E-mail to Potential Co-Sponsors:

E-mail to Relevant Student Group Leaders/ Professors in Relevant Departments to help secure a space, advertise, and cosponsor the event:

Dear NAME/Professor NAME,

I am a NUMBER-year student at UNIVERSITY and a campus coordinator for Americans for Informed Democracy, a national student organization that seeks to raise awareness in the U.S. about global issues.  I am writing to you because I know that you are involved with DEPARTMENT/ STUDENT ORGANIZATION.

Americans for Informed Democracy (AID) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) (or insert whichever group) are jointly planning a major initiative on the changing global environment called Securing the Future.  Research shows us that climate instability and oil dependence are not just environmental concerns, but problems that will affect the national security, economy and health of our country.  Through a variety of educational events and actions, Securing the Future will work to engage students in a campaign to ensure that UNIVERSITY signs a carbon neutral commitment INSERT CAMPAIGN GOAL.

As part of this effort, we are planning to host a INSERT EVENT here at INSERT UNIVERSITY.  Our plan is to have brief opening presentations by two to three high-profile speakers who will address questions such as: What does the changing global environment mean for the future security, health and wellbeing of the United States?  What is the role of local communities in ensuring a sustainable local and global environment?  What are the best opportunities for us to address climate change and oil dependence? After these presentations, the speakers will lead students and the general public in an interactive question and answer session. 

(STUDENTS ONLY)
Would NAME OF STUDENT ORGANIZATION be potentially interested in co-sponsoring this event?  We already have speakers in mind for the event and a mini-grant to put it on, although additional resources are always helpful.  The key help we need is for a registered student organization to COSPONSER EVENT, RESERVE A ROOM FOR THE EVENT, ADVERTISE FOR THE EVENT AT THEIR MEETINGS AND AROUND CAMPUS. We look forward to working with you.

(PROFESSORS ONLY)
At the moment, we are trying to reserve a room for the event.  Given your potential interest in this type of event, I wanted to see if it might be possible to reserve a room for this event through you or the INSERT ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT.  We would also be delighted for the department to co-sponsor the event.  We already have some speakers in mind for the event and a mini-grant to put it on, although additional resources are always helpful.  The key help we need right now is to reserve a room for the event.  Would the department be able to COSPONSER EVENT, RESERVE A ROOM FOR THE EVENT, ADVERTISE FOR THE EVENT?  I look forward to hearing back from you at your earliest convenience.

 

Thanks,
YOUR NAME
Campus Coordinator, Americans for Informed Democracy

Mini-Grant Budget:

Publicity - $30
- black & white posters on color paper
- chalk
- facebook ads

Refreshments - $20
- pretzel
- chips
- juice and water

Invite a Speaker:

1. Call the speakers you’ve identified, if you can find a telephone number.

If you reach the speaker directly (or you reach a secretary), you can introduce yourself and the event and find out the best way to send them an invitation by saying something brief:

“Hello NAME OF SPEAKER, my name is NAME and I am a campus coordinator for Americans for Informed Democracy at UNIVERSITY.  I’m calling because I admire your work on EXPERTISE and would love to have you speak at our organization’s upcoming town hall meeting, Securing the Future.  The event is part of a national series on the changing global environment, specifically climate change and energy, and how we can develop a comprehensive and far-sighted environmental strategy for our country and for ourselves.  The event will take place at LOCATION on DATE.   At the moment, I am wondering what the best way to send you the invitation is.  I plan to send it via e-mail, but I can also send it via fax or mail if preferable.”

Note: If the speaker requires fax, send your invitation as an attachment with fax number to autumn@aidemocracy.org and we’ll fax it right out.

