Uploaded byStudent United Way
#SUWLR 2014, Advocating for a Cause: Lindsay Torrico
Lindsay Torrico discusses the importance of advocacy in influencing public policy, highlighting United Way's policy priorities across education, income, health, and community strengthening. The document outlines key elements and best practices for successful advocacy campaigns, including issue analysis, coalition-building, and engaging with decision-makers. It also provides engagement tactics, case studies, and actionable steps for individuals to participate in advocacy efforts.
More Related Content
Similar to #SUWLR 2014, Advocating for a Cause: Lindsay Torrico
#SUWLR 2014, Advocating for a Cause: Lindsay Torrico
- 1. @lindsaytorrico Influencing PublicPolicy: Advocating for a Cause Lindsay Torrico Director of Policy and Advocacy United Way Worldwide
- 2. Overview •Why: Valueof advocacy •What: United Way Policy Priorities •How: Best Practices and Successful Advocacy Campaigns 2
- 3.
- 4. 4 The AdvocacyContinuum Raise public awareness about an issue Public Awareness and Education •Grassroots organizing and communication with local leaders Grassroots advocacy and organizing Lobbying for or against legislation Lobbying
- 5. @lindsaytorrico 5 Examplesof Advocacy •issue identification, research and analysis; •education of the public on crucial issues; •lobbying for or against legislation; •voter registration and education; •litigation; •participation in referenda or initiative campaigns; •grassroots organizing and communication with local leaders; •testifying before governmental bodies; •lobbying governmental agencies at all levels;
- 6. United Way PolicyPriorities – 113th Congress EDUCATION •School Readiness •Middle and High School Success •Postsecondary success INCOME •Income supports •Workforce development HEALTH •Access to Health Care and Prevention COMMUNITY STRENGTHENING •National Service (i.e. AmeriCorps) @lindsaytorrico 6
- 7. Advocating for aCause •Change behavior, policies, systems •An art and a science •Science – Policy, Politics, Press •Art – How you make it happen everyday? @lindsaytorrico 7
- 8. Influence in Action:Advocacy Case Study #1 The ENOUGH Project 8
- 9. Influence in Action:Advocacy Case Study #2 #Women2Drive Campaign in Saudi Arabia •“Women2Drive” campaign used social media to raise awareness about the ban on women drivers •Led to a successful campaign on Change.org •Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton makes a statement 9
- 10. Influence in Action:Advocacy Case Study #3 Early Childhood in the SOTU Hey @BarackObama Please call for all kids to have a #strongstart w/ #ece in #SOTU tonight! http://bit.ly/1oHoivG FYI @nhsa •Publicly targets influencer •Trackable link to measure click throughs •Pushed to hashtag audiences •Issue specific (#ece) •State specific •Ideological group Alerts watchdogs •Blogger •Issue group 10
- 11. Key Elements ofan Advocacy Campaign 1.Issue Identification and Analysis 2.Develop Champions (Power Mapping, Stakeholder Analysis) 3.Coalition-Building 4.Grassroots Organizing and Public Outreach 5.Engage with Government 6.Create a Media Relations Strategy (Social, Earned, Paid) 7.Tie into National, Statewide and Regional Efforts 8.Create Collateral Materials (TPs, Fact Sheets, Brochures) Source: www.advocacycommunications.org @lindsaytorrico 11
- 12. Best Practices inAdvocacy Campaigns •Objectives resonate with the public •Is winnable (pass the “snicker” test) •Clear and simple “ask” or action for supporters to take •Supporters have the opportunity to get involved in a range of activities •The campaign is supported by wider alliances of organizations •The media are attracted to the messages and activities •Pass the TEA test (Touch, Entuse, Act) Source: International NGO Training and Research Centre @lindsaytorrico 12
- 13.
- 14. Getting Started: Creatingan Advocacy Campaign Map Out Your Strategy: •Goal – victory you want to win •Organizational considerations – Assets? Capacity? •Supporters – Who’s with you or could be? •Decision-makers – Who are your targets? •Tactics – How to reach your target? Source: Midwest Academy @lindsaytorrico 14
- 15. @lindsaytorrico 15 Source:Midwest Academy
- 16. Tactics – EngagementOpportunities High Engagement •Meet with elected officials •Testify before a legislative committee Medium Engagement •Write a letter to the editor Low Engagement •Social media •Sign a petition •Share a fact sheet Engagement Pyramid @lindsaytorrico 16
- 17. Example: Creating anAdvocacy Campaign Scenario: You are a leader of the PTA county council in the district of Congressman Ethan Charles, working to get federal nutrition standards. Your PTA unit met with Rep. Ethan Charles at his district office to ask him to vote yes for nutrition standards. He says that he needs more time to study the issue; he is reluctant to have the federal government tell children and their parents and their local schools what to do. The actual vote is still a month away. TASK: Identify your tactics •Official contact – meetings, letters, phone calls, questions at town halls •Educational – public awareness raising, information sharing •Public pressure – call-ins, petitions, email or letter writing campaigns •Media events – press conferences, media releases, op-eds, social media events @lindsaytorrico 17
- 18. What YOU CanDo •Sign up for the Advocacy Connection newsletter. •lindsay.torrico@unitedway.org •Take action on alerts & share with your networks •Build relationships with your elected officials •Be an ADVOCATE for your community! 18
- 19.
Editor's Notes
- #2 L
- #3 L – Why advocate
- #4 Achieving our education goals takes more than fundraising and programming
- #5 TELL: This is the most simple level of advocacy and includes activities that many of you might already be doing such as: writing your story (why I chose a charter school); encouraging civic participation in your curriculum through mock trials or visiting local gov ASK: [FOCUS OF THIS SESSION] This is the next level, which requires action and includes activities such as: sending action alerts or calls to action to teachers and parents; attending a public hearing and speaking in support; writing a letter to the editor about how a policy change will affect your school; Cultivate relationships with local elected officials by meeting with them and inviting them to your school. Both grassroots and direct lobbying fall in this section. LEAD: This is the point where advocacy moves from what’s allowable as a 501(c)(3) to the political side. Some organizations have a political arm, a 501(c)(4), but not all. All activities such as encouraging voters to vote for pro-charter candidates, raising money for candidates, or volunteering for campaigns must be done separate from all (c)(3) activities (on your own time).
- #6 What does it mean to advocate?
- #14 Framing –what to expect for remainder Low-med-high action opportunities
- #16 Pass out strategy charts