Letting Your Light Shine: Grassroots Advocacy for Health Organizations Jeff Graham, Senior Director of Advocacy & Communications (404) Jeff Graham, Senior Director of Advocacy & Communications (404)

Why Advocacy Treating the Symptom or Curing the Disease - facilitating health Treating the Symptom or Curing the Disease - facilitating health Structural Interventions - proven field of public health Structural Interventions - proven field of public health Society and Community Responsibility - specific IRS guidelines to encourage activity Society and Community Responsibility - specific IRS guidelines to encourage activity Treating the Symptom or Curing the Disease - facilitating health Treating the Symptom or Curing the Disease - facilitating health Structural Interventions - proven field of public health Structural Interventions - proven field of public health Society and Community Responsibility - specific IRS guidelines to encourage activity Society and Community Responsibility - specific IRS guidelines to encourage activity

Why is it Important It is how to effect changes in policies and funding That effect your agency That effect your agency That impact your issue That impact your issue That influence the non-profit sector That influence the non-profit sector It is how to effect changes in policies and funding That effect your agency That effect your agency That impact your issue That impact your issue That influence the non-profit sector That influence the non-profit sector

What is Advocacy? Ad-vo-ca-cy ( ăd ' v ə -k ə -sē ) n.The act of pleading or arguing in favor of something, such as a cause, idea, or policy; active support. Advocacy = Democracy Ad-vo-ca-cy ( ăd ' v ə -k ə -sē ) n.The act of pleading or arguing in favor of something, such as a cause, idea, or policy; active support. Advocacy = Democracy

What is Advocacy? “Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure… There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same… As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others!” - Marianne Williams “Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure… There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same… As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others!” - Marianne Williams

Grassroots Basics Buy-in, capacity and awareness throughout organization Board Board Management Management Staff Staff Volunteers & Donors Volunteers & Donors Most Importantly of All… Your Clients Most Importantly of All… Your Clients Buy-in, capacity and awareness throughout organization Board Board Management Management Staff Staff Volunteers & Donors Volunteers & Donors Most Importantly of All… Your Clients Most Importantly of All… Your Clients

You can even be a Lobbyist! Know what you can and can’t do - it’s probably more than you think Know what you can and can’t do - it’s probably more than you think Alliance for Justice Online Training NPActionhttp:// Know what you can and can’t do - it’s probably more than you think Know what you can and can’t do - it’s probably more than you think Alliance for Justice Online Training NPActionhttp://

Strength in numbers Join an existing coalition or form one of your own Georgia Rural Urban Summit GA-CURB Join an existing coalition or form one of your own Georgia Rural Urban Summit GA-CURB

Additional Resources Background issues for agencies and funders Advocacy Institute “Justice Begins at Home” 2000 study of opportunities and barriers to effective nonprofit advocacy Background issues for agencies and funders Advocacy Institute “Justice Begins at Home” 2000 study of opportunities and barriers to effective nonprofit advocacy

Tools to get you started NPAction and Advocacy Institute Leadership Assessment Meaning and Actions of Advocacy NPAction and Advocacy Institute Leadership Assessment Meaning and Actions of Advocacy

Positive Action Network 2 formal classes over 18 months 38 graduates 85% people living with HIV 90% African American 12 community trainings over 3 yrs Columbus, Macon, Savannah, Gainesville, Augusta 2 formal classes over 18 months 38 graduates 85% people living with HIV 90% African American 12 community trainings over 3 yrs Columbus, Macon, Savannah, Gainesville, Augusta

Teaching Advanced Skills Funding, Legislation, Policy Funding, Legislation, Policy Connecting personal experience to community need Connecting personal experience to community need Serving on behalf of the community Serving on behalf of the community Funding, Legislation, Policy Funding, Legislation, Policy Connecting personal experience to community need Connecting personal experience to community need Serving on behalf of the community Serving on behalf of the community

Graduate Accomplishments Service on state and local advisory and planning councils, many in leadership positions Service on state and local advisory and planning councils, many in leadership positions Appointment to local and national boards of directors Appointment to local and national boards of directors Employment, Awards, Recognition Employment, Awards, Recognition Service on state and local advisory and planning councils, many in leadership positions Service on state and local advisory and planning councils, many in leadership positions Appointment to local and national boards of directors Appointment to local and national boards of directors Employment, Awards, Recognition Employment, Awards, Recognition

Other Advocacy projects Georgia ADAP Campaign Georgia ADAP Campaign $300,000 in 1998 $300,000 in 1998 $12 million today $12 million today Expanding AIDS Housing Expanding AIDS Housing Working with neighborhood associations Working with neighborhood associations Working with adminstrative and elected officials Working with adminstrative and elected officials Federal Funding for HIV/AIDS Federal Funding for HIV/AIDS Held “flat” since 2000 Held “flat” since 2000 Awareness of Global Pandemic Awareness of Global Pandemic Georgia ADAP Campaign Georgia ADAP Campaign $300,000 in 1998 $300,000 in 1998 $12 million today $12 million today Expanding AIDS Housing Expanding AIDS Housing Working with neighborhood associations Working with neighborhood associations Working with adminstrative and elected officials Working with adminstrative and elected officials Federal Funding for HIV/AIDS Federal Funding for HIV/AIDS Held “flat” since 2000 Held “flat” since 2000 Awareness of Global Pandemic Awareness of Global Pandemic