Advocacy Toolkit

My District Data

PolicyMap and Citi Community Development launched of My District Data, an interactive web-based tool that offers a simple yet powerful way to examine the state of every Congressional district based on economic, employment, financial, educational and housing conditions through a series of on-demand reports.

Developed for legislators and their advisers, as well as community groups and local residents, the free tool aggregates a range of data — for the first time broken down to match the irregular borders of Congressional districts — to present a district snapshot intended to inform smart policy-making.

 

Resources from CAMEO

• Find your California State Legislators
• Guide to Meeting with Legislators
• District Meeting How-to Webinar
• Five Rules for Effective Advocacy
• Advocating by Letter
• CAMEO Brochure
• Talking points:
  • California Micro-business Means Business
  • California Micro-business Fact Sheet shows the important role micro businesses play in California’s economy and job creation prepared by AEO.
  • Visit the Communications Resource page for more talking points

Lobbying – Just Do It (Legally)

Presents information on lobbying rules for charities and foundations. You can listen and download the PowerPoint (you may have to register).

• What is Lobbying?
• Permissible Lobbying Activities
• Electing the 501(h) Expenditure Test

Learn more at the following archived webinar: Do’s and Don’ts for Non-Profits in an Election Year.

(Thanks to the Independent Sector for these resources.)

 

Other Advocacy Tools

Results is devoted to ending poverty and has built a really good set of advocacy tools that can be applied to almost any issue.

In a similar vein, the Half in Ten Campaign from the Center for American Progress. has a great compilation and step by step guide on how to run an advocacy campaign. It’s geared to poverty, but starting on page 19 has steps that can apply to any campaign.