Advocacy Campaign Planning

I spent 8 years working on Capitol Hill. I've been lobbied thousands of times. Here are 10 strategies for lobbying Congress on an issue you care about (regardless of who wins the election next week): 1️⃣ - Begin with your own elected officials. Offices prioritize their constituents. When you reach out, provide your city and zip code to show they represent you. 2️⃣ - Have a clear ask. It's ok to explain why you're passionate about the issue, but ask them to take a specific action. See if they'll support an existing bill or letter, or if one doesn’t exist, ask them to lead the issue. 3️⃣  - Amplify your voice. Rally ten other constituents to make calls, send emails, and write letters in support of your cause. A single call won't move the needle, but multiple ones can. 4️⃣ - Contact relevant legislative staff. If you can’t find their email address online, call the main line and ask. Or stop by the office and pick up their business card. 5️⃣ - Be clear and succinct. Send a personalized email requesting a 15-minute call or meeting. Explain the issue in a few lines and attach a memo with additional information. If they don’t respond the first or second time, try something different and get creative. 6️⃣ - Provide a compelling justification. Explain why it’s in their interest to support the idea. Show them it's politically safe if it aligns with their previous positions or has constituent support. 7️⃣- Seek assistance from advocacy groups. These outside organizations can endorse the legislation, reach out to staff, and rally support from other constituents. Before supporting initiatives, legislators will often ask which groups support the idea. 8️⃣ - Validate the idea. Highlight thought leaders, academics, and experts that endorse the idea. Have them write an op-ed or ask them for a favorable quote. Their endorsement makes it easier for legislators to support your cause. 9️⃣ - Engage supportive elected officials. Ask those that already champion the idea to talk to your legislator. They will want to know if other like-minded elected officials support the issue. Peer pressure works. 🔟 - Leverage celebrities. Most stars are passionate about something. Find the one who cares about your issue and encourage them to engage. Set up briefings and events where they can speak to legislators and staff. What has worked for you? 👇 Let me know in the comments ♻️ Repost this to help other advance the issues they care about. And follow Geo Saba for more.

How a statewide coalition reframed arts relevance to secure $160.7M in public funding. I led a coalition that raised $160.7M in public funding for the non-profit arts sector in just 3.5 years. Here are five things I would do differently. Raising $160.7M wasn’t just a milestone—it was a massive learning experience. Along the way, I discovered what works, what doesn’t, and what I would have done differently to make an even more significant impact. If I could go back, here’s what I’d start sooner: Engage Unlikely Allies: I would have expanded the discussion earlier to incorporate fields beyond the arts, like healthcare, education, and economic development. Illustrating how the arts connect with their objectives would have expedited progress and fostered opportunities, such as coalitions. Start with the Data: Early on, we relied heavily on anecdotal stories to demonstrate impact. While they’re powerful, pairing them with measurable outcomes would have given us credibility sooner and strengthened our advocacy. Embrace Rejection as Redirection: I spent too much time convincing specific stakeholders who would never be on board. I wish I’d refocused sooner on those ready to listen and aligned with our vision. Simplify the Message: In the beginning, I overcomplicated our pitch. It would have helped us resonate with funders and decision-makers faster if we had boiled our message down to why it matters now and how it benefits everyone. Invest in Advocacy Training: I would have prioritized equipping my team and community partners with advocacy skills earlier. Empowering others to share their voices and tell their stories created a multiplier effect that transformed our efforts in the later stages. Raising $160.7M didn’t happen overnight, and while I’m proud of our accomplishments, these lessons remind me that there’s always room to improve. For arts leaders navigating public funding challenges: focus on clarity, coalition-building, and data-driven storytelling. The arts deserve to be seen as foundational—and it’s up to us to reframe the conversation. Follow me for practical tips and content on arts advocacy.

