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• 1st 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

• 2nd 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

“No Smoking on Campus”• 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

“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.

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

ResourcesNonprofit Good Practice Guide

www.npgoodpractice.org

Questions?