Gene Svebakken, President and CEO of Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois and Lisa Carr, Senior Director of Public Policy for LSA
Quick Advocacy Checklist
Lutheran social ministry organizations are involved in many different types of advocacy. Walking a child through the foster care system, assisting an older adult to find home health care services, or attending to the needs of a refugee family are examples of this person-centered advocacy. Some organizations advocate with the general public to raise awareness or to change attitudes or behaviors. Other advocates may speak out on a particular public policy issue. This type of advocacy, whether conducted in the halls of Congress, at the state capitol, or before the local zoning board, seeks to influence laws, regulations, and other public policies on behalf of many people.
There are three components to a successful public policy advocacy program: structure, relationships, and action. Creating a structure establishes an ongoing advocacy program for public policy. Developing ongoing relationships with key policymakers, community leaders, and grassroots and grasstops advocates is critical. Finally, action is needed to put the structure and relationships to work.
Click here for a beginning checklist for public policy advocacy.
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For more detailed help with advocacy, order our Public Policy Advocacy Toolkit (pdf, 495kb).
