Preparing For the Advocacy You’re Already Doing

Great Lakes Alliance RegionMay 3, 2007

organize collaborate

mobilize connectovercome

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Why are you here?

• Is there anything specific that you hoped to get out of this session?

• What kinds of activities are YWCAs already doing? Make you list as we go along

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overview

• Identify advocacy activities• Examine “wrap around” strategies that can

transform a stand alone activity into a campaign or initiative

• Anchor activities within an organization’s strategic objectives for the long-term

• Create activities and initiatives that are strategic, internally supported and substantial enough to have results

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The advocacy we’re already doing

The YWCA McLean County Bus Story

• We know that most organizations are doing some kind of mission-related advocacy

• Advocacy is often an outgrowth of program

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Advocacy we’re already doing, #2

Embedding advocacy activities internally

• Immigration coalition example

Protecting your non-profit status

• MI Prop 2 example

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Research about nonprofit advocacy

Most nonprofit advocacy:– Consists of stand alone events or activities– Is not substantial enough to evaluate

successes or expect results• Example: Web-based action alerts

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“advocacy”

is the work of making

social change by aiming at changing policies,

systems, and institutions.

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when do we do advocacy?

Most often an advocacy activity is done in response to:

• An existing problem, anticipated problem, or newly revealed problem in your community

• A change or anticipated change in local policy, rules, or regulations

• Because a relationship encourages you to get involved; peer pressure

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why do advocacy?

• Advocacy is ultimately about increasing your organization’s ability to deliver more mission

• The line between program and advocacy can be fuzzy, and this is okay. – Sometimes a new program evolves out of

successful advocacy;– Good programs often have policy-change spin

offs.

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Establish a goal/ propose a solution,

and set of strategies;Implement your plan

Evaluate progress,Publicize successes;Reformulate Strategy

Identify an Issue; Research and Understand

the details

Basic Advocacy Process

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Can “One Shot” advocacy succeed?

• If the goal is community education, any single activity is probably not enough– Public Health examples

• If you have a very specific target and a clear appeal, you may be able to succeed with a single strategy– Lobbying examples

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Case example:

Take Back the Night

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Take Back the Night

• A YWCA joins with its local college campus to produce an annual Take Back the Night rally and march during April.

• The event is intended to mobilize female rape survivors and educate community members about violence against women.

• The event draws between 200-300 people annually, and is covered on the evening news.

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key questions

• Is this an advocacy activity?

• What policy, system, or institution does it seek to change?

• Who is the decision-maker or change agent it targets?

• Does it have the intended effect?

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What are the activities?

RallyIssue Education

Grassroots OrganizingMedia engagement

What’s the Goal? Empower survivors as a groupEducate community about Sexual Violence

Who’s the target? Community membersRape Survivors

Is it substantial enough to achieve the goal?

What is the next step for people at the rally?How will this event change a system, policy or institution?

Will empowered survivors and community members be galvanized to do something?

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Expanding, Embedding & Wrapping Around

Once you’ve identified the advocacy you’re already doing,

1. Be Specific• Name the intended policy, system, or

institutional change intended for each• Identify the decision makers who have

the power to give you what you want• What specific activities are you already

doing to accomplish the intended goal?

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Expanding and Embedding #2

2. Think about easy ways to expand a single activity into an initiative or campaign

• a basic one page issue summary can become:• a letter to the editor or pitch to an editorial

board• a press release• an email alert to staff, board members,

community members, and partner organizations

• a “leave behind” for a legislative visit

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Expanding and Embedding #2

2. expanding, continued

• Make connections across program areas; cross pollinate and cross train

• If you’re not already working with at least 3 external partners, think about who they are and what you need to do to engage them

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Expanding and Embedding

3. Embed the issue in your organization’s work

• Locate it within your mission

• Locate it within your budget

• Locate it within your strategic plan

• Share what you know at a staff meeting, board meeting, etc.

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A note on internal preparation

• If your policy change activities are substantial, and include lobbying, you may need to review your organization’s 501h status

• Online through www.ywca.org/gla/advocacycenter and www.afj.org

• 501h training on 5/10/07

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conclusion

• Anything worth doing is worth doing strategically

• Almost anything worth doing is worth broadcasting widely

• Think far into the future about where you see your organization

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Conclusion

• Occasionally ask “On what issue is our YWCA seen as the local leader? Are we doing everything we can to become or maintain this visibility?”