"Advocacy isn't just for lobbyists – it's a powerful tool for every nonprofit. 🔊🏛️ Let's bust a myth: 501(c)(3) organizations CAN and SHOULD engage in advocacy. It's not just allowed; it's often crucial for achieving your mission. Types of Advocacy 501(c)(3)s Can Engage In: 1. Public Education 📚 • Inform the public about issues related to your mission • Share nonpartisan research and reports 2. Legislative Advocacy ⚖️ • Educate legislators about issues (within limits) • Provide expert testimony on policy impacts 3. Administrative Advocacy 📝 • Comment on regulations affecting your constituency • Participate in implementation of laws 4. Nonpartisan Voter Engagement 🗳️ • Conduct voter registration drives • Provide nonpartisan voter education 5. Coalition Building 🤝 • Join forces with other organizations on shared goals • Amplify collective voice on issues 6. Grassroots Mobilization 🌱 • Encourage supporters to contact decision-makers • Organize petition drives 7. Media Advocacy 📰 • Write op-eds or letters to the editor • Engage in social media campaigns Remember: While direct lobbying is limited, there's a wide range of advocacy activities you can pursue! Why Advocacy Should Be Part of Your Strategy: 1. Amplify Your Impact: Address root causes, not just symptoms 2. Protect Your Mission: Ensure policies support, not hinder, your work 3. Represent Your Community: Be a voice for those you serve 4. Demonstrate Expertise: Position your org as a thought leader 5. Engage Supporters: Offer meaningful ways for people to get involved 6. Collaborate and Network: Build relationships with other orgs and leaders For my fellow Muslim-led nonprofits: Our faith calls us to stand up for justice. Thoughtful, strategic advocacy is a powerful way to fulfill this calling. Don't let fear or misconceptions hold you back. Integrate advocacy into your strategic plan and amplify your impact! How does your organization engage in advocacy? Share your experiences below! 👇 Want more insights on nonprofit strategy and impact? Join my mailing list: https://lnkd.in/gN2CCsv3 Picture: Beth Gendler and I at the Minnesota State Capitol during our #MJWMN days! #NissaConsulting #NonprofitAdvocacy #SocialImpact #MuslimLedNonprofits #StrategicLeadership

Inseparable just published the playbook for winning mental health policy. It's free. And it's the training most advocates need. They've passed 100+ policies since 2020. Six free therapy sessions for every young person in Colorado. A mental health coordinator in every Alabama school district. A $300 million mental health fund in Montana. Those wins were not luck. They were campaigns. The Win Workshop guide breaks down how they did it. Here's what aspiring champions need to know: 1/ Research is a planning tool, not a predictor ↳ Use it to find where voters already are ↳ Use it to name your messenger ↳ Never use it as an excuse to quit 2/ Every message answers three questions ↳ How do you define the problem? ↳ Why are YOU the solution? ↳ What is the choice for your audience? 3/ Coalitions are miserable and mandatory ↳ Getting people to agree takes time most of us don't want to spend ↳ Without one, your win gets rolled back ↳ Build infrastructure, not just a campaign The hard truth running through all of it: wins can be reversed. You are not building a moment. You are building durable power. If you care about mental health and you have ever wanted to do more than post about it, this is where you start. The guide and full video lessons are free. https://lnkd.in/gNA6njXp ================== ⁉️ Which part of campaigning do most advocates skip? ♻️ Repost to put this in front of one future mental health champion. 👉 Follow me (Eric Arzubi, MD).

I once sat before an interview panel made up of many professionals except Communications yet they were recruiting a Communications Specialist. Considering how diverse Communications is as a field, I found it to be very strange. As the interview progressed, they asked me how I would run a campaign. I explained the process. They asked again, “But how would you do it?” I went deeper. They asked again. That was the moment I realized we were not speaking the same professional language. Communication does not operate in a vacuum. It is not an isolated activity that exists outside institutional strategy. It is an enabling function. It translates organisational mandate into meaning. It supports programme objectives. It protects reputation. It strengthens stakeholder trust. It does not manufacture purpose; it amplifies it. When someone says, “Run a campaign,” my first response is not tactics. It is diagnosis. What kind of campaign? An awareness campaign? An advocacy campaign? A behaviour change intervention? A reputation management exercise? Why a campaign? What institutional objective does it serve? Which stakeholder segment are we prioritising? What problem are we solving? What behaviour are we seeking to influence? What perception are we trying to shift? Only after that do we talk about channels, messaging frameworks, media mix, budget allocation, KPIs, baseline data and evaluation methodology. Measurement also depends on intent. Awareness is measured differently from behavioural change. Advocacy is assessed differently from brand visibility. Impressions are not the same as impact. Activity is not the same as outcome. Communication strategy must align with organisational strategy. It may have its own tactical roadmap, but it derives legitimacy from institutional goals. As the saying goes, “If you do not know where you are going, any road will take you there.” If you are hiring a communications professional, include communication expertise in the room to ensure strategic clarity. Campaigns are not events. They are structured interventions designed to move something measurable. Before running one, first agree on why.