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Strategies For Successful Public Policy Advocacy: Stephanie Smith Lee

The document outlines strategies for successful public policy advocacy in 5 areas: getting started by organizing groups and identifying priority issues; developing a clear plan of action by researching the issue and identifying needed policy changes; taking action through outreach, mobilizing supporters, and contacting policymakers; building ongoing relationships with policymakers by getting to know them personally; and maintaining support through media coverage and continued follow up after success.

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Icia Carranza Cas
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39 views1 page

Strategies For Successful Public Policy Advocacy: Stephanie Smith Lee

The document outlines strategies for successful public policy advocacy in 5 areas: getting started by organizing groups and identifying priority issues; developing a clear plan of action by researching the issue and identifying needed policy changes; taking action through outreach, mobilizing supporters, and contacting policymakers; building ongoing relationships with policymakers by getting to know them personally; and maintaining support through media coverage and continued follow up after success.

Uploaded by

Icia Carranza Cas
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
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Strategies for Successful Public Policy Advocacy

Stephanie Smith Lee

Getting Started
 Work with a non-profit, non-partisan group
 Start a governmental affairs committee for your group
 Organize and mobilize networks and coalitions
 Identify areas of agreement and priority for action
 Develop a strategic plan

Getting Clear about what to do


 Carefully research the issue
 Clearly identify needed action: draft legislative/policy language if necessary
 Frame the debate in positive terms
 Learn the policy process and identify key policy makers and “champions”

Taking Action
 Prepare fact sheets/position papers outlining the issue, background and needed action (keep updated)
 Use NDSC info bulletins/fact sheets/alerts on national issues
 Prepare clear, concise action alerts and distribute
 Maintain/use social media, Facebook groups, email lists or other internet groups and websites, but
remember importance of personal contacts
 Involve and mobilize self-advocates, parents, family members, professionals
 Contact policy makers (visits, letters, calls, testimony, rallies)
 Tie personal stories to the policy objective
 Testify at hearings, request additional hearings, speak at committee meetings, town hall meetings

Building Relationships with Policy Makers on an Ongoing Basis


 Remember to be bipartisan!
 Divide and conquer – divide up who will be key contact for each policy maker
 Get to know individual policymakers in both political parties
 Invite them to “Walks” or other fundraisers, picnics, events – ask them to speak, say a few words, or
at least recognize their attendance
 Take their photo with your group and share the photos with the media and on social media
 Speak with them at community events
 Get to know staff as well
 Become a resource: develop long-term relationships

Building Support through media coverage


 Press releases, requests for media coverage of events, after-event info, use social media
 Letters to the editor, op-ed pieces
 Share photos, testimony, letters to policymakers, and info about your policy efforts with media/on
social media
 Personal contacts with media – become a source

Follow-up
 Sometimes success is incremental – go the next mile
 When a law is passed, that’s just the first step – next are regulations, policy guidance, implementation
 Say thank you with a press release, letters to the editor, letters to policymakers, personal contacts

Copyright @Stephanie Smith Lee 2011


Permission is given to reproduce this document as long as it is reproduced in full with attribution.

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