Take Action. Be Heard.
Policymakers want to hear from you. When community bankers like you share why an issue or policy affects your community and your community bank it helps our industry. Become an advocate today.
Action Center Example Text
Grassroots lobbying is a powerful tool for community banks
Nothing is more effective in terms of industry advocacy than a community banker relationship with a legislator
By building a relationship with your senators and representative, you are a key component to ICBA’s legislative and regulatory efforts. When a lawmaker has a question about the financial services industry, you or someone at your bank should be their first call.
Facetime is important
By setting up in-district meetings, attending town halls, or inviting your lawmaker to your bank you will build a relationship over time. Be a good corporate citizen of your local community and consider hosting a fundraiser for a legislator or contributing directly to their campaign.
Communicate the Main Street perspective to your legislator
Nobody knows your customers and business better than you. Don’t be a pest, but be persistent. Making regular contact with your lawmakers and staff will ensure that you become a trusted resource on issues related to community banking.
Personal visits in-district or in Washington, particularly during ICBA’s annual Capital Summit, personal phone calls with legislators and their staff, emails, and ICBA calls to action are all great ways to keep in touch and make sure your lawmaker knows how policy issues affect you and your customers. Every point of contact should include a direct ask for co-sponsorship or a yes/no vote on a particular piece of legislation.
Our Policy Resolutions
Getting Started
tab-1 tab-2 tab-3
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) is the nation’s voice for community banks. When Congress is considering legislation that affects community banking, ICBA calls on its members to act as a loud and clear collective voice that is vital to our advocacy efforts. By answering ICBA Calls to Action, you and your fellow community bankers ensure that your franchise will remain strong. Your voice is important and it is crucial that you use it to influence the legislative process.
Lawmakers seek out reliable and trusted sources for information as they make key decisions on legislation and policy. You should be their trusted source for community banking. Members of Congress seek to make decisions that best serve their home districts and the needs of their constituents.
When a lawmaker has questions about financial service or banking issues, your bank should be one of the first points of contact for reliable information. As a leader in your community, you should consider inviting your lawmakers to visit the bank to see first-hand the vital role it plays in your community.
Your staff has a significant stake in the continued growth and success of your community bank. They too are deeply affected by rules and regulations that affect the industry. Your influence as a community leader matters a great deal and can easily be amplified by the voices of your bank employees.
By educating your staff about the importance of being politically involved, they will be primed and ready to answer Calls to Action and have their collective voices heard on Capitol Hill. Congress listens to influence, and also to those who shout the loudest and most often.
You can engage your employees to act at any point in the legislative process and ICBA will keep you informed as to when there is an urgent need for action. Creating a culture of advocacy among your employees will lead to your bank developing a solid relationship with your lawmaker.
Speak regularly with your staff about the importance of advocacy so your employees are ready to engage their lawmakers and staff when the opportunity strikes. ICBA has resources to help foster this discussion with your employees – check www.icba.org/beheard frequently for the latest action items.
Your bank directors are an invaluable asset to push a legislative priority over the top. As prominent community leaders, your bank directors are likely to have their own relationships and personal connections with lawmakers.
Recognizing and cultivating these relationships will help amplify the community banking voice. Leveraging the relationships of your bank directors helps to further demonstrate the critical role of community banks in the lawmaker’s district.
ICBA Advocacy staff is here to help. When meaningful opportunities to act arise, we will reach out to you directly with resources and tools to engage your staff and directors. These include Calls to Action and social media campaigns, among others.
Do
Introduce yourself
All constituents should identify themselves and make sure to say that you are representing yourself and other community bankers in their district.
Be patient and courteous
Sometimes legislator's schedules change at the last minute and you meet with staff only. These meetings with staff often last longer than meetings with the legislator, and as trusted advisers, staff are often pivotal in determining their boss' position on a particular bill.
Be confident, assertive, and concise
Make sure to stay on topic to the 2-3 major issues at hand. If you run out of time, that is ok. It provides a ready-made reason for a follow up visit or phone call.
Go local
Make sure to bring the issues to the local level by making a connection between specific legislation and your mutual district. Remind the legislator that your customers are their constituents. Whenever possible, focus on the experience of your customers.
Be prepared for questions
Do your homework on the issues and be prepared to talk about how they affect your customers and business.
Close the deal
Don't leave the meeting without making a clear ask of the legislator. A specific request for co-sponsorship of a particular bill or a YES vote is key.
Say thank you
Leave behind a lobbying card with the staff member for them to reference. Follow up with a thank you note to those you met with. Feel free to extend an offer for the legislator to visit your bank back in the district.
