this incredible scope of action. There’s a spark when we realize something is wrong – and that we have the tools or resources to do something about it. It’s a legacy our country has spontaneously nurtured, that we carry forward and improve upon, and it strengthens us as much as it strengthens the people we give to.

Many government relations professionals inevitably must face this kind of scenario within their issue management responsibilities.  The general counsel of your Fortune 500 Corporation, or perhaps even a major law partner of a retained firm by your employer, approaches you at a meeting or evening event to let you know that he has some great contacts that could help you solve your contract lobbying challenges.  Before you know it, several other calls have been made from other peers to you or even your supervisors encouraging you to make this worthy decision.

Now, it is up to you to independently-evaluate the claims and credibility of the referrals given by the legal universe, which may or may not truly specialize in working your state’s General Assembly.  You don’t have much time.  Your issue is calling out for help.  You need to maintain respect and rapport with internal company executives.  How can sort you out what is needed versus what is desired?

As someone who has managed contract lobby firms across 14 states for major corporate interests, I can relate to your director’s dilemma.  If you go along to get along with what seems to be a great resume, but the firm’s results prove lackluster, the burden of future results now fall on you.  However, if you choose to customize your own search, and someone other than the law firm’s pick is hired, now your reputation breaking rank from what others in your company recommended is now at stake.  The bottom line therefore becomes:  how can we hire the best lawyer-lobbyist if that person is among those in the mix?

As a Missouri contract lobbyist for nearly a decade, you can really observe notable differences for how law firms dedicate their lobbying time compared to other business models like ours.  As someone who also hires other lobbyists, including lawyer-lobbyists from time to time, there are unique pros and cons to having an esquire at your beckon call.  Here’s a list of questions worth raising to navigate through your choices that could make your director or manager’s job a little easier.

1. Beware the Billable Hour(s):  In certain, low maintenance, or early situations, hiring a lawyer-lobbyist on call by the hour may make some sense if your issue is highly-technical, limited to a brief transaction, or likely to deviate completely shortly into the future.  However, for most dedicated government affairs shops, this is the exception rather than the rule.  More often than not, as your contacts grow and your conflict matures, you often consume more variable time with your legislation than anyone might have predicted.  The larger long-run issue might be that you’ve now created workload where there are many incentives to delay ultimate solutions.  Some firms who like billable hours seek multiple client interests within the same environment, hearing, or venue even when their services from one client to another cannot be differentiated.  Firms with strong experience in their capacity typically aren’t afraid to assign a fixed retainer price priced to what they believe to be their own premium service.  Even if the law firm favors the billable hour, you can always learn a lot about how they value you as their future client by asking for a flat fee retainer.   Over the long run, firms that over-value their retainers don’t stay competitive in their market.  A flat fee prevents such debate from happening among both parties while your focus should be on your company’s issue(s).
2. Interview the “Of Counsel” Contacts for Specifics:  There’s no better place for a termed-out legislator, retiring finance director, or over-extended issue leader than the famed “of counsel” position within a major law firm.  No doubt if the LLP or LLC is pressing hard, you will meet one or more of these key influencers within their network.  So, when you do, here are some revealing questions about whether they might work for your project:  1) What percentage of your weekly time is normally-devoted to state & local government affairs duties?  If they contribute to matters important to you, they will want you to know about their specific functions (and locations).  2) If they claim to work in the hallways of your State Capitol, approximately how many days per year would they be present for longer than 10 hours each day this past session?  This answer is easy to verify among those who spend virtually every legislative day in those hallways.  3) If they drop names and political contacts, ask them if they can provide three references in the last six months on whose first-term campaign that they might have served, contributed, or assisted?  In Jefferson City, Missouri, your rolodex demands constant renewal with first-term Senators and Representatives if you expect to manage your issue in a term-limited world.
3. Explore their Best Examples of “Off-the-Clock” Leadership:  The partners of law firms know how many billable hours exist for virtually all of their reports.  That also means that firms performing legislative or political work also must sort and rank the non-billable community, pro-bono, or volunteer campaign work.  There are many functions, such as waiting out three hour hearings, waiting for House floor action at night, or attending weekend fundraisers, that should be really hard to justify in a law firm context.  Try to understand if your government affairs lead is a partner, or if not, to which division they report within the law firm’s universe.  It is not uncommon for lawyers to market to you other affiliations or related businesses that claim to have legislative, regulatory, or political relevance.  Find out now whether such contacts are in fact accessible to you under your flat fee retainer, or where such aides are “a la carte” premiums to leverage.  A network with strength in handling government affairs normally shows that depth and breadth across most of their office geography.  If an extraordinary individual operates on his/her own, ask them for several examples of how they maintain their base of influence when billable hours don’t apply.
4. Understand Any Pending Caseloads that May Apply:  Hiring an attorney with tremendous legal & procedural knowledge can prove to be a real asset, especially if such scope of work relates strongly to the key facts of your agenda.  However, retaining a lawyer-lobbyist who also maintains other case work outside your arena can also prove to become a significant distraction.  Much of the state & local legislative session lobbying requires a daily ministry of physical presence, along with a sharp policy focus on the ground to remain successful.  I know of several lawyer-lobbyists that don’t take much or any case work from December to May during the peak periods of Missouri’s General Assembly for this reason.  If your contact does engage in litigation or other legal work, find out on what Revised Statutes he/she normally operates.  Regardless of who you hire, this can be excellent way to index a wide variety of professional experience.
5. Find Out Who Reports & Attends on Their Behalf:  If a lawyer-lobbyist is well-established, he/she usually has some legal and/or legislative staff on which they depend.  At a minimum, you should know who these contacts are in case they become your host to a Capitol visit.  Such assistance is often useful when questions are raised from their weekly or monthly updates by email or newsletter as well.  However, comparing how such lobbyists dedicate their staff can provide you with many strategic clues about how their firm is governed.  Does their staff have any previous policy, political, or legislative experience?  Do they practice law, and if so, among what areas?  How familiar would such staff be to your industry, sector, or allied trade groups if your services required more attention?  Can the staff cite any examples of prospective clients that their firm declined due to “conflict of interest” concerns with existing clients?  If the company ethics and training programs are thorough, you should be able to reflect on what choices the firm has declined to become successful.

