Advocating & Lobbying for your Student Organization

Agenda Advocacy vs. Lobbying Tools for Lobbying Tools for Advocacy Advocacy Alert Activity Resources Questions

Advocacy vs. Lobbying

Tools for Lobbying

Tools for Advocacy

Advocacy Alert Activity

Resources

Questions

Definitions* Advocacy 1)The act or process of defending or maintaining a cause or proposal . An organization may have advocacy as its mission (or part of its mission) to increase public awareness of a particular issue or set of issues. 2)The act of working toward a goal or defending a cause . Lobbying 1) Efforts to influence legislation by influencing the opinion of legislators, legislative staff, and government administrators directly involved in drafting legislative proposals. 2) Lobbying is the practice of petitioning lawmakers to support an organization's cause . *Nonprofit Good Practice Guide glossary: www.npgoodpractice.org

Advocacy

1)The act or process of defending or maintaining a cause or proposal . An organization may have advocacy as its mission (or part of its mission) to increase public awareness of a particular issue or set of issues. 2)The act of working toward a goal or defending a cause .

Lobbying

1) Efforts to influence legislation by influencing the opinion of legislators, legislative staff, and government administrators directly involved in drafting legislative proposals. 2) Lobbying is the practice of petitioning lawmakers to support an organization's cause .

Advocacy Defending or educating on a cause Speaking for what you believe in Umbrella term for activities that promote the cause of your organization No officially IRS reporting *Staying Legal in Michigan: http://www.stayinglegalmi.org/lobbying_and_political_activity.html#anchor1

Defending or educating on a cause

Speaking for what you believe in

Umbrella term for activities that promote the cause of your organization

No officially IRS reporting

Lobbying A type of advocacy Trying to influence policy makers IRS sets limits on lobbying Not a substantial part of their activities Lobbying can be nonpartisan May be lobbying to school officials *Staying Legal in Michigan: http://www.stayinglegalmi.org/lobbying_and_political_activity.html#anchor1

A type of advocacy

Trying to influence policy makers

IRS sets limits on lobbying

Not a substantial part of their activities

Lobbying can be nonpartisan

May be lobbying to school officials

Questions?

Tools for Lobbying 1 st create a public policy plan State your mission ID how policy will further your mission Specify what your organization could contribute to the debate ID consequences for not getting involved Ex: http://www.independentsector.org/programs/gr/2009_Nonprofit_Platform.htm 2 nd Decide on issues Build relationships

1 st create a public policy plan

State your mission

ID how policy will further your mission

Specify what your organization could contribute to the debate

ID consequences for not getting involved

Ex: http://www.independentsector.org/programs/gr/2009_Nonprofit_Platform.htm

2 nd Decide on issues

Build relationships

Lobbying Helpful Hints Do your homework Are there other organizations you can support? Who are the stakeholders in the issue(s)? Know your audience Connect with your audience before you need them

Do your homework

Are there other organizations you can support?

Who are the stakeholders in the issue(s)?

Know your audience

Connect with your audience before you need them

Lobbying Helpful Hints Know your facts & stats (ensure they are true) Set priorities Have a plan for educating audience

Know your facts & stats (ensure they are true)

Set priorities

Have a plan for educating audience

“No Smoking on Campus” Are there other organizations you can support or partner with? College’s Against Cancer Alternative Breaks Student Environmental Coalition Others? Who has done this before? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dP57eiNxnQ

Are there other organizations you can support or partner with?

College’s Against Cancer

Alternative Breaks

Student Environmental Coalition

Others?

Who has done this before?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dP57eiNxnQ

“No Smoking on Campus” What officials do I need to lobby to? Student government President’s Office Others?

What officials do I need to lobby to?

Student government

President’s Office

Others?

“No Smoking on Campus” Know your audience – motivators Meet the needs of students Health & safety of students Others? Connect with your audience before you need them

Know your audience – motivators

Meet the needs of students

Health & safety of students

Others?

Connect with your audience before you need them

“No Smoking on Campus” Know your facts Research statistics on smoking & how they are related to the GVSU population Set priorities Who should we touch base with first? What activities should we hold first? Have a plan for educating audience Fliers, phone calls, emails, etc.

Know your facts

Research statistics on smoking

& how they are related to the GVSU population

Set priorities

Who should we touch base with first?

What activities should we hold first?

Have a plan for educating audience

Fliers, phone calls, emails, etc.

Questions about Lobbying?

Tools for Advocacy Create an advocacy plan – a lot like a public policy plan - http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcxzfbh4_158c4dg2wg6 Partner – create a list Develop talking points – education & mission Develop action alerts or calls to action

Create an advocacy plan – a lot like a public policy plan - http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcxzfbh4_158c4dg2wg6

Partner – create a list

Develop talking points – education & mission

Develop action alerts or calls to action

Action Alerts Very important Inexpensive & versatile Include in every message to members & audience

Very important

Inexpensive & versatile

Include in every message to members & audience

Action Alerts Audience Audience Motivators Key Message for each audience Examples

Audience

Audience Motivators

Key Message for each audience

Examples

Add a action alert to your page. Organization Name

Create an Action Alert

Small Group Pick one person’s organization State mission, audience, audience motivators, Brainstorm messages Develop a key message to share

Pick one person’s organization

State mission, audience, audience motivators,

Brainstorm messages

Develop a key message to share

Resources Nonprofit Good Practice Guide www.npgoodpractice.org

Questions?