THE ADVOCACY STRATEGY FRAMEWORK
The framework below can be used to illustrate any advocacy strategy.2 It is organized
around two main dimensions of an advocacy strategy—the audiences targeted (x-axis) and
ACTION
the changes desired (y-axis) with those audiences.
Litigation
Community Mobilization
Lobbying
Regulatory Feedback
Coalition Building
WILL
Champion Development
Media Advocacy
Public Will Campaigns
Political Will Campaigns
Communications and Messaging
Advocacy Capacity Building
AWARENESS
CHANGES
Community Organizing
Model Legislation
Leadership Development
Voter Outreach
Public Forums
Demonstration Programs
Public Awareness Campaigns
Public Polling
Public Education
PUBLIC
Policy Analysis/Research
Influencer Education
INFLUENCERS
Policymaker Education
DECISION!MAKERS!
AUDIENCES
Audiences are the individuals and groups that advocacy strategies target and attempt to
influence or persuade. They represent the main actors in the policy process and include
the public (or specific segments of it), policy influencers (e.g., media, community leaders, the
business community, thought leaders, political advisors, other advocacy organizations,
etc.), and decision makers (e.g., elected officials, administrators, judges, etc.). Strategies may
focus on just one audience or target more than one simultaneously.
2
The framework first appeared in Coffman, J. (2008). Foundations and Public Policy Grantmaking.
Paper prepared for The James Irvine Foundation.
2