The Challenge of Assessing Policy and Advocacy Activities, Part II: Moving from Theory to Practice Blueprint Research and Design, a strategy consulting firm, for The California Endowment, 40 pages, October 2006 Not only does the slow pace of public policy change frustrate funders and nonprofits involved in policy and advocacy work, so does the process of evaluating what they've accomplished. Foundations looking to enhance assessment of their policy and advocacy grants and initiatives can turn to a valuable new resource. Based on a groundbreaking convening of advocates, foundation staff and evaluators, hosted by The California Endowment in March 2006, the report offers guidance for implementing a prospective approach to policy and advocacy evaluation, which Blueprint Research & Design put forth in a previously published report for The Endowment, "The Challenge of Assessing Policy and Advocacy Activities: Strategies for a Prospective Evaluation Approach" (Blueprint Research and Design, for The California Endowment: October 2005). > Download PDF
	Advocacy Funding: The Philanthropy of Changing Minds GrantCraft, 36 pages, 2005 Grantmakers tend to be cautious about funding advocacy, and for good reason — yet advocacy can play a crucial role in advancing a foundation's mission. In this guide, contributors explain that advocacy includes a lot of opportunities to improve public policy through work that is well within the limits of the law. Whether your purpose is to advance an idea, argue a position or enrich the policy debate, the guide offers resources and strategies for planning your work, reaching your audience, assessing impact and more. > Download PDF
	Founder of Social-Justice Charity Seeks Common Ground Chronicle of Philanthropy, June 15, 2006 Organizations such as the Ford Foundation perform admirable work, but they are often unable to communicate their ideals to the masses. In turn, their message is obscured by those with competing interests. To truly bring change, those organizations need to find a more effective way to communicate their stories to a broader audience and find innovative ways to frame the national debate on key issues. > Read the article
	This Just In: Ten Lessons From Two Decades of Public Interest Communications Fenton Communications, 15 pages, 2005 This guide offers a series of marketing tips, such as how to reframe the conversation, tell human interest stories and tap popular culture, as well as examples of successful marketing campaigns. The company also offers guides on public-interest advertising, marketing and advocacy. > Download PDF
	Using E-mail as an Advocacy Tool TechSoup, June 23, 2005 Nonprofit organizations with a mission that includes social justice, human rights or environmental protection are frequently involved in either promoting or opposing state or federal legislation. The widespread use of e-mail by supporters of these organizations, plus the (much slower) adoption of internet connectivity by legislators, means that many are now considering the use of e-mail as an advocacy tool. After all, it's cheap, easy and fast, so why not? But e-mail is often at the bottom of the scale in terms of impact. > Read the article

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