Government spending accounts for 40% of global GDP and the vast majority of that spending is decided by bureaucrats, not politicians. How do we get to that money?
How can public servants be most effective and efficient? As in politics, it’s not the best people or the best ideas that win, it’s the best-sold ideas that win.
When nonprofits engage with policymakers, it’s important to know how policymakers want to learn. 42% of public servants said they had no learning resources or not very helpful learning resources.
Like all of us, bureaucrats are time-pressed. Research shows that most policymakers would prefer to read short, direct studies of less than 1,000 words. Infographics help tremendously.
Here are some of policymakers’ motivations to learn: intrinsic motivation, personal interest, to stay ahead of the game, and to look good in front of their bosses.
In addition, policymakers are looking for ways to sell their ideas to citizens. When you can provide them with real-world examples and costs, they’re going to be more effective in making that pitch.
6. Goals: Learn….
● How policymakers makers want to learn about skills, policies,
partnerships and approaches;
● Why and how to get clear on the process, timeline, and scalability of
your proposal;
● Ways to help policymakers "sell" your ideas to other public servants
and citizens.
