In October of 2023, at the UC Master Gardener Conference in Tahoe City, Anne Megaro, Director of Government and Community Relations, and I spoke to attendees about the benefits of engaging elected government officials. 

Why do you want to engage and include them in your UC Master Gardener activities and celebrations? They are members of your local communities who wish to connect to their constituents. By extending invitations to elected officials, you are giving them an opportunity to learn more about your projects and build support.

To build rapport or enhance your current connections, identify who in your organization already has relationships. As part of your UC Master Gardener team, ask individuals with relationships or connections to reach out on behalf of the program. When reaching out to make an invitation to an event, make sure you or your designee have all the information, such as the event type, agenda, location, time, and parking information. Unless you have a personal contact with the elected official, you will likely be talking to staff who will need detailed information to provide to the elected official. 

Just as important as providing the event details is the description of how both the event and the elected will benefit by attending the event. A descriptive story or outlining the impact might help persuade attendance. For instance, [X] number of constituents will attend the UC Master Gardener graduation ceremony. Or provide a short, meaningful impact story about how UC Master Gardeners teach people how to grow food sustainably, offer hands-on workshops to community members, and teach horticultural skills to seniors, veterans, and young people.

If the elected official attends your event, try to create a role for them, or at the very least, recognize them as attendees. If you take photos, take photos with the elected official and share them with the elected or their staff following the event. Following the event, write a handwritten thank you note to demonstrate your appreciation and acknowledge them.

By creating partnerships with your elected officials, you highlight how to build climate-resilient communities and more. For more information on partnering with your elected officials and spreading the word, please contact the University of California's Agriculture and Natural Resources Government and Community Relations team at Aamegaro@UCANR.edu or Sviolini@UCANR.edu. 

Thank you in advance for being a champion for the UC Master Gardener Program. Please make sure to share your stories with us!