What are the best practices for nonprofit program development in relation to program advocacy and policy?

1 Assess the environment

Before engaging in program advocacy and policy, nonprofits need to assess the external and internal environment that affects their work. This includes analyzing the political, social, economic, and cultural factors that shape the problem they are addressing, the opportunities and challenges they face, and the stakeholders they need to engage with. Nonprofits also need to assess their own capacity, resources, strengths, and weaknesses, as well as their alignment with their mission and values. A comprehensive and realistic assessment can help nonprofits identify their goals, strategies, and indicators for program advocacy and policy.

2 Define the message

Nonprofits need to define a clear and compelling message that communicates their vision, values, and solutions for program advocacy and policy. The message should be tailored to the specific audience, context, and channel of communication, and should use evidence, stories, and emotions to persuade and inspire. Nonprofits should also anticipate and address potential objections, questions, and counterarguments from their opponents or critics. A well-defined message can help nonprofits build trust, credibility, and support for their program advocacy and policy.

4 Monitor and evaluate

Nonprofits need to monitor and evaluate their program advocacy and policy efforts to measure their progress, impact, and learning. This includes defining and tracking the short-term, intermediate, and long-term outcomes and indicators that reflect their goals, strategies, and assumptions. Nonprofits should also collect and analyze data and evidence from various sources and methods, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, media coverage, social media analytics, and policy documents. A systematic and rigorous monitoring and evaluation can help nonprofits demonstrate their accountability, effectiveness, and value for program advocacy and policy.

5 Adapt and innovate

Nonprofits need to adapt and innovate their program advocacy and policy approaches to respond to the changing environment, feedback, and results. This includes reviewing and revising their goals, strategies, and indicators based on their monitoring and evaluation findings, as well as their external and internal assessment. Nonprofits should also seek and embrace new ideas, perspectives, and opportunities for program advocacy and policy, and experiment with different tactics, tools, and platforms. A flexible and creative adaptation and innovation can help nonprofits improve their relevance, resilience, and influence for program advocacy and policy.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?