Tell ICBA how it went
Summarize the meeting and let ICBA congressional relations staff know how it went.
Don't
Be late
Traffic in Washington can be unpredictable and security lines are often long. Make sure to leave plenty of time to get to your meeting and leave heavy metal items or jewelry behind.
Make small talk
Time is a limited resource! Get straight to the issues at hand. Introduce yourself and jump right into the substance.
Don't be overly negative
When possible, focus on your customers and not your bank's bottom line.
Discuss political contributions
It is illegal to discuss PAC contributions in government offices!
Forget to follow up
A thank you note and phone call is always appreciated. Invite the lawmaker to your bank or make an effort to go to an in-district meeting or town hall.
Getting to Yes
Common responses from lawmakers and how to rebut them.
I’ll do my best on your behalf.
"Doing your best is agreeing to support legislation that would provide meaningful regulatory relief for community banks. Can I get your commitment now to co-sponsor our bill?"
We’re old friends. You don’t have to worry about me.
"You’re right, we are old friends. And I need you on an issue that is important to the community banks in our state. Can I get a commitment from you to support this legislation?"
I’ll have to speak with some consumer groups to get their comments and thoughts on this legislation.
"Congresswoman, you make a good point. You need to know where all interested parties stand on the issue. When speaking with those groups, please ask them whether it is in the consumers’ best interests to have a strong and vibrant community banking sector. If not, what is their alternative?"
I’ll take your views into consideration.
"I appreciate that, Congressman. If you are serious about taking my views into consideration, you’ll understand the need to exempt community banks from overly-burdensome regulations. Please let me know what additional information I can provide to assist you."
Virtual Advocacy 101
- Look at their website to review their scheduling process; be sure to complete every step of that process; this will make it easy for them to give you priority access (think: TSA Pre-check).
- Your request (using our template) should include: what the plan is (tour, meeting), what you will discuss (specific issues and relevancy to the district), the participants (with ZIPs) and pertinent background information (one-pagers, etc.)
- Call the office for any clarification or to hammer out any details (software preference, length).
- Allow up to a week for them to reply.
- Follow up with a call, email, Facebook message and/or Twitter direct message if necessary.
- Thank them for scheduling the meeting.
- Alert relevant staff at the bank of the meeting.
- Tell ICBA about the meeting (john.coleman@icba.org).
- Do research on your member of Congress (start with their profile and top community bank bills in our action center), visit their website, sign up for their newsletter, set up news alerts and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
- Decide who will be in the meeting and what you will do (show them our short video, decide if you want to give them a virtual tour, etc.). Provide meeting attendees with background and research materials as necessary.
- Craft the story you want to tell
- What do you want them to do? – Be clear and concise; stick to 1-2 issues.
- Why? – Help them explain why they agree with you.
- What is the local impact? – How will it impact the district (i.e. voters).
- What’s the personal story? – Incorporate your research; be concise, passionate, and real.
- What will your ask be? – Direct and doable.
- REHEARSE! You will save them time and show them the efficiencies and personal touch that community banks offer.
- Become familiar with the software platform they prefer (Zoom, GoToMeeting, etc.)
- Do an entire test run that includes ensuring lighting and sound are excellent; consider investing in external mic and lights (so our message is heard, but also to set you apart from everyone else) Backlight the computer (windows behind the computer, lighting up your face).
- Assign a tech director for the meeting.
- Plan time for questions.
- Prepare for follow-up NOW.
- Pre-draft thank you emails before the meeting occurs (template available) with space to answer their questions.
- Block off 30 mins on your calendar within two days after the meeting to complete follow-up.
- All community banking attendees should be there 15 minutes beforehand to work out any kinks.
- Limit to no more than 4 videos to a screen at a time.
- Thank them for joining you.
- Address members of Congress by proper title.
- Execute your plan.
- Have a backup plan for technological issues (another phone line or Zoom account).
- Be cognizant of time—don’t run long.
- Make a clear and direct Ask.
- Leave time for questions.
- Thank them again.
- Follow-up starts before the meeting even happens. Use the meeting draft email you wrote before the meeting, update and send it to your contact during the 15mins on your calendar you blocked off.
- In your email, be sure to include a thank you, answer any questions, reiterate what you discussed and provide appropriate documents.
- Your tone should be one of an expert for the financial industry and the economic conditions of your shared community; you can influence them with your expertise and knowledge.
- Thank them publicly on Facebook and X.
Community banks have more than 50,000 locations and employ nearly 750,000 people nationwide.
More than 3,000 community bank employees contribute to ICBA PAC annually.
The average individual's annual personal contribution to ICBA PAC is $250.
Community banks are the only physical banking presence in 1 in 5 counties.