When Congress and state legislatures head home, the policymaking doesn’t stop—it simply moves closer to Main Street. That’s why high-impact grassroots programs recruit grasstops advocates: respected, well-connected constituents who can secure a lawmaker’s attention with a single call, coffee meeting, or op-ed. Below are practical, field-tested ways to locate those influencers and activate them when it matters most.
1 | Start with a Stakeholder Survey
Your current supporters already know who carries clout locally. A short stakeholder survey can surface:
- Community leaders or business owners already engaged on your issues
- Personal relationships with legislators or staff
- Specialized expertise that lends instant credibility
Quorum’s stakeholder engagement tool lets you design, distribute, and analyze these surveys in minutes, then slice the results by influence and interest. That makes it easy to flag potential grasstops and prioritize follow-up.
Pro tip: Pair survey data with a classic stakeholder-mapping exercise to visualize which advocates have both high influence and high alignment with your policy goals.
2 | Mine Engagement Data in Your Grassroots Platform
Look beyond raw action counts. With Quorum Grassroots you can:
- Rank advocates by open rates, click-throughs, calls made, or letters sent
- Spot regional champions by filtering activity to a single district
- Identify “sleeping giants”—members who rarely act but always drive outsized reach when they do
Built-in dashboards surface these trends automatically, so your grasstops shortlist is always up to date.
3 | Listen to Local Social Media Voices
Influence is public. Search X/Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook for:
- Issue hashtags + legislator names (e.g.,
#CleanEnergy+Sen Smith) - Mentions of recent bills or committee hearings
- High-engagement posts from community figures—chambers of commerce, university researchers, faith leaders
Because these individuals already speak on policy, inviting them into your advocacy program feels natural. Track them in your CRM and tag potential grasstops for cultivation.
4 | Leverage Organizational and Partner Networks
Board members, donors, local chapters, and allied associations often maintain deep political relationships. Ask:
- Which directors or major donors have testified, served on advisory councils, or hosted fundraisers?
- Do partner coalitions keep a “key contact” list you can cross-reference?
Formalize information-sharing with MOUs so both parties can mobilize grasstops quickly during recess periods.
5 | Set Clear Benchmarks for “Grasstops” Status
Define the bar—e.g., has met a legislator in person, holds an elected local position, or commands 5,000+ engaged followers. An internal playbook (or this advocacy-planning template) guides staff on scoring and graduating advocates into your grasstops tier.
6 | Equip and Activate
Finding influencers is only step one. Arm them with:
- Concise briefing materials—policy one-pagers and district-level talking points
- Personalized meeting requests sent through Quorum’s patch-through calling or email tools
- Rapid-response support (prep calls, follow-ups, thank-yous) to reinforce relationships
Teams that do this well—like those highlighted in Quorum’s grasstops case studies—report faster access to lawmakers and more persuasive in-district engagement.
Final Thoughts
Grasstops advocates amplify your voice precisely where decisions are made: back home. By systematically surveying stakeholders, analyzing engagement metrics, monitoring social dialogue, and coordinating with partners, you’ll build a roster of trusted messengers ready to move policy during every recess.
Looking for real-world inspiration? Explore Quorum’s Grasstops Advocacy FAQs for program fundamentals and success stories.
Ready to see how Quorum can help you uncover your next key influencer? Schedule a demo, and let’s put data-driven grasstops identification to work for your team.