Letting Your Light Shine:
Grassroots Advocacy for Health
Organizations
Letting Your Light Shine:
Grassroots Advocacy for Health
Organizations
Jeff Graham, Jeff Graham, Senior Director ofSenior Director of
Advocacy & CommunicationsAdvocacy & Communications(404) 874-7926(404) 874-7926
[email protected]@aidssurvivalproject.org
Jeff Graham, Jeff Graham, Senior Director ofSenior Director of
Advocacy & CommunicationsAdvocacy & Communications(404) 874-7926(404) 874-7926
[email protected]@aidssurvivalproject.org
Why AdvocacyWhy Advocacy
Treating the Symptom or Curing the Disease Treating the Symptom or Curing the Disease - facilitating health- facilitating health
Structural Interventions - proven field of Structural Interventions - proven field of public healthpublic health
Society and Community Responsibility - Society and Community Responsibility - specific IRS guidelines to encourage activityspecific IRS guidelines to encourage activity
Treating the Symptom or Curing the Disease Treating the Symptom or Curing the Disease - facilitating health- facilitating health
Structural Interventions - proven field of Structural Interventions - proven field of public healthpublic health
Society and Community Responsibility - Society and Community Responsibility - specific IRS guidelines to encourage activityspecific IRS guidelines to encourage activity
Why is it ImportantWhy is it Important
It is how to effect changes in policies and It is how to effect changes in policies and fundingfunding
• • That effect your agencyThat effect your agency• • That impact your issueThat impact your issue• • That influence the non-profit sectorThat influence the non-profit sector
It is how to effect changes in policies and It is how to effect changes in policies and fundingfunding
• • That effect your agencyThat effect your agency• • That impact your issueThat impact your issue• • That influence the non-profit sectorThat influence the non-profit sector
What is Advocacy?What is Advocacy?
Ad-vo-ca-cy (ăd'və-kə-sē) n.The act of pleading or arguing in favor of something, such as a cause, idea, or policy; active support.
Advocacy = Democracy
Ad-vo-ca-cy (ăd'və-kə-sē) n.The act of pleading or arguing in favor of something, such as a cause, idea, or policy; active support.
Advocacy = Democracy
What is Advocacy?What is Advocacy?
“Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure
around you. As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same…
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others!”
- Marianne Williams
“Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure
around you. As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same…
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others!”
- Marianne Williams
Grassroots BasicsGrassroots Basics
Buy-in, capacity and awareness Buy-in, capacity and awareness throughout organizationthroughout organization
BoardBoardManagementManagementStaffStaffVolunteers & DonorsVolunteers & DonorsMost Importantly of All… Your ClientsMost Importantly of All… Your Clients
Buy-in, capacity and awareness Buy-in, capacity and awareness throughout organizationthroughout organization
BoardBoardManagementManagementStaffStaffVolunteers & DonorsVolunteers & DonorsMost Importantly of All… Your ClientsMost Importantly of All… Your Clients
You can even be a Lobbyist!You can even be a Lobbyist!
Know what you can and can’t do - it’s Know what you can and can’t do - it’s probably more than you thinkprobably more than you think
Alliance for JusticeAlliance for Justicehttp://www.allianceforjustice.org
PublicationsPublicationsOnline TrainingOnline Training
NPActionNPActionhttp://www.npaction.org/article/archive/248http://www.npaction.org/article/archive/248
Know what you can and can’t do - it’s Know what you can and can’t do - it’s probably more than you thinkprobably more than you think
Alliance for JusticeAlliance for Justicehttp://www.allianceforjustice.org
PublicationsPublicationsOnline TrainingOnline Training
NPActionNPActionhttp://www.npaction.org/article/archive/248http://www.npaction.org/article/archive/248
Strength in numbersStrength in numbers
Join an existing coalition or form one of Join an existing coalition or form one of your ownyour own
Georgia Rural Urban SummitGeorgia Rural Urban Summit www.georgiasummit.org
GA-CURBwww.gacurb.org
Join an existing coalition or form one of Join an existing coalition or form one of your ownyour own
Georgia Rural Urban SummitGeorgia Rural Urban Summit www.georgiasummit.org
GA-CURBwww.gacurb.org
Additional ResourcesAdditional Resources
