Running a successful nonprofit advocacy campaign during any year is critical, but even more so during election season – when organizations and their supporters have the opportunity to remind their elected officials about their positions and make significant impact based on overall engagement. We have put together the following step-by-step guide to support your advocacy efforts and build your campaign during this exciting run-up to the elections.
- Define your Goals: Clearly articulate the objectives of your advocacy efforts. What issues do you want to address? What specific outcomes are you aiming to achieve? What are you trying to achieve in the long term? You should have a clear understanding of your goals that will guide your actions throughout the election year.
- Identify your Audience: Advocacy can make a difference, so determine who you are trying to reach with your organization’s message. Is the target audience federal, state, and/or local elected officials? Or do you want to focus on state/federal Agencies? Perhaps it’s the media or other influencers? Remember to tailor your communication to effectively engage your target audience.
- Build Partnerships: Those with the loudest voice in the room typically get noticed, and advocacy is no different. Consider collaborating with like-minded nonprofit organizations, community groups, and others that share your advocacy goals. Forming formal or informal partnerships or coalitions allows you to amplify the message and bring about awareness. Remember, you’re often not alone in your advocacy goals, and having a network of allies can become an asset not only now but throughout the year.
- Engage with Candidates: The best way to be heard is face-to-face, but that isn’t always convenient. Urge advocates to get involved within their communities, whether it’s through informal networking or a hosted event where both can engage in meaningful dialogue. This includes candidate meet-and-greets, town hall meetings, and other campaign events where you can raise awareness about your agenda.
- Utilize Communication Channels: Leverage traditional media outlets, social media platforms, email newsletters, and other communication channels to share your advocacy message with a wider audience. Develop compelling content– including op-eds, press releases, videos, and graphics– to effectively communicate your message and attract attention to your cause.
- Monitor and Evaluate your Progress: Continue to monitor the impact of your advocacy efforts and evaluate the effectiveness of your strategies. It’s important to collect feedback from those involved in the process, track key performance indicators, and adjust your approach as needed to maximize your impact.
- Stay Engaged beyond Election Day: Maintain momentum and continue advocating for your cause beyond the election. Hold elected officials accountable for their promises, monitor policy developments, and advocate for policies that advance your advocacy goals.
When you start to create your campaign, you are developing your goals and determining what outcome you want to achieve. With the One Click Politics platform, we can help you communicate your message successfully, stay engaged throughout the campaign process, and report on your advocacy success via robust and updated reporting on both campaigns and advocates.
Want to learn more about how our platform can help your nonprofit advocacy campaign? Please call 202-800-8877 or schedule a demo by clicking https://calendly.com/sleibowitz-ocp.