If the speaker is not in when you call, leave a short message:

“Hello SPEAKER, my name is NAME and I am a campus coordinator for Americans for Informed Democracy at UNIVERSITY.  I’m calling because I admire your work on AREA OF EXPERTISE and would love to have you speak at our organization’s upcoming event, Securing the Future.  The event is part of a national campaign on the changing global environment, specifically climate change and energy, and how we can develop a comprehensive and far-sighted environmental strategy for our country and for ourselves.  The event will take place at LOCATION on DATE. I am wondering what the best way to send you the invitation is.  I plan to send it via e-mail, but I can also send it via fax or mail if preferable.  Let me know at NUMBER if you would like your invitation sent another way. Thank you.”

2. Send the invite. E-mail invites using the template to 12-15 speakers unless they inform you otherwise.

Dear SPEAKER,

On behalf of Americans for Informed Democracy (AID), I am honored to invite you to speak at a CITY event.  This event is a part of a global initiative called Securing the Future, which aims to engage non-expert Americans in discussions about the changing global environment, specifically climate change and energy, and how we can develop a comprehensive and far-sighted strategy. The CITY event will take place on DATE, TIME AND LOCATION.  It is part of a nationwide series of town hall events on the same topic that aims to respond to a growing sense among Americans that our country must consider how the changing global environment is impacting our lives.

Our plan for the CITY town hall panel is to have opening presentations by two to three high-profile speakers. Questions to be addressed include: What does the changing global environment mean for the future security, health and wellbeing of the United States?  What is the role of local communities in ensuring a sustainable local and global environment?  What are the best opportunities for us to address climate change and oil dependence?  We envision that these opening presentations will last ten to twelve minutes.  Then the moderator will lead students and panelists in an interactive discussion via questions and answers.

We would be truly delighted to have you serve on our panel for the event. We have carefully selected a small and balanced group of individuals equipped for the panel and you are on the top of our list. Your unique insights as a prolific scholar of AREA OF EXPERTISE/RESEARCH would add valuably to the discussion.  Your participation would also support the broader goal of our organization, which is to foster informed and fair dialogue between our world’s top leaders and its rising young leaders.

Although we have received significant media attention, AID may be new to you as an organization.  AID is a national student organization that seeks to educate and engage young Americans about global issues. Over the past year, AID has brought together tens of thousands of young leaders to discuss America’s role in the world through town halls, international videoconferences and youth summits. AID members also have written op-eds in the Washington Post, L.A. Times and Christian Science Monitor, and been featured by the New York Times, C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, and CNN.  For more information, you can visit our website at www.aidemocracy.org.

Given the mission of our organization and this initiative, we would be delighted and honored to have you on our town hall panel.   In closing, I should emphasize that your participation would not only add a fresh perspective, it would also give the young leaders present a chance to see world-class leadership put into action on some of the most important issues of our time.  Please let me know at your earliest convenience whether you might be able to speak as part of this remarkable and much needed series.

With my best wishes,

 

YOUR NAME
Campus Coordinator, Americans for Informed Democracy

3. 3-5 days after you send out your invite, follow up with a phone call to all unconfirmed speakers.

“Hi NAME, this is YOUR NAME from Americans for Informed Democracy and I just wanted to follow-up on the invitation that I sent you on DATE.  As that invitation expressed, we would love to have you as a panelist at Securing the Future, our upcoming event on the changing global environment. I’m calling because we are in the process of finalizing our panel and I wanted to see whether you could speak on it.  I sincerely hope that you can, but if you cannot please let me know as soon as possible so that we can begin the search for a suitable replacement.  My number is PHONE NUMBER.  I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.”

Press Release:

A Phone Script to Call Your Local Press Outlets:

“Hi, my name is NAME, and I am a student at UNIVERSITY and a campus coordinator for Americans for Informed Democracy, a national student organization that organizes events and campaigns in order to raise awareness in the U.S. about global issues.  I am calling to let you know about an upcoming YOUR CITY event.  The event will take place at TIME on DATE at LOCATION and will feature INSERT NAMES AND TITLES.  This event is part of a nationwide initiative called Securing the Future on the changing global environment, specifically climate instability and energy. Students involved with Securing the Future are working to both raise awareness about the ramifications of global climate change, and also are running campaigns to get their Universities to sign climate neutral commitments. In this way, we feel that we can ensure a habitable planet.