We wish you the best of luck with your government relations endeavors, no matter who you may choose.

“People are getting smarter nowadays; they are letting lawyers, instead of their conscience, be their guide.” – Will Rogers

“Washington, April 12, 1945 – Fate today raised to the highest administrative post on earth a plain, friendly man from Missouri – Harry S. Truman.

On the eighth of next month he will be 61. As he steps into the bright light of world celebrity he can look back on a career that began behind a plow on a 600-acre farm near Kansas City…”

The epic months that followed America’s closure to World War II remind us all how amazing it was to have our entire country doing what they could to protect our liberties. Part of what made Truman’s legacy so memorable was that he rose to challenges thought to be much larger than anyone might choose for themselves.

This week, I was fortunate to join the St. Louis Science Center in their hosting of the USS Battleship Missouri Memorial event, along with the St. Louis Navy League. Under the stars of the planetarium, we were reminded how the American spirit of freedom was transformed into this monstrous structure of teak wood, steel, iron, and ammunition named ole “BB-63” – the USS Battleship Missouri.

Most had come to know the “Mighty MO” of our Pacific fleet as the place where Japan surrendered to America. Its presence for this conflict alone is enough to retire it admirably. However, I was amazed to learn about how seamen and technology adapted itself over the decades to project its capabilities even as recent as Operation Desert Storm.

When you think about lobbing 2,700 pound projectiles at a precise range from 16-23 miles using the analog computers from the 1930’s, our computing systems of today owes much to this military experience. When I think about how my uncle must have felt at Pearl Harbor walking to church when the sirens went off, you have to believe that surviving ships like “Mighty MO” were a substantial inspiration as he flew across the Pacific into harm’s way.

When you hear about the dent in the ships’ side left after a Japanese kamikaze pilot tried to sink it, it reminds us all of the value of mental toughness over adversity. The Mighty MO has always been about more than naval superiority, it’s 45,000 tons gave each generation something onto which we can attach our emotions.

