Campaigns to End Violence against Women and Girls - Virtual ...

- Milestones, i.e. specific moments in the planned set of activities that mark the
completion of a major step. For example, in an institutional fundraising strategy, key
milestones could be: (i) at least “X” potential donors are identified, (ii) fundraising
proposals are sent to a sufficient number of donors to cover at least “Y” percent of
the campaign budget, (iii) “Z” percent of campaign budget is secured through
approved donor grants.
- An assessment of potential barriers to implementing the actions, including risks
and risk management.
- Monitoring arrangements. Milestones show progress in activities, but it is also
necessary to monitor broader outcomes the campaign contributes to, and external
developments. For example, in a media strategy, it is advisable to monitor (i)
campaign activities and media coverage prompted by these activities, as well as (ii)
other coverage on the issue that is not an outcome of the campaign, for timely
identification of new opportunities and threats.
- “What if?” Plans don’t necessarily work out as planned. For example, the
institutional fundraising plan may fail if donors do not provide any grants. Be
prepared by including a contingency plan to guide you through adverse situations.
For example, the contingency plan should outline the steps to be taken if no donor
grants materialize – will you suspend the campaign, postpone and re-design it, or
cancel it altogether? What action will need to be taken for each of the three options?
Source: adapted from Cohen et al., 2001. Advocacy for Social Justice: A Global Action
and Reflection Guide.
5.5 MONITORING – KEY ISSUES
Monitoring is the continuous process of systematic collection of data and information to
stay informed of campaign activities, their outcomes, and the degree to which campaign
goals and objectives are being met. Monitoring the broader environment helps to
recognize new opportunities – or threats that may jeopardize campaign activities and
outcomes. Monitoring is essential to verify, at regular intervals, whether the campaign
progresses as planned and whether context changes call for adjustments, e.g. different
tactics. It is a key part of effective management and therefore needs to be a prominent
item in campaign planning. See also When to Adjust a Campaign.
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Campaigns December 2011