Advocacy programs are longer-form programs where people can learn about and engage with ideas of effective giving over the course of several weeks. They are an excellent way to build community and help people form a deeper connection to One for the World.

Contents:

• What is an advocacy program?
• How to run an advocacy program
• Key resources and related pages

What is an advocacy program?

An advocacy program is...

A crash-course on One for the World and effective giving

Typically four sessions (1 hour a week = only 4 hours total!), designed and taught by members of your chapter

Opportunity to socialize with new people and build community

A great way to recruit board members and/or student ambassadors

A great way for existing members to learn more about effective giving, and therefore feel more confident inviting people to pledge 

How to run an advocacy program

1. Recruit a few members of your team to help lead the advocacy program
   1. Get people who are keen to be more involved and ideally who already know about OFTW to help out. If you feel like there are not enough people on your team who are willing/able to do this, reach out to another chapter leader on slack and ask if they want to run a collaborative advocacy program!
2. Have a meeting to decide the general structure of your advocacy program
   1. Use a miro board to brainstorm and organize your ideas (think about what content would be interesting to cover, where you will run it, how to incorporate a social aspect, etc.) 
      
      Here is an example board from St Andrews (spring 2021)
   2. By the end of this meeting make sure that you delegate action items. Decide who is in charge of which week, who will advertise the advocacy program, what the structure of each section will be, etc. Assign deadlines and decide when the advocacy program will start.
      1. A possible structure could be:
         1. 15-20 minute social component
         2. 10-15 minute presentation
         3. 10 minute group discussion

1. Start advertising and build excitement!
   1. Make a sign-up sheet and attach this to all posts
      1. Here is a form template
   2. Use a spreadsheet to keep track of interest so that you can follow up with people at the end of the advocacy program (even those that did not attend)
      1. Here is a template engagement tracker sheet (make a copy!)
   3. Post on your own social media pages, post in class facebook groups, send the sign up form to student representatives of relevant subjects and ask them to add the form to their next email, ask other clubs to share it, etc.
      1. Here is an example instagram post, as well as a canva template if you want to recreate this post (make a copy and be sure to replace the background images with pictures from your own campus!)
      2. Here is an example facebook event

1. Make / adapt the content for presentations
   1. Have a rehearsal to make sure everyone is organized and on the same page
      1. Look here for previous advocacy program content from St Andrews,  Fort Lewis and UVA!

1. Send out a welcome email (at least 5 days before the first session)
   1. Include details about the first session (a link to join or location, a time, topic for discussion)
2. Run the Advocacy Program!
   1. This is the fun part. Talk to as many participants as possible. The more personal connections you make, the easier it will be to follow up with individuals.
3. Send a feedback form and Follow up with everyone
   1. Have they taken the pledge/ do they plan to? How would they like to stay involved with One for the World?
      1. Here is a template follow up form
   2. Follow up even with the people who never came to the advocacy program - this is still a promising pool of people who were interested in the topic of effective giving.
4. Onboard anyone who wants to join the team
   1. Go through responses to the feedback form. For anyone who said they are interested in joining the chapter, reach out to them and get on a call or invite them to the next board meeting.

Key resources and related pages

Advocacy Program guide

Onboarding

How to run events

How to follow up

Pre-made advocacy program content folder

Template advocacy program engagement tracker

Template advocacy program instagram post

Template advocacy program follow up form