Advocacy to WinResearching the gap between how we
mobilize and what it takes to win
Shayna Englin Stefan Hankin
300 – 2,0000
82%
44%
Advocacy: What Works?
• Research:– Advocates Survey: what is the advocacy
experience like? What seems effective? How do advocates plug in?
– Senior Hill Staff Interviews: what does effective advocacy look like from the inside? Who has power? Best practices for breaking through?
• Question: How can we bridge any gaps between advocacy and influencing policy?
2011
• In-depth-interviews with senior Hill staff on a specific legislative issue: what and who is influential?
• Focus groups among active, informed suburban voters: issue-oriented, insight into advocacy was accidental
2011 - Findings
• Posted: englin.net/greatdisconnect
• [Progressive] advocacy asks not well aligned with policy process
• Advocates well-trained, and trained badly
2012 – Documenting the Gap
• Senior Hill Staff interviews: expand breadth and depth of information about what’s influential
• Advocates survey: expand breadth and depth of understanding of the advocacy experience
Who’s Involved?Research leads: Media partner:
Research Partners:
Logistics: Surveys
• All survey responses are anonymous.• No list transfers.• Only aggregate survey data will be released
publicly– No sharing across organizations– No organization-identified data released publicly
• Org-specific analysis provided to orgs only
Logistics: Hill Interviews
• No organizational or advocate survey data will be shared with Hill staff except as released publicly in aggregate.
• Hill interviews will be anonymous – no attributed commentary without express permission from Hill staff.
• Hill interviews will not be issue-specific.
So what?
• Civic duty: stop cultivating cynicism• Better advocacy when advocacy isn’t about list-
building for fundraising• Practical to-dos– Integrated campaigning that works– Polling for communication– Social media engagement
• Better decision-making around investments in tools
Information Opportunities
• Most organizations know very little about how their advocates experience advocacy.
• Invest in real information about what moves decision-makers on your issue.