Advocacy = Development
What does advocacy have to do with development? More importantly, how can your advocacy work help increase donations? Advocacy work is exciting! It is mission driven and passion driven. Advocacy work is the core of your work, and is why most of your supporters are involved. It speaks from and to the heart.
You know too, that one of the most effective ways to see individual gifts increase is to get your donors involved in your work. Volunteering at the front desk is great. Staffing an event registration table is important; however, I’ve never had volunteers rush up to me, with tears in eyes, to thank me for letting them register guests H through K! But teach you supporters and donors to advocate on your clients’ behalf, ask them to speak at a city council meeting or in front of a community group, organize a non-partisan candidate forum, or direct a letter writing campaign, and you’ll see support and passion you didn’t know existed.
Raising restricted funds for an advocacy/lobbying effort is a relatively easy sell. You’re raising money for mission and for heart. You’re giving your supporters a strong voice speaking to the core of your work. Get them involved and donations will follow.
Activists may say they don’t “have the money to make a gift.” Put together an online advocacy campaign. Ask them to send an email to their legislator or city council. According to the eNonprofit Bank Benchmark Study: Connecting an advocacy initiative with an on line ask can yield up to a seven-fold increase in giving. Tie this email campaign to a social media campaign that allows supporters to participate in online discussions and you’ll see an even greater return. Use social media to highlight an “activist of the week.”
You do advocacy everyday, even if you’re don’t call it advocacy. You work incredibly hard to make your world a better place. Bring others in to help you in your advocacy work; you will allow your supporter/donors to connect their hearts to your mission, and you will raise much needed money doing it!
For more information, call us at 562-618-0853