The last few years have been exhausting for everyone. In the US, things seem to become more volatile by the minute. In the nonprofit world, as well as in the general public, there is widespread burnout. We know it’s the worst time to give up, but it’s hard to keep going when we keep getting pushed backward. Of course, hard or not, we will keep going. We always do. Here are seven things you’ll need to know so you can do effective advocacy work, even in these turbulent times:
- Know your why. Choose something you truly care about. There are probably thousands of causes that could benefit from your expertise. If you choose something dear to your heart, you are more likely to be able to persuade other people to care about it as well.
- Know your facts. Research, research, research. Read everything you can about the issues at hand. Look to reliable sources and make sure you become an expert. You cannot effectively change things if you don’t understand the underlying issues. If you can find the root of the problems, you can focus on the changes that will have the most impact and the actions that will make the most difference.
- Know your place. If you aren’t directly affected by the problems you’re trying to solve, your help is still absolutely appreciated and needed. That said, you need to really listen to the people who are affected. There is no shortage of well intentioned, yet tone deaf, people who believe they know what’s best for everyone. In disability services, for example, many people cling to person-first language because they believe they would want to be called “people with autism” if they had autism. Meanwhile, most of the autistic community has asked to be called autistic. This is well-meaning, unintentional harm, but it’s still harm. You have to realize that if you aren’t experiencing the same thing as someone else, you don’t necessarily know what you would really want or need in that situation. Take your lead from the people you’re trying to help.
- Know your goals and strategy. Advocacy is a long game. You need to know from the beginning what you’re trying to accomplish. What outcomes (new legislation, public awareness, funding for programs, etc.) would make your advocacy successful? Make a plan for how to get it done. What relationships do you need to build? Who do you need on your team? How can you spread the word?
- Know your audience and audience segments. You will need to market your message to a lot of different people. You need to think about who those people will be in advance. Likely, you will need to reach out to several different audiences: legislators and other politicians, people affected by the issue, your community, likely donors, likely volunteers, etc. You need to know how to reach all of these segments. Where do they spend their social media time? Where do they network in person? Make sure you have the email addresses of people on committees that are reviewing relevant legislation, and make sure you’re getting that information out to your community as well. The more you know your audience, the more your message will resonate with them.
- Know your message. Once you’ve thought about each part of your audience, you need to figure out the best way to reach them. Carefully craft your messaging so that you’re giving each group what they care most about. You will want several versions of all your most important materials: versions that put more emphasis on facts and figures, versions that highlight the personal stories of the people affected, and versions that equally present appeals to emotion and logic. Some donors care more about the impact they’re having, whereas most politicians care more about what voters think. Taking the time to truly craft your messages to reflect the concerns of each audience segment will really pay off in the long run.
- Know your own needs. Finally, advocacy is long, hard, exhausting work. You’re going to need to not give up even when you feel like it. It’s important to do whatever you need to do to make sure you have the strength to keep going. Support your own mental health and wellbeing every day.
Nonprofit Development Academy 