At our dinner event, we were each given a small piece of teak wood from this historic deck, now in process of a historic preservation in Hawaii. The battleship is all but retired, except for an appearance before a Universal Studios upcoming movie in 2012. However, just like decades before, the USS Missouri is adapting its mission again – this time for science educators and their pupils. Over the next month, many school groups will use it as their living history classroom. The St. Louis region is fortunate to have at least two strong advocates for science education within Admiral (Ret) Lee Metcalfe and General Duncan J. McNabb.

The torch defending our freedom now passes to the next generation. Just like before, our country is stepping up with something bigger and better. In my next blog, we will feature what’s next to come: the USS Missouri Virginia class of submarine.

Travis H. Brown

Alan Klapmeier, former CEO of Cirrus Designs, may be right:  perhaps promoting general aviation, or what he calls Flying 2.0, is truly missionary work.  With everything at stake inside the next FAA reauthorization bill in Congress, now is the time for every AOPA pilot to tell their story to the public.

Fortunately, private pilots are not doing it alone.  Thanks to the AOPA campaign “General Aviation Serves America,” famous pilots and celebrities like Harrison Ford and Morgan Freeman are providing us a stabilized approach towards effective issue advocacy.  Just in case you haven’t seen either of these short ads, both are included here.

It Starts with Your Personal Story:

For several years now, I have enjoyed the privileges of my private pilot certificate as a direct part of my frequent travel, across Missouri and all over this great nation.  Staying sharp as a pilot is an awesome personal freedom given to Americans, as well as an incredible responsibility.

As an entrepreneur, state lobbyist, and owner-operator of my own plane, nothing comes close to being able to respond quickly to issues and opportunities like utilizing general aviation.  In the Show-ME State, this means taking off and landing in a wide variety of situations:  accessing our rural communities, supporting small businesses for fueling & maintenance, and becoming frequent retail customers inside mid-size terminals.

Missouri is fortunate to have many state & federal elected officials who also understand this benefit through their own professional travels.  Virtually every statewide campaign at one point or another relies on their own private plane, a charter service, or assistance from an ally to get from place to place.  Most clients come to appreciate what faster response times and greater productivity can mean to their cause, campaigns, or issues once they understand how general aviation is typically-used.

The Big Picture Today:  FAA Re-Authorization Bill in Congress

Last week, the U.S. Senate took a great step forward with the FAA Reauthorization vote.  In the weeks ahead, the Senate must vote it off their floor, and take it to Conference Committee: the small, poorly-lit kitchen that usually has lots of sharp legislatives knives that most often determine a bill’s final fate. 

Inside this debate rests the future of NextGen, what type of guidance systems North America can expect to keep all users – public and private, as safe and accurate as possible.  General aviation pilots must remain a strong, unified voice in the ears of their Members of Congress now to ensure that a) NextGen systems remain a priority, b) our elected officials receive first-hand opinions and insights from real users, and c) conversations about user fees are balanced within the context of what every owner-operator pays for now through fuel tax consumption.

As a state-based lobbyist with sixteen years of experience with the legislative process, I know how easy your local grassroots voices can be displaced unless you are organized.  Despite the tendencies to drift to important corporate matters, or to resolve union debates, our Members of Congress do really want to hear from everyday constituents.  When you speak up with your call, your donation, or your blog, today’s technology affords you a “glass panel cockpit” of options to reach them. 

Here are Five Suggested Ways for You to Engage:

1) Tweet your Member of Congress:  Missouri’s U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, who sometimes flies in a Pilatus PC-12, stays in touch with nearly 30,000 followers by @clairecmc.  Social media or networks are mainstream channels for how busy executives share their thinking, and effective staff want to make sure you can connect.  I tend to prefer using my twitter account  since it offers up exponential growth to 23M users, and its speed of use is transforming micro-blogging as a whole.

2) Call, write, or arrange a meeting:  Missouri Congressman Sam Graves is a private pilot himself.  Offices like his have a process in place, either in Washington, DC, or back at home in Tarkio, MO, to schedule a personal meeting.  Don’t be discouraged if it takes several attempts to find the right procedure that enables your contact.  The pace and rhythm that most legislator calendars keep is pretty ambitious and often at odds with itself.

