+ What is Strategic Advocacy?

Strategic Advocacy is a planned process, not an event. It is about achieving specific outcomes, not just raising awareness of problems. Strategic Advocacy includes developing strategies based on research and analysis rather than guesswork. Using a strategic approach to advocacy requires choosing tactics and deploying resources to have the greatest impact and desired results.

+ Why is planning a strategic approach to advocacy important?

• Point advocacy in a clear, forward direction
• Identify goals and steps to achieving each goal
• Use the right resources and use scarce resources wisely
• Cross-check activities to assure each reinforces and does not undermine others
• Develop a timeline in relation to urgency of the issue and capability of advocates
• Start early. Earlier is better and allows opportunity to counter opposition.

+ What is the strategic advocacy process?

There are many approaches to planning – remember to include these in developing a strategic approach to advocacy

• Know the issue - what is wrong or what needs to be changed
• Identify all challenges and choose those which align with WG-USA issues
• Identify the solution – what will be the proposed solution or one that is satisfactory
• Recognize who or which organization has the power to achieve change and how to engage or influence them
• Recognize who or which organization will hinder advocacy efforts
• Identify resources needed for advocacy efforts

+ Are there common mistakes in acting on strategic advocacy?

Yes! Consider this list. Add these points to other challenges which hinder effective advocacy.

• Unclear aims and objectives
• Untargeted actions resulting in wasted effort and reduced impact
• Action plans that use only an internal timetable, rather than being determined by external events and opportunities
• Getting the timing wrong and trying to influence a process when key decisions have already been made
• Asking decision makers to do something which is not in their power
• Sending messages that do not have a call to action and do not ask for recipient input
• Not having a clearly defined ‘ask’
• Use the wrong tools
• Scarce resources used unwisely
• Activities that run at cross purposes
• Inability to counter opposition

+ What does the planning process look like?

Planning strategic advocacy includes the following steps:

• Identify the issue
• Research the current status of the issue
• Review procedures and laws relating to the issue
• Identify the change that needs to be made
• Research socio-economic & political challenges to the issue
• Identify allies and stakeholders – other individuals and organizations working on the same issue with similar goals
• Develop working partnerships
• Develop recommendations
• Develop messages, publicity or publication opportunities
• Identify the audience for advocacy efforts
• Educate all partners and constituents on use of resources to launch advocacy into action
• Monitor ongoing progress - make necessary adjustments and changes
• Evaluate results and celebrate success

+ What's an example of the planning process?

• Issue: Drop-out rates for high school girls in a state
• Current status: up to 50% of girls do not graduate high school. Parents and teachers are concerned. There is no foreseen positive change in the near future.
• Goal: To have 100% of high school girl seniors graduate
• Review of Law: requires all children attend school; there are minimum teaching standards; there is no mandatory requirements of schools to provide on-site remedial teaching; parts of current state laws discourage innovation
• School Policy Review: some policy encourages at risk students to attend vocational schools to pre-empt dropping out
• Socio-economic, political impacts on issue: student backgrounds; education system policies; other environmental factors
• Identify allies: schools; teachers and their organizations; parents and their organizations; businesses; community centers; NGOs and nonprofit organizations; affinity groups
• Develop recommendations: based on socio-economic and political findings
  • Identify at-risk students
  • Engage parents
  • Promote mechanisms for community support
  • Review curriculum funding for schools
  • Promote teacher training & evaluation
  • Explore daily living support for students
• Develop messages: “Children are the future of our community. Girls have a right to quality secondary education. WG-USA wants (you) to support efforts to attain a 100% graduation rate for girls every year. Advocate for needed school funding for student success”.
• Identify focal points for advocacy: State Education Department; state legislature and representatives; Congress and elected representatives; senator and senate; advisory committees, organize locally
• Identify advocacy tools: emails, social media, print media including articles, editorials, open letters; telephone calls; face to face meetings, town meetings; position papers
• Train all issue advocates: become knowledgeable about the issues; be positive and forward-looking; use multi-media approach to advocacy; guide advocates to stay on point, think on their feet and optimize use of time; evaluate themselves.
• Evaluate plan and its implementation: Base evaluation on modifications, recommendations, tools, timeline, allies, resources, re-organization, and SUCCESS.