Government regulations and laws can have a significant and powerful impact on local communities and the organizations that serve them. For example, governmental policies can impact a person's ability to start a new business, access social services and benefits, or even safely play outside. Few organizations have a better understanding of the challenges that communities face than nonprofits and community organizations. Because of this, nonprofits and community organizations can play a vital role in influencing policies like these through policy advocacy.
Policy advocacy refers to a wide range of activities that seek to influence decision makers to affect policy change or action. Policy advocacy includes traditional activities such as litigation, lobbying, and public education, and more non-traditional activities like relationship building, networking, and leadership development.
This workshop will provide participants with the steps for building a policy advocacy framework, implementing the process, and continuing to advocate for the needs of the
community. Participants will learn the who, what, when, and where of accessing policy makers, as well as map specific opportunities for connecting and engaging policy makers.
Using participatory and collaborative approaches, participant-stakeholders will:
- Identify policy advocacy best practices;
- Learn strategies to connect action to policy makers; and
- Design a managed process for opportunities to engage policy makers.
The workshop will be facilitated by Community Marketing Concepts and UpLift Solutions. Funding is provided in part by the Campbell's Healthy Communities Initiative.
Registration and breakfast will begin at 8:30AM. Lunch will be provided.