Mission-based Advocacy Toolkit from Alliance for Children & Families

Welcome to “mission-based advocacy.” This toolkit is designed to take the kind of
information we all learn about our role as members of a democracy – from that first 7th
grade social studies class to the most recent election – and reconsider it through our very
special lens as people with a “mission,” not just a “job.”
It’s a truism, even if we don’t often stop to think about it, that having a mission is rather
special. On one level it is a job like any other - a task, the way we support ourselves and
our family, the work we do for pay. But even those who take a job in a non-profit to
support themselves and their families, being part of a mission-driven organization has
the added element of being part of something bigger: an effort with ideals, that carries
out its work based on certain values. That affects the way we treat one another in the
workplace, as well as how we treat those who come for help.
So while it is true that much of the basic information about policy advocacy is the same
for everyone, it is also true that mission-based advocacy has special attributes. It rests on
certain values – values that inform our work and inspire our efforts.
• Civic engagement: It seeks to enrich and celebrate American democracy by
bringing the experience of Board members, volunteers, service providers and
served alike to the attention of policy makers and elected officials.
• Empowerment: It seeks to involve those directly affected - offering advocacy
with, and not merely for, those we serve.
• Community-building: It seeks to build bridges between those in need, those with
energy and resources, and those in decision-making roles.
• Community education: It seeks to educate the broader community about societal
problems – changing public attitudes, challenging stereotypes, reducing prejudice,
promoting informed public policy.
• Public Interest: It seeks to serve the broader community, working for the common
good as well as the good of individuals and families.
• Social Change: Because it seeks to meet immediate needs while also addressing
root causes, it begins with individuals and families, includes agency capacitybuilding,
and works at the same time for constructive social change.
The information that follows is intended to help your agency, members of your board of
directors, and your volunteers think differently about their advocacy roles, so they can be
more effective voices for and with those we serve. And to allay any fears that this is not
an appropriate (or legal) activity, the appendix includes useful references to the rules that
govern advocacy and lobbying.
This toolkit begins with a brief reminder of how government is organized and our laws
are made (PART I), and then is organized in two additional PARTS. PART II offers
thoughts for dealing with the barriers identified by Alliance focus group participants in
the first part of the Building Community Voices project. PART III then offers some
© January 2006 The Alliance for Children and Families vii
Introduction