Advocacy
Advocacy takes many forms, each with a different goal for initiating change. Advocacy and Taking Action are performed in pursuit of ensuring people have a voice in important social issues and change. However, education is by far the most powerful form of advocacy and method for changing the world.
WORKING TOGETHER TO INFLUENCE PUBLIC POLICY
In the League, we tend to focus our efforts on influencing legislative measures in the US Congress and state and local legislative bodies by preparing testimony, lobbying legislators, and initiating advocacy campaigns on issues of interest to our members. We also file lawsuits, file “friend of the court” (amicus) briefs in court cases and monitor and comment when regulations are being written for executive branch agencies.
League Lobbying
League lobbying is based on member study and agreement on selected issues and involves concerted efforts to achieve public policies consistent with League positions. League Boards at every level set their own priorities. League lobbying promotes or opposes specific pieces of legislation.
Advocacy vs. Lobbying
Advocacy is a broader concept than lobbying. Advocacy activities are often considered “educational.” This is the case even when only one side of an issue is presented if no action on a piece of legislation is requested. Such activities can include:
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developing public policy briefs that analyze issues and provide detailed information and recommendations for addressing them through specific reforms and
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providing forums for discussing issues and educating policymakers and the public. Speaking in support of the organization is also advocating (i.e., for the overall cause of the organization).
Lobbying is defined as an attempt to influence specific legislation, both legislation that has been introduced and specific legislation that has been proposed. Lobbying includes actions that transmit a point of view on a specific piece of legislation to elected officials or their staff, as well as actions urging the public to contact their legislators about a specific piece of legislation. It also includes communications to the general public expressing a view on specific referenda or other ballot measures.