EOF Budget Advocacy Campaign 2016-17
Request of Restoration of Funds ($2.565 million) to EOF
Send a LETTER to Your District Legislators
Write your legislators; express your concern on the proposed $2.565 million reduction to EOF. Let your
legislators know how important EOF has been to you and how thankful you are for your program and the
services they provide (i.e. summer program, counseling, academic support, etc.). Tell them how your
EOF program has been instrumental to setting a foundation for your success.
Students: Submit your letters to your EOF program. All student letters (one to your Senator and two for
your Assemblypersons) will then be forwarded to our state-wide professional association (EOFPANJ),
who will then mail blitz all letters to your legislators. There are over 12,000 students enrolled in the EOF
program, students can make a difference!
Alumni: Complete your letter and mail directly to your Senator and two Assemblypersons. But also call,
email, contact your fellow EOF graduates, and ask them to get involved as well. There are over 36,000
college graduates who participated in the EOF program!
Follow These Instructions
First Step: Find Out What District Your Hometown Is Assigned to and the Legislators Representing
Your District
Newark and Jersey City Residents Only: Your city is made up of multiple districts. To find you District #,
a) go to http://www.congress.org/ , b) in the Get Involved section type your zip code into the box and
CLICK GO, c) a new page will appear, locate the box titled, If You Don’t Know Your Zip + 4, type in your
home address and zip code, and then CLICK GO, d) a new page will appear and in the section titled
Governor and State Legislators you will find listed your legislators and District , e) write the district #
down, and proceed to http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/roster.asp, f) You are now on the page,
Legislative Roster. Refer to the District number you wrote down, and locate this District by scrolling to it
on this page. Information on names of your Senator and Assemblypersons and district office addresses
are listed, g) Write down the names of your legislators and their District Office addresses. You will need
to send your letter to all three legislators, and mailing addresses must be placed in your letter.
All Other Students/Alumni
A. Go to http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/Default.asp and in the menu on your left hand side. CLICK on Find
Your Legislator
B. You are now on the Members page, Go to Search Legislative Members and CLICK Municipality
C. You are now on the page, Municipalities Index. Scroll down and locate your hometown and write
down your District #. You will need this to find your legislators.
D. Stay on the page, Municipalities Index, and on your left under the heading “Members”, CLICK on
Legislative Roster
E. You are now on the page, Legislative Roster. Refer to the District number you wrote down, and
locate this District by scrolling to it on this page. Information on names of your Senator and
Assemblypersons and district office addresses are listed
F. Write down the names of your legislators and their District Office addresses. You will need to send
your letter to all three legislators, and mailing addresses must be placed in your letter.
Second Step: Familiarize Yourself with Tips on Developing a Persuasive Advocacy Letter (Excerpted
from Sierra Club Du/Canada, Tips for Writing Advocacy and Action Letters)
Identify Yourself as a Constituent. Put your name and complete address on the letter. Legislators will
only feel compelled to respond to constituent mail, so it's important to establish immediately that you
live in the district.
Use Proper Forms of Address. Address your lawmaker as "The Honorable." Also, be sure to get their
title correct, e.g. Senator (last name), and , Assemblyman/woman ( Last name). Use "The Honorable"
in the address and the office title in the salutation. Courtesy is important and will make the legislator or
staff more receptive to your message.
Be Brief and Simple. Keep your letter to no more than two pages. Try to stay on one page. In the first
paragraph, state your purpose and what you want.
State (and Repeat) Your Position. Make your position and/or request clear in both your opening and
closing paragraphs. Be specific. State what action you want. State you want to the legislator's to
support additional funding for EOF summer program in light of previous cuts and rising college costs. If
you want support on a particular issue, request it and a response.
Personalize Your Message. A personal letter is much more effective than a form letter. While form
letters, postcards, and petitions are read and counted, they don't carry the weight of a personalized,
individual letter. Persuasive constituent mail humanizes issues by placing them in a local, personal
context. When sample letters are provided for your use, incorporate your own words and personal
perspective into the text.
Be Polite and Avoid Ultimatums or Rudeness. Everyone responds better to praise than criticism.
Threats and ultimatums do little to convince a legislator to adopt your position. And, if a legislator does
take the course of action that you suggest, send them a note of thanks. This will only help build your
long-term relationship with the legislator and staff.
Do Not Enclose Additional Material. Additional reports or newspaper articles are rarely read or filed. If
you have a particularly useful resource, mention it in your letter and offer to provide a copy upon
request. Overwhelming an office with paper runs the risk of your letter being discarded along with the
offending pile of paper.
Do Not Exaggerate or Lie. Stick to your facts and experiences. Stories or facts fabricated to prove your
point only run the risk of undermining your credibility. Many legislators and staff become adept at
spotting a tall tale.
Sample STUDENT Letter
(Please customize this to tell your own story!)
[INSERT DATE]
[INSERT YOUR NAME
AND YOUR ADDRESS]
[INSERT LEGISLATOR NAME
AND ADDRESS]
Dear [INSERT TITLE] [INSERT LEGISLATOR NAME]:
I am one of your constituents, and I am writing to you to express my concern on the future of EOF funding in New
Jersey. As you may well know, currently the Governor’s budget for FY 2017’ has included a reduction of $2.565
million for the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF). Last year, $1.5 million was restored with an increase of $1
million dollars. The restoration and increase of funds has allowed the program to help further support the students
and staff toward achieving and maintaining its high success rate among graduating students from low income
backgrounds.
My program has been a huge part of my success. As an EOF student, I have been given the opportunity to attend
one of New Jersey’s finest institutions of Higher Education. As a student at [INSERT SCHOOL NAME], I know that
the future and success of our economy is dependent on my ability to become a educated and productive citizen.
Through your continued support of EOF, attending college has become a reality. It is my hope to be able to give
back to my community and to help contribute to the social and economic growth of New Jersey.
For over 40 years, EOF has been a key component for college access and opportunity for thousands of students
such as myself. It is with my firm belief that New Jersey’s investment into EOF will continue to provide a greater
return for our future.
Students enrolled in our EOF programs are some of the best and brightest in the world. While many may have
come from economically challenged backgrounds, our determination and spirit is the embodiment of all that is
strong and great of New Jersey. Growing up, my mother only was able to complete the 6th grade and as a result,
her career options were limited. We lived in substandard housing for most years, and each day it was a struggle to
make ends meet. While I have enrolled in college, it has taken some time for me to adjust to the challenges
college presents. What has kept me in college is EOF, the staff taking time to reach out to me, and to link me to
others who have been of help to me. Customize to your specific situation
I hope by taking the time to read this letter you can better understand how important EOF is to me, other EOF
students and to our state. Student success starts with a well-supported EOF program.
Thank you for your time, and any help you can give to supporting our EOF program I would also greatly appreciate
a response to this letter letting me know what position you are taking with respect to your support of EOF and the
budget.
Sincerely,
[INSERT YOUR NAME]
[INSERT YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION INCLUDING:
PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL]