Programme overview
Introduction:
Non-profit advocacy and policy engagement, built on evidence, coalitions and campaigns, is the subject of this 5-day course for non-profit leaders, programme managers and advocacy officers, who produce an Advocacy Strategy and Campaign Plan for a case non-profit. Charities often see the policy gaps that harm their beneficiaries first, yet raise them through isolated letters, anecdotes or one-off media appeals that decision-makers cannot act on. Nominees already manage programmes or speak for their organisation, and they work through case studies built on realistic social policy files. CoreConcept Training Center delivers this non-profit advocacy course.
Course Objectives:
- Select advocacy issues and policy asks that fit the organisation's mission, evidence and chance of success, and separate advocacy from lobbying and campaigning
- Build an advocacy theory of change and influence map that identify decision-makers, allies and policy windows for a social policy ask
- Assemble evidence packs and policy briefs from programme data and beneficiary testimony that ministries and Shura committees can act on
- Form and govern charity coalitions with shared asks, decision rules, credit sharing and exit terms
- Design public advocacy campaigns with narratives, messengers and supporter mobilisation that remain constructive and protect beneficiaries
- Evaluate the contribution of advocacy work using interim outcomes, outcome harvesting, contribution analysis and policymaker ratings
Target Audience:
- Leaders of charities, associations and foundations who set the organisation's policy positions
- Programme managers responsible for turning service data and field experience into policy recommendations
- Advocacy and policy officers responsible for preparing briefs and engaging officials on behalf of their organisation
- Communication and campaign managers in non-profits who run public awareness and supporter campaigns
- Network and coalition coordinators who convene member organisations around shared policy asks
- Monitoring and evaluation managers who report the results of advocacy work to boards and funders
Course Outline:
Day 1: Advocacy Foundations and the Civil Society Influence Landscape
- Advocacy, Lobbying and Public Campaigning Boundaries for Charities
- Insider and Outsider Advocacy Strategies for Civil Society Organisations
- Policy, Budget, Bureaucratic and Media Advocacy Types Compared
- Issue Selection Matrix Weighing Mission Fit and Winnability
- Advocacy Capacity Self-Assessment for the Participant's Organisation
Day 2: Advocacy Frameworks, Theory of Change and Influence Mapping
- Advocacy Theory of Change Linking Asks to Policy Shifts
- Keck and Sikkink Information, Symbolic, Leverage and Accountability Tactics
- Decision-Maker Influence Map of Champions, Swing Voices and Opponents
- Policy Window Tracking Through Consultation and Budget Cycles
- Advocacy Progress Planner Goals, Benchmarks and Interim Outcomes
Day 3: Evidence Packs, Policy Briefs and Engagement With Decision-Makers
- Evidence Pack Built From Programme Data and Beneficiary Testimony
- Short Policy Brief With Costed Recommendation and Specific Ask
- Ministry Engagement Sequence From Technical Staff to Leadership
- Shura and Consultative Committee Submission and Hearing Preparation
- Beneficiary Voice Ethics, Informed Consent and Safe Storytelling Protocol
Day 4: Coalitions, Public Campaigns and Advocacy Evaluation Risks
- Charity Coalition Charter Covering Shared Asks, Credit and Exit
- Public Advocacy Campaign Narrative, Messenger Choice and Call to Action
- Supporter Mobilisation Ladder From Petition Signers to Spokespeople
- Contribution Analysis and Bellwether Interviews for Advocacy Evaluation
- Advocacy Risk Review Covering Reputation, Funder Relations and Neutrality
Day 5: Case Study: Advocacy Strategy and Campaign Plan
- Case Non-Profit File on a Disability Employment Policy Gap
- Case Influence Map and Theory of Change Using Day 2 Tools
- Case Evidence Pack and Policy Brief Drafted for Ministry Review
- Advocacy Measurement Plan Using Outcome Harvesting and Policymaker Ratings
- Advocacy Strategy and Campaign Plan Completion and Panel Defence
Skills You Will Gain:
- Advocacy Issue Prioritisation
- Influence Mapping
- Advocacy Theory of Change Design
- Evidence Pack Assembly
- Policy Brief Drafting
- Coalition Governance
- Supporter Mobilisation
- Advocacy Contribution Evaluation
Why Attend This Course:
- Deliver an Advocacy Strategy and Campaign Plan for a case non-profit to the board, the executive director and coalition partners
- Decide which policy asks to pursue, with which allies, and whether through quiet official engagement or a public campaign
- Avoid reputational damage, funder friction and harm to beneficiaries caused by unprepared campaigns or unconsented personal stories
- Share the influence map, evidence pack template, coalition charter and measurement plan with programme and communication colleagues
Conclusion:
Back at work, the participant presents the Advocacy Strategy and Campaign Plan to the board and executive director, who use it to approve the organisation's policy asks, the allies it will work with and the balance between official engagement and public campaigning. Programme teams feed the evidence pack, and partner organisations sign the coalition charter. After the first engagement round with a ministry or committee, the organisation should review which interim outcomes moved, how officials rated the evidence and whether the coalition kept one shared voice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
What should participants prepare before the non-profit advocacy and policy engagement course?
Participants should know their organisation's mission, programmes and the beneficiaries it serves, and ideally bring one social policy issue their organisation cares about. Prior advocacy experience is not required, but familiarity with programme reports and basic service data helps with the evidence pack exercises.
How does non-profit advocacy and policy engagement differ from government relations or public policy analysis courses?
Non-profit advocacy and policy engagement looks at policy from the civil society side, using beneficiary evidence, coalitions and public support to seek change. Government relations courses serve companies managing regulators, and public policy analysis courses train officials who design and appraise policy inside government.
How can non-profit advocacy and policy engagement stay constructive with decision-makers?
Constructive advocacy rests on credible evidence, specific and costed asks, early engagement with technical staff and respect for official processes. Campaigns support, rather than replace, dialogue with ministries and committees, and coalitions agree in advance on tone, messengers and when to go public.
What do participants take back from the non-profit advocacy and policy engagement course?
Participants take back an Advocacy Strategy and Campaign Plan for a case non-profit, with an influence map, theory of change, evidence pack and policy brief template, coalition charter and an advocacy measurement plan they can adapt to their own organisation's policy issues.