Since we would love to get the word out to your audience about this free event, we are hoping you might be able to provide some advanced coverage. Is there a way that I can send you more information so you can decide if advanced coverage would be possible?”

NOTE: If you are speaking to the community calendar, follow the same format for introducing yourself and the event, but take out the last two sentences and instead say: “Since we would love to get out word to your readers about this free event, we were hoping that NEWSPAPER might be able to include this event in your community calendar.”

A Follow-Up E-mail to Local Press Outlets (With the Press Release Included):

Dear NAME,

As I mentioned over the telephone, there will be a major YOUR CITY town hall meeting on the changing global environment at UNIVERSITY on DATE.  The event will feature INSERT SPEAKERS HERE. The event is free and open to the public and will include free refreshments.

The event is part of a larger campaign called Securing the Future on the changing global environment, specifically oil dependency and climate change.  Students involved with Securing the Future are working to both raise awareness about the ramifications of global climate change, and also are running campaigns to get their Universities to sign climate neutral commitments. In this way, we feel that we can ensure a habitable planet.

I have included a press release about our upcoming event below. I hoped you might be interested in advance coverage of the event so that your readers could know about this free, public event in our community.  If you are interested in covering this event or require more information, please do not hesitate to contact me at this email address or at PHONE NUMBER.

(OR FOR THE COMMUNITY CALENDAR PERSON:)
I have included a press release about our upcoming event below.  I hoped you would feature this in your community calendar.  If you are interested in covering this event or require more information, please do not hesitate to contact me at this email address or at PHONE NUMBER.

Thanks!

FIRST LAST
Member, Americans for Informed Democracy
NAME OF UNIVERSITY
www.aidemocracy.org
YOUR PHONE NUMBER; YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

 

SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: DATE PRESS RELEASE IS SENT

Press Contacts:

YOUR NAME
Coordinator, YOUR SCHOOL Chapter
Americans for Informed Democracy
YOUR PHONE NUMBER
YOUR E-MAIL

Autumn Barr-Engstro
Director of Programming
Americans for Informed Democracy
(410) 962-8770
autumn@aidemocracy.org

CITY Event Discusses the Problem of America’s Role in Oil Dependency and Climate Change

Students at INSERT UNIVERSITY will be hosting an event to highlight America’s dependence on oil, and move students to action in order to remedy the situation.  Securing the Future, will feature expert speakers who each play a different role in addressing these issues, and will bring together community members to discuss the effects of oil dependency and climate change on national security, human health, and the economy.
 
Securing the Future was created to equip service-minded students with the tools to educate and rally their communities around key international issues like energy security and climate change. The series comes at a particularly critical time as the U.S. and the world together face critical climate challenges. The conference brings American youth one step closer to the flurry of activity in Congress, as Republicans and Democrats alike have put forth legislative proposals exploring alternative energy sources to reduce American dependence on oil imports.

“Our goal is to show that oil dependence and climate change are not just important topics for experts,” said Kira Christie, conference organizer and Change the World Fellow at AID. “All Americans, especially the next generation of leaders, must be involved in learning how to deal effectively with these global issues.”

The event will take place on DATE at LOCATION. It will feature SPEAKERS, SPEAKER TITLES. Speakers will give brief opening presentations on oil dependency and climate change and the role individuals and communities can play to mitigate the problem. After the presentations, speakers will lead students and the general public in an interactive question and answer session. Refreshments will be served at this free event, which is open to the public.

E-mail for Professors or Student Group Leaders:

Dear Professor NAME/ STUDENT GROUP LEADER:

I am a student at UNIVERSITY and a campus coordinator for Americans for Informed Democracy, a national student organization that seeks to raise awareness in the U.S. about global issues.  Our organization is going to be hosting an event on the changing global environment, which is aimed at educating U.S. communities about oil dependency and climate change.

