Ready, Set, GO! : A Blueprint to Take Your
Organization to Advocacy and Action
Olivia Eudaly, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Kelley Gilbert, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
January 24, 2013
Contents
• Introductions/ Quiz
• Action Plan
– Step 1: Prepare Your Agency and
Board for Public Policy
– Step 2:Become a Voice for Your
Cause and a Vehicle for Citizen
Participation
– Step 3: Increase and sustain your
advocacy
• Group Activity and Brainstorming
Are you Aware of Your
State/Organizations Public
Resources?
• Take our Government Relations
Quiz and find out if you are
informed and ready to lead your
organization’s advocacy efforts!!
What is Advocacy?
• Deliberate actions
• A process
Objective Is Change:
– Policy thinking actions or practices
– Current or proposed
Done on behalf of an individual or a
cause
Advocacy Capacity
What’s at stake?
• Limited partnerships
• Branding
• Funding
Case Study: Mentoring Children of
Prisoners, HHS-ACF
Step 1: Prepare your board and
agency for advocacy
• Get motivated and educated!
• Make advocacy a board priority
• Study the legislative process:
Federal legislative process see: the House of
Representatives web site at:
http://thomas.loc.gov/.
Information about state budget processes and
timetables may available from the National
Association of State Budget Officers at:
http://www.nasbo.org/.
Step 1 Continued:
Preparation & Education
• Review the relationship between
your organization and government
• Who’s Who among government
officials
• Connect public policy with
governance
Step 1 Continued:
Working Your Network
• Bring the mission alive through data
and stories
• Find friends of influence
• Assess & Build Your Capacity
• Know your issues!
Step 1 Assessment
• Are you ready to take the first step
in advocating for your Littles?
Step 2: Become a Voice for Your Cause
and a Vehicle for Citizen Participation
• Coordinating an initial and
consistent meeting with elected
officials responsible for mentoring is
not an option!
• Non-profits are a source of
information for mentoring initiatives.
• Case Study
– Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater
Tri-Cities in Richmond, VA
Step 2 contd…
• Build a relationship with policy
makers and policy shapers.
– Attend townhall meetings
– Partner with other youth-serving
organizations
– Testify at a budget hearing
– Submit written or verbal testimony
Step 3: Increase and Sustain Your
Advocacy
• Make face-to-face meetings a
priority.
• Get to know key-staff in your
elected officials office.
• You can share information
electronically
– Start an advocacy newsletter to share
with key government staff and other
stakeholders.
Advocacy Breakouts
What steps will your
organization take to Start
Something BIG today?
Organizing a Mentoring Legislative Day
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What are your organizations objectives during the Legislative Day?
Have you surveyed your board and corporate sponsors to identify GR
contacts?
a.
List your resources.
Who is the GR leader(s) in your organization? Will this leader take
responsibility for coordinating the Legislative Day?
Is the Legislative Day leader close to a government building or
landmark?
When is the optimal time to host a legislative day/event? Where?
Have you considered talking to a professional lobbyist?
How will you boost attendance at the Legislative Day?
Identify best practices to work successfully with your members.