Advocacy & Lobbying for Student Organizations

Advocating & Lobbying for your Student Organization

Agenda
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
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

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

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

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

Lobbying Helpful Hints
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

What officials do I need to lobby to?
Student government
President’s Office
Others?

Know your audience – motivators
Meet the needs of students
Health & safety of students
Others?
Connect with your audience before you need them

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

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

Action Alerts
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

Resources Nonprofit Good Practice Guide www.npgoodpractice.org

Questions?

Advocacy & Lobbying for Student Organizations

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