The INSERT EVENT NAME responds to a growing sense among Americans that our country must consider how the changing global environment is impacting our lives. This event is part of a nationwide initiative called Securing the Future on the changing global environment, specifically climate instability and energy. Students involved with Securing the Future are working to both raise awareness about the ramifications of global climate change, and also are running campaigns to get their Universities to sign climate neutral commitments. In this way, we feel that we can ensure a habitable planet.

In this past year, AID has successfully engaged students in multifaceted discussions with speakers such as NRDC experts Luke Tonachel and John Grant at dozens of universities across the United States.  Through town hall discussions, Securing the Future will work to develop a comprehensive and far-sighted environmental strategy as well as to raise awareness about concrete steps that individuals and local communities can take to ensure a better, safer world.

I would be most grateful if you could share the announcement attached and copied below with your students/group members.

 

With many thanks,

NAME
Member, Americans for Informed Democracy (www.aidemocracy.org)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oil Dependence, Climate Change and You: Our Changing Global Environment

SECURING THE FUTURE

featuring

Speaker Name, Speaker Title
Speaker Name, Speaker Title
Speaker Name, Speaker Title

When: TIME, DATE (DAY)

Where: ROOM NUMBER

Questions to be addressed include: What does the changing global environment mean for the future security, health and wellbeing of the United States?  What is the role of local communities in ensuring a sustainable local and global environment?  What are the best opportunities for us to address climate change and oil dependence? An interactive question and answer session will follow.

Free Refreshments will be provided.

Sponsors: Americans for Informed Democracy, INSERT OTHER GROUPS

For a List-Serv, use the flyer attached to the end of the e-mail above.

E-mail Confirmation for Speakers:

Dear SPEAKER,

Thank you again for agreeing to speak at our upcoming town hall on the changing global environment.  In this mailing, I just wanted to update you on our event and share our press release with you.

I think our event at UNIVERSITY will be extremely exciting. It will be held at INSERT DATE/TIME/LOCATION/DIRECTIONS/PARKING INFORMATION. As you know, the plan for our event is to have brief opening presentations (of approximately ten to twelve minutes) by the panelists that address: What does the changing global environment mean for the future security, health and wellbeing of the United States?  What is the role of local communities in ensuring a sustainable local and global environment?  What are the best opportunities for us to address climate change and oil dependence?  This opening panel will be followed by an interactive question and answer session with the audience.  The confirmed speakers for our event are you, LIST OTHER SPEAKERS AND THEIR TITLES.

I have attached a press release below about our upcoming event. While we anticipate a great student turnout, we are working hard to recruit coverage from local media because we would love for residents of YOUR CITY to attend our event and ensure that it is truly an excellent and provocative event.  On that note, if by chance you know any local media who might be interested in this story, we would be delighted if you could share this release with them.

It is again a great honor to have you as a part of our event. I look forward to meeting with you and to hearing your speech.

With my best wishes,

FIRST LAST
Campus Coordinator, Americans for Informed Democracy
NAME OF UNIVERSITY
www.aidemocracy.org
YOUR PHONE NUMBER

Introduction Speech:

Hello everyone, my name is YOUR NAME, and I am the UNIVERSITY coordinator for Americans for Informed Democracy.  It is my great honor to welcome you to today’s event. 

I want to begin by telling you a little about the student organization hosting today’s event, Americans for Informed Democracy, or A.I.D. AID is a national student organization that seeks to engage students in global issues.  We do this in two ways:   First, events like this one that are educational and build awareness about the larger issue.  Secondly, through advocacy and campaigns that empower students to take their knowledge, insight, and perspective, and actively work to address the urgent global issues.  We believe that the United States is at a historic moment in its role in the world. Climate change, global poverty, HIV/AIDS, nuclear proliferation, and other global issues cross borders and require global solutions. We are a group of young leaders who want to ensure that the U.S. uses this historic moment in its role in the world to work collaboratively with other countries to address these compelling and urgent issues.

