Grassroots
Advocacy
defined as
public pressure
- most often directed to our elected
representatives -
for the purpose of affecting needed changes in policy
that affects our lives.
Guidelines for Effective Grassroots Advocacy
Your issue must resonate with the public.
- Thus, success will require education - for example raising
awareness of consequences of inaction, short- and long-term.
Our issue requires validation by experts in the
field, such as environmental experts and independent
scientists.
We should try to anticipate and answer opposing
arguments proactively. Use Blogs, Op Ed.
It's vital to maintain our credibility. To document what
we say, and know what we don’t know.
It's important to be both respectful and persistent, even with your opponent.
Radical action / poor language / being wrong can cause
valuable allies to abandon us.
A petition that shows a sizable % of voters favoring your
position provides evidence that you have a public consensus.
(Describe also your survey methods.)
Many small actions (calls, letters) are essential … add
up. This is the primary mechanism by which change is
achieved. This is how our representatives measure public
concern (and his or her chances for re-election). Even the best arguments require this kind of
support.
We must make it easy for our supporters to communicate
their concerns in
different ways to different groups (media, Op Ed, directly
to representatives, regulatory agencies, experts,
related non-profits).
- Providing accessible form letters, addresses,
websites, phone numbers, email , signs …
- Providing talking points and references to evidence that
supports our issue.
It's important also to arrange face-to-face conferences with leaders and
representatives – phone calls, letters and emails alone can easily be
discounted in our busy world.
We must be prepared and provide concise arguments,
emphasizing the benefits or action and the consequences of
inaction
We must be clear about what we want to achieve, what
we're asking for - and why.
Ask for Help! Network. Call. Meet. Form coalitions!
Give credit to those who help you.
Create a website to document and publish our concerns,
findings - a central place to refer people to, and tell
people how to help. |
Current Project: Create an
action-oriented coalition of leaders and residents of Bucks
County, PA dedicated to the mission of preserving and
restoring our endangered natural resources.
Click
icon above to join
Bucks-Environment
MISSION of Bucks-Environment group: To
more easily share information related to community efforts
to preserve and restore the natural resources of Bucks
County, PA - our steams, water supply, habitat, and historic
character.
Membership is for any resident of Bucks County with an
interest, but particularly the leaders of Environmental
groups - such as Watershed Associations are encouraged to
use this venue to inform members, residents and other
organizations about grassroots activities or to share
information.
Assumption: The only potential remedy to
corporation-dictated-environmental-policy is to create an
organized, grassroots coalition, capable of mobilizing the
community to call and write in high numbers to effect policy
decisions.
FEATURES
- Members can post message to group by addressing email to
Bucks-Environment@yahoogroups.com
- Posts are NOT searchable on the web.
- Please use for expressed purpose only (avoid chatting).
Karl Schwartz (moderator)
(vice chair,
www.sbulu.org )
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