Amendment 3 Messaging Toolkit

_{For additional information on Amendment 3, visit FNA’s Property Tax Resource Center.}On November 3, Florida voters will consider Amendment 3, a proposed change to the state’s property tax system that would significantly reduce tax revenue for local governments.

Nonprofits have an important role to play in helping Floridians understand what those changes could mean for their communities. FNA has developed the Amendment 3 Messaging Toolkit to help nonprofits communicate about those impacts in ways that are clear, local and relevant to the people they serve. It includes shared messaging, audience-specific guidance and materials organizations can customize for their own communications.

The resources are designed to work together while leaving room for every organization to tell its own story. Use these to communicate potential impacts, engage voters in your community, or even prepare staff and board members to talk about the issue.

Download the toolkit by clicking the box below, or scroll down for additional details on included resources. Download links for Spanish and Haitian Creole versions of toolkit resources can also be found below.

AMENDMENT 3 MESSAGING TOOLKIT
_{Explore Amendment 3 messaging guidance and communications resources developed with the help of statewide research and nonprofit organizations from throughout the sector.}
_{Download (English)

Download (Spanish) Download (Haitian Creole)}

Messaging Framework

The Amendment 3 Message Framework centers the conversation on what Amendment 3 could mean for Floridians: fewer services, growing need and impacts communities could feel quickly. The framework establishes a core message and three supporting message pillars, developed with the help of statewide research, communications professionals, and nonprofit organizations from throughout the sector.

It also includes guidance on language to use and avoid and sample conversations for clients, board members, community members and funders. It also shows how to make the message local by connecting it to recognizable services and the experiences of the people your organization serves.

View Messaging Framework (English)

View Messaging Framework (Spanish)

View Messaging Framework (Haitian Creole)

Protecting Florida's Nonprofit Safety Net: Amendment 3 Campaign Strategy

This strategy memo maps out how nonprofits can carry the message beyond their own organization's stakeholders and reach Florida voters ahead of the November election.

It covers priority audiences, effective voter engagement, and best practices for paid advertising and earned media campaigns.

View Campaign Strategy Memo (English)

View Campaign Strategy Memo (Spanish)

View Campaign Strategy Memo (Haitian Creole)

Op-Ed Template

Nonprofit leaders can bring an important perspective to local coverage of Amendment 3 by showing what changes in local funding could mean on the ground.

The Op-Ed Template provides a structure organizations can adapt with local examples and their own experience. It is intended to help nonprofit leaders move beyond abstract budget figures and illustrate the consequences through services and people their communities recognize.

Download Op-Ed Template (English)

Download Op-Ed Template (Spanish)

Download Op-Ed Template (Haitian Creole)

BEST PRACTICES FOR MEDIA ENGAGEMENT AND OP-ED PLACEMENT
Identifying and proactively contacting the right news outlet can improve both the chances your op-ed piece is considered for publication and opportunities for future coverage.

Prioritize newspapers and news organizations that serve the community your organization knows best. A locally focused op-ed from a nonprofit leader with direct experience in the community will often be more relevant to an editor than a broadly written statewide piece. Op-eds should generally come from a person who can speak credibly and personally about the issue, such as an executive director, board member, program leader or another community voice directly connected to your organization’s work.

Build the relationship beyond one submission. Effective media engagement does not and should not end with op-ed placements. Familiarize yourself with the reporters and news outlets who cover your community and the issues related to your organization’s work. Being a responsive, reliable source is the most effective way to create opportunities for future coverage and commentary.

Social Media Templates

These social media templates turn the toolkit’s core messages into ready-to-use graphics you can use to illustrate the potential effects of Amendment 3 through service cuts, increased community need and greater pressure placed on nonprofits.

Vote No graphics provide a direct advocacy message for organizations participating in the campaign, while customizable templates give nonprofits space to make the issue local.

Organizations can highlight services or resources that could be at risk or communicate potential impacts with trusted local voices.

USING SOCIAL MEDIA TEMPLATES_{Social media templates are available through Canva, the online graphic design platform. To access the templates, click the button below. If you or your organization do not already have a Canva account, you can signs up for free with a valid e-mail address.

Please duplicate the template files before you make any edits.
Click File, then Make a Copy to create a version of the templates exclusive to your Canva account. Then, you can delete the first design page, and adjust the text, images, or other elements. Add information specific to your organization, including local examples, services that could be impacted, quotes from trusted voices in your community, and organizational branding. When ready, check your designs for accuracy and make sure any organization-specific information has been updated. Then, export your design by clicking File, then Download to save the image for use on your social media channels. We recommend saving the images in the highest possible quality in JPG or PNG format.

Contact Mike Donohue at mdonohue@flnonprofits.org for any additional questions.}

Download Social Media Templates

Additional Amendment 3 Resources

On September 15, FNA will host Activating the Amendment 3 Messaging Toolkit, a one-hour webinar designed to walk participants through the toolkit and provide guidance on adapting these resources for different audiences and communities. This event is free and open to all. To register, click here.
The Messaging Toolkit complements the information already available through FNA’s Property Tax Resource Center, including an overview of the ballot measure and research on its potential impact.
Additional social media templates for organizations engaging in advocacy or voter engagement efforts can be found here.