3) Get your local airports engaged in grassroots: The vast majority of Missouri public officials often travel in and out of our state capitol airport, courtesy of charter services like Jefferson City Flying Service. You might be surprised to learn how educating travelers each day with AOPA Online legislative updates, information sessions, and calls to action can make a difference.  Letting local celebrities know that you know what is going on can be extremely helpful.

4) Remind your local charities to weigh in their useful load:  Your freedom to operate without harmful user fees won’t simply limit your small business.  When private pilots cut their hours flown, volunteer flights for important charities usually suffer as well.  Two local examples of volunteer organizations committed to transporting children in need is Angel Flight Central, in Kansas City, MO (KMKC), or Wings of Hope, based from Chesterfield, MO (KSUS).  Find out if they are weighing in with calls to action.  If you’re a pilot waiting for return your passengers home via one of these great causes, then finding three minutes to call your Congressman on their behalf seems like a worthy use of ramp time.

5) Keep fun in general aviation.  Invite others to become a part of the solution.  Of course, this means inviting friends who know to become a pilot or to join you at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI.  Why not bring home some extra literature to educate your Member of Congress in the process?  Maybe some pictures about the future of very light jets, modern avionics, or ice protection systems?  However, it’s also about doing what you can outside the hanger, and off the runway.  Our local science centers can be a teaching resource, where flight academies inspire first graders to master flight simulators.  Our local history, like Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, needs to be retold to the next generation. 

If America’s private pilots can improve upon these outreach efforts, the future of our general aviation will improve out of this tough economy with more innovation, better ideas, and a strong infrastructure.  However, just like real flight, final authority and command for our grassroots journey rests with us.

This week, First Lady Michelle Obama launched awareness for serve.gov. Thanks to the Google volunteer programmers that work 20% of their time on free form ideas, there’s now a new website rolled out called: www.allforgood.org (makes you wonder what the Microsoft Bing executives are doing to compete too, doesn’t it?).

An important role of a state or federal lobbyist can be sharing ways to expand charity in targeted areas, preferably around client priorities and/or the legislative districts of your colleagues in public service. That used to mean that your time and/or pro bono advocacy was limited to your physical presence traveling to a corporate office or a policymaker’s district. Today, thanks to open source API technology like All for Good, you can find creative ways to link community advocates, volunteers for political action, or small donor philanthropic patrons much easier.

Here’s how this can work. Suppose you had a healthcare lobbying client that wanted to sponsor some kind of senior outreach in Mid-Missouri, like Jefferson City, MO or Columbia, MO. On their site, you can see a search tab to enter location. When you do, you will first see a google map showing successful activities with active listings. In this example, item D in my location search sends you to volunteer match in Boone County.

The good news is that the collaboration also screens by issue, too, in your given location. This enables you to target lobbying for specific things, like public education. Suppose I want to find school partnerships in St. Louis, MO. In my search, it identifies, maps, and connects item G, Loyola Academy of St. Louis.

Obviously, the idea here is to link, share, facebook evite, tweetup, blog, or somehow promote an efficient way to give back to your targeted neighborhood. If it takes off anything like they hope, it could become a tremendous research for legislators, event planners, philanthropists, lobbyists, association managers, and engaged citizen leaders.

Quotes from a few individuals who supported the site that got us thinking:

“All for Good makes it easier for Americans to find a way to help others — to give someone a break — in a new spirit of volunteerism,” said Craig Newmark, Founder and Customer Service Representative, craigslist.

“I have been impressed — and inspired — by the way the people behind All for Good are putting their expertise in technology and the new ways we communicate at the service of service. By connecting those who can help with those in need, All for Good is an exciting step down the road of turning our impulse to serve into acts that reduce the human suffering that has been exacerbated by the hard times we are facing. Now, more than ever, we must mine the most underutilized resource available to us: ourselves. And All for Good can help us do just that,” said Arianna Huffington, Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Huffington Post.