Mission-based Advocacy Toolkit from Alliance for Children & Families

Part II: Addressing Common Barriers
on the topic; include the notion in Site Visits and other contacts with decision-makers;
make education on the notion part of all goals – short and long-term.
BARRIER 2: Changes in Funding Strategies
Focus group participants cited changes in funding strategies, particularly from United
Way, that reduce support for advocacy. In the past, unrestricted United Way funds could
be used to support advocacy. Now, increasingly, they must be directed to priorities set by
United Way and tracked by measurable outcomes – something hard for policy advocacy
efforts to do.
There is no magic bullet for penetrating this barrier, but there may be some consolation
in knowing that the United Way – a strong proponent - acknowledges the difficulty of
applying “outcomes measurement” to advocacy (see Barrier 4). That said, there are a
few practical steps you can take to help move your agency in a useful direction.
Easy: If you don’t already, include in every grant application a request that others
“invest in your mission” by (insert your specific request).
Identify the specific components of your advocacy activities that are appealing to
funders. For example, community education is a widely accepted form of advocacy, and
an essential element of mission-based advocacy. It is how we help others to understand
what agency clients are facing, how we confront stereotypes, and promote informed
public policy. Similarly, helping individual children and families obtain the services they
need is case advocacy, and central to the Alliance mission. Labeling these as the
advocacy activities they are can help open a dialogue with funders about advocacy – and
may offer opportunities to build in support for other forms of advocacy in your grant
applications.
Tap higher education resources in your community. Ask faculty at a local university or
community college (e.g., someone teaching a non-profit management course or business
class) to have students calculate the “ROI” (Return On Investment) of resources
committed to policy advocacy, and the “multiplier effect” of human services dollars that
come into a community thanks to public policy advocacy. Use both in explaining the
effectiveness of advocacy work to potential donors – including the United Way. Along
the way, the students will become better informed about the role non-profits play in local
economies, and you will have a credible document to use with legislators and donors
alike.
Graduate students in professional schools (e.g., child development, nursing, public
health, public affairs, social work) often do theses or major projects. With a little
guidance, they might develop a plan for increasing the involvement of your board and
volunteers in a long-term public policy objective – like expanding child health coverage
or a community’s stock of affordable housing, or provide background papers for a
mission-related strategy you’re embarking on. Since students in these fields tend to
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© January 2006 The Alliance for Children and Families