Background issues for agencies and fundersBackground issues for agencies and funders
Advocacy InstituteAdvocacy Institute““Justice Begins at Home” Justice Begins at Home” 2000 study of opportunities and 2000 study of opportunities and
barriers to effective nonprofit barriers to effective nonprofit advocacyadvocacy
http://www.advocacy.org/publications/index.htmhttp://www.advocacy.org/publications/index.htm
Background issues for agencies and fundersBackground issues for agencies and funders
Advocacy InstituteAdvocacy Institute““Justice Begins at Home” Justice Begins at Home” 2000 study of opportunities and 2000 study of opportunities and
barriers to effective nonprofit barriers to effective nonprofit advocacyadvocacy
http://www.advocacy.org/publications/index.htmhttp://www.advocacy.org/publications/index.htm
Tools to get you startedTools to get you started
NPAction and Advocacy InstituteNPAction and Advocacy Institute
Leadership AssessmentLeadership Assessmenthttp://www.advocacy.org/leadership/assess_leadership.htmhttp://www.advocacy.org/leadership/assess_leadership.htm
Meaning and Actions of AdvocacyMeaning and Actions of Advocacyhttp://www.npaction.org/article/articleview/77/1/225http://www.npaction.org/article/articleview/77/1/225
NPAction and Advocacy InstituteNPAction and Advocacy Institute
Leadership AssessmentLeadership Assessmenthttp://www.advocacy.org/leadership/assess_leadership.htmhttp://www.advocacy.org/leadership/assess_leadership.htm
Meaning and Actions of AdvocacyMeaning and Actions of Advocacyhttp://www.npaction.org/article/articleview/77/1/225http://www.npaction.org/article/articleview/77/1/225
Positive Action NetworkPositive Action Network
2 formal classes over 18 months2 formal classes over 18 months38 graduates38 graduates85% people living with HIV85% people living with HIV90% African American90% African American
12 community trainings over 3 yrs12 community trainings over 3 yrsColumbus, Macon, Savannah, Columbus, Macon, Savannah,
Gainesville, AugustaGainesville, Augusta
2 formal classes over 18 months2 formal classes over 18 months38 graduates38 graduates85% people living with HIV85% people living with HIV90% African American90% African American
12 community trainings over 3 yrs12 community trainings over 3 yrsColumbus, Macon, Savannah, Columbus, Macon, Savannah,
Gainesville, AugustaGainesville, Augusta
Teaching Advanced SkillsTeaching Advanced Skills
Funding, Legislation, PolicyFunding, Legislation, Policy
Connecting personal experience to Connecting personal experience to community needcommunity need
Serving on behalf of the communityServing on behalf of the community
Funding, Legislation, PolicyFunding, Legislation, Policy
Connecting personal experience to Connecting personal experience to community needcommunity need
Serving on behalf of the communityServing on behalf of the community
Graduate AccomplishmentsGraduate Accomplishments
Service on state and local advisory and Service on state and local advisory and planning councils, many in leadership planning councils, many in leadership positionspositions
Appointment to local and national Appointment to local and national boards of directorsboards of directors
Employment, Awards, RecognitionEmployment, Awards, Recognition
Service on state and local advisory and Service on state and local advisory and planning councils, many in leadership planning councils, many in leadership positionspositions
Appointment to local and national Appointment to local and national boards of directorsboards of directors
Employment, Awards, RecognitionEmployment, Awards, Recognition
Other Advocacy projectsOther Advocacy projects
Georgia ADAP CampaignGeorgia ADAP Campaign $300,000 in 1998$300,000 in 1998 $12 million today$12 million today
Expanding AIDS HousingExpanding AIDS Housing Working with neighborhood associationsWorking with neighborhood associations Working with adminstrative and elected officialsWorking with adminstrative and elected officials
Federal Funding for HIV/AIDSFederal Funding for HIV/AIDS Held “flat” since 2000Held “flat” since 2000 Awareness of Global PandemicAwareness of Global Pandemic
Georgia ADAP CampaignGeorgia ADAP Campaign $300,000 in 1998$300,000 in 1998 $12 million today$12 million today
Expanding AIDS HousingExpanding AIDS Housing Working with neighborhood associationsWorking with neighborhood associations Working with adminstrative and elected officialsWorking with adminstrative and elected officials
Federal Funding for HIV/AIDSFederal Funding for HIV/AIDS Held “flat” since 2000Held “flat” since 2000 Awareness of Global PandemicAwareness of Global Pandemic