Our organization was started by a group of American students who studied abroad just after the September 11th attacks. The students were traumatized by September 11th and wary of being overseas so soon after the tragedy. But to their surprise, they were met with intense sympathy and solidarity from people from around the world. For them, the tragedy seemed to reveal the possibility for a global community of shared values.

These students set up Americans for Informed Democracy to bring the world home to Americans and to showcase the opportunities for the U.S. to play a more collaborative role in the world from ending global poverty to acting as stewards of our earth. They began hosting town hall forums to bring new questions to the U.S. public. They also hosted international videoconferences that allowed Americans to talk face-to-face with peers from around the world. Based on their own experiences abroad, they believed that if Americans had new ways to connect with the rest of the world, they would see new opportunities for the U.S. to work with other countries to solve global problems. In other words, they sought to inspire a more informed democracy.
 
We at Americans for Informed Democracy are still committed to that mission of an informed democracy today. As a leader of the organization here at INSERT UNIVERSITY, I am proud to be part of a vast and growing network of over 12,500 students on more than five hundred university campuses. Through events like today’s, we are empowering a passionate, young generation that can help America find a principled, collaborative foreign policy that is appropriate for our interconnected world.

Today’s event is part of a nationwide series of town hall meetings called Securing the Future – which is taking place in communities across the United States in order to engage Americans in a discussion about climate change and oil dependency. The series is being supported by a coalition of non-profit organizations, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, as well as NAME OF SPONSOR(S) here on campus.

Today’s meeting is profoundly meaningful to me as I am currently alarmed at America’s role in dealing with oil dependency and climate change. Clearly the severity these issues deserves heightened awareness, but there is currently a disconnect between our actions and their consequences, as we continue to emit massive amounts of carbon dioxide. We’re here today to start the discussion and to begin to think about how we—as individuals, as residents of this community, as citizens of the United States and as members of an interconnected world—can be involved in ensuring that the United States plays a leading role in addressing this pressing global issue.

Now, I am pleased to introduce the distinguished speaker(s) for our event.  They join an impressive list of speakers that have spoken at AID chapters in the past, such as Bill Gates, Sr., Senator Timothy Wirth, Ambassador Thomas Pickering, and Actor Jason Alexander.

The speakers are:

PROVIDE SHORT BIOS FOR EACH SPEAKER.

I want to ask the speaker(s) to keep their remarks to TIME LIMIT so that we can have a question and answer session with the audience for at least twenty-five minutes. Thank you! And now let’s welcome SPEAKER to the podium.

SAMPLE CLOSING REMARKS

Thank you all so much for coming to tonight’s event. In closing, I just want to say that I hope that you’ll join Americans for Informed Democracy--both in our movement to promote global consciousness, and also in our efforts here on campus to ensure that our University becomes carbon neutral.  Global climate change is perhaps of the most pressing global issue, and it is up to our generation to solve it.  We, as students, have the power to reverse it. I invite you to all join with AID in this work.

Please put your name on our sign-in sheet to get involved or speak to me after the event to talk about what’s next on campus.

Thank You Note for Speakers/Volunteers:

Hi SPEAKER,

Thank you so much for your wonderful talk and warmth at today’s event.  Your work to inform and engage Americans about climate change and oil dependency is a passion that I deeply share and greatly admire. I thought your presentation today was inspired and insightful. It was also really heartening to see someone in your position who is so genuinely interested in engaging in discussion with students.

I hope that you enjoyed the talk and the questions afterward. We all certainly enjoyed your talk, and it has added even more energy to our efforts of promoting a more globally conscious America.

With many thanks,

FIRST LAST
Campus Coordinator, NAME OF UNIVERSITY
Americans for Informed Democracy