Grassroots advocacy can provide the authentic voice that lobbyists need to strengthen their case, bring public attention to an issue that could otherwise remain "in the back rooms" of policymaking, and redefine the policy debate by providing our allies with grassroots backing and support.
The cornerstone of good grassroots advocacy is building and demonstrating grassroots power around specific issues, which can then be used to exert pressure on decision-makers who have influence on those issues.
Grassroots advocacy requires:
If you supply the passion, we will supply you with the tools, tactics, targets, and message.
Myths About Grassroots Advocacy
Grassroots advocates are often slowed by two common myths:
MYTH #1: Grassroots advocates must fully follow and understand the details of complex legislative processes in order to be effective.
MYTH #2: It takes hundreds or thousands of people taking action in order to get a legislator's attention.
REALITY #1: You don't have to be an expert. In fact, while it's helpful to understand the basic steps that policymaking follows, good grassroots advocates shouldn't try to become professional lobbyists. Lobbyists can help grassroots groups with important steps in the process, but if you don't have access to a professional lobbyist, you can still build an effective grassroots operation, because you know everything you need to know:
Grassroots advocacy is all about sharing those basic points with the people who represent you.
REALITY #2: Collective action by even five people can get the attention of elected officials, depending on the timing, context, and nature of the contact. The truth is that elected officials don't often hear directly from their constituents, so if you generate a few personal contacts that are effectively planned and if you maintain those contacts, you will set yourself, your views, and your cause apart.
Tactics
Grassroots advocates can exert pressure in a variety of ways, depending on the risks you want to take, the resources you have available, and the dynamics of the issue. Even with more traditional tactics, you can put a creative spin on the issue that will help separate your effort from the rest.
Some effective tactics include:
You will find "how to" guides on each for these topics elsewhere in GAA's Action Toolkit.
Choosing Tactics
When selecting which mobilizing activities you will undertake, it is important to strike a balance between tactics and grassroots resources. A general rule of thumb is that the more personal the tactic is, the greater impact it will have-and thus the fewer people you need in order to demonstrate grassroots power.
For example, a generic postcard campaign in which volunteer advocates simply stamp and sign a pre-printed message and mail it to their legislator will be recognized as generic and orchestrated. Therefore, you will need to generate a very high number of them to get on the decision-maker's "radar screen."
Conversely, a personal visit in a legislator's home district with five constituents who tell their personal story about the issue has a very high impact, and requires fewer grassroots advocates.
Keep these tips in mind when deciding which tactics to use in your grassroots advocacy campaign:
1. Dominate something. Concentrate on a single action over a relatively short period of time to concentrate its potency. For example, organize calls to your Representatives over a two-day period. Fifty calls in two days will have more impact than 10 calls per day over five days.
2. Do a few things well rather than many things poorly.
3. The more personal the strategy, the fewer volunteer advocates you need to make it effective
4. Force multiply. Find ways to leverage your existing volunteer advocates to recruit new advocates.
5. Keep recruiting. Keep a laser focus on building, sustaining, and expanding your base.
6. Follow up. Select strategies and tactics that lend themselves to reporting results to volunteer advocates.
By building and exerting grassroots pressure on decision-makers, you can help influence policy and at the same demonstrate that there is an engaged constituency holding them accountable for concrete results. Elected officials who know that there is a vocal constituency paying attention to specific issues will be concerned about how that constituency will vote the next time they're up for re-election. This is precisely how grassroots advocacy and electoral politics can work together.
