Develop an Engagement Strategy

Make your policy priorities visible with an engagement strategy and tactics!

Once your nonprofit has a policy agenda, it’s time to develop an action plan for engagement. The development and implementation of an engagement strategy is often when the work becomes publicly visible. Choosing to make your policy priorities visible is a significant step for your nonprofit and should be approached in a coordinated and strategic manner. This chapter offers some suggestions for key considerations in developing an engagement strategy and some ideas for tactics to get you started.

Keep in Mind

1.

Craft your communications

Whatever tactic or combination of tactics you decide to pursue, it will always be important to focus on the content. There are a few key communications elements to consider that will help make your messages land. Creating key messages is a good starting point for helping to identify and distill the most important points of your policy agenda. These messages can be adapted to communicate directly to your target audiences, which you should always have top of mind, the message will always stay the same but the way you communicate will likely shift depending on who you want to reach.

Key messages should be objective, fact-based, and non-partisan, supported by storytelling, data, and personalized proof points, and should always come with a clear call to action. These messages will have to repeated multiple times through different avenues before they will be remembered.

It is important to stay up to date on current events and the political news of the day. You can sign up for newsletters from parties, pay attention to the news, and find e-news sources that are timely and informative. You can become a member of The Nonprofit Vote to get bi-weekly newsletters curated for the nonprofit sector to summarize current events and political happenings.

2.

Stay current

Ideally as you develop your policy agenda, you will have already identified allies and partners who are willing to support your message and efforts. As you start engaging and working on moving your policy agenda forward, you might uncover other advocacy efforts, other allies, or other parties adversarial to your position. Create space however you can to build and engage allies for your policy agenda while understanding the arguments that those who are opposed will make against your policy asks.

3.

Activate Networks and Alliances

4.

Know the election cycle

Provincial elections are held every 4 years with the next election scheduled for October 18, 2027. Elections can be called earlier or triggered through a vote of no confidence. Policy advocacy is critical, especially when reinforced during an elec tion period. The election is a time when real change can occur for nonprofits, and also an opportunity for advancing your nonprofit’s policy agenda with a strategic engagement strategy.

Bringing up a completely new issue during an election period may not be the best way to capture the attention of political candidates and parties, but you can seek commitment on issues that you have been consistently advocating for, at a time when candidates are listening to the wants of their constituents. This can be done b y demonstrating strength in numbers, influence and impact, or through communicating the risks involved in losing support for the important work nonprofits do.

Choose Tactics

The more clear you are on what your policy agenda and goals are, the easier it will be to determine which tactics to pursue as you develop your engagement strategy. Figuring out this strategy will require you to review and assess tactics to determine what best fits with your organization and what will be the most useful in moving your policy agenda forward. Be realistic about the amount of time and resources that your organization can put into your engagement strategy and consider what stakeholders may think of the tactics you choose. See the tables on the next pages for tactics you may consider using as part of your engagement strategy, depending on where you are in the election cycle.

Election Year Engagement Tactics

  • Opportunity

    There is no greater mechanism to hold a party to account than to secure an election commitment by getting your policy asks embedded in an election platform, or by securing a public commitment during an election period to implement your policy ask.

    Considerations

    This can be time-consuming but is a highly effective way to engage, even if you aren't ultimately successful in getting your policy asks in the policy platform.

  • Opportunity

    Reviewing party platforms, assessing what they have to say about issues of importance to your nonprofit, and sharing that information can be very valuable to people who care about the issues that your nonprofit works on.

    Considerations

    Political parties may choose to share party platforms at different times and in different formats and can be difficult to analyze with perfect consistency.

  • Opportunity

    Nonprofits are well-positioned to sponsor forums and increase public understanding of the election process and candidates who are running.

    Considerations

    Candidates are usually morewilling to attend when:

    • they have clear positions on issues

    • they expect a large audience

    • there is guarantee of neutrality

  • Opportunity

    Many of these forums provide opportunities for questions from those in attendance - have your question prepared in case you have a chance to ask about your issue.

    Considerations

    Be respectful of the organizer and make sure your issue is related to the topics at hand.

  • Opportunity

    This is a great way to educate candidates about your issues, your constituency, or your community. Candidates rely on you to educate them about your issues.

    Considerations

    You may share research and your policy priorities with candidates, and ensure that the same information is available to all candidates.

  • Opportunity

    These meetings can be helpful when a candidate’s opinion is different from yours - to let the candidate know that there is an alternative and organized viewpoint.

    Considerations

    Make sure to:

    • Prepare talking points, issue, briefs, fact sheets, etc.

    • Keep it brief and use plain language

    • Anticipate their questions

    • Send thank you letters, including contact information for further questions, and followup with summary notes, actions items, etc.

  • Opportunity

    Nonprofits have played, and continue to play, an essential role in the weeks leading up to elections. Traditionally marginalized groups (younger, diverse, low income) are often supported by nonprofits through access to information about how to vote and transportation to polling stations, among other supports.

    Considerations

    When political candidates recognize the voting power of the nonprofit sector, they are more likely to listen to our issues and concerns. This is our opportunity to engage new voters and show power in numbers. Check the Nonprofits Vote website for resources on voter engagement.

  • Opportunity

    The best time to be a little bolder is during an election period. No matter which party wins, even if it is the currently governing party, it will be a new government. Portfolios change, priorities change, and there will be new people to engage, both elected and non-elected.

    Considerations

    Be bolder but remain nonpartisan, reasonable, and don't burn any bridges. There is guarantee of neutrality.

Non Election Year Engagement Tactics

  • Opportunity

    Nonprofits are well-positioned to convene conversations and increase public understanding of issues.

    Considerations

    It can be challenging to stay focused when there are multiple stakeholders with different interests involved in discussions. Inclusion is important and so is staying true to your goals.

  • Opportunity

    Many community events provide opportunities for questions from those in attendance - have your questions prepared in case you have a chance to ask about your issue.

    Consideration

    Be respectful of the organizer and make sure your issue is related to the topics at hand.

  • Opportunity

    Working with other nonprofits or with the for-profit sector can be helpful in gauging support from the government. Assessing what other organizations have to say about issues of importance to your nonprofit and sharing that information can be very valuable to people who care about the issues that your nonprofit works on.

    Consideration

    Reach out to partner organizations for a strategy session on your policy ask.

  • Opportunity

    This is a great way to educate your MLA or the opposition party about your issues, your constituency, or your community. Governments rely on you to educate them about your issues.

    Considerations

    You may share research and your policy priorities with your MLA, cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, or public servants, and ensure that the same information is available to all individuals that need to be informed.

  • Opportunity

    These meetings can be helpful and can bring attention to your issue. It will also help with getting answers to questions and further advice, helping to evaluate your policy asks.

    Considerations

    Make sure to:

    • prepare talking points, issue briefs, fact sheets, etc.

    • keep it brief and use plain language

    • anticipate questions

    • send thank you letters, including contact information for further questions, and follow-up with summary notes, action items, etc.

  • Opportunity

    Sharing stories and background materials through traditional and social media is a great way to increase understanding and awareness with public stakeholder groups and the community.

    Considerations

    You may oppose or support a policy but keep your communication nonpartisan by making sure it is not connected to a single candidate or political party.

Post Election Engagement Tactics

  • Opportunity

    Political parties and candidates required some encouragement and support following the election. The victorious party and all successful candidates should be congratulated. Other parties and unsuccessful candidates should also be thanked for their contributions to the democratic process. The importance of such courtesies is bolstered by the importance of relationships not only in the immediate aftermath of an election campaign but also for the future. The next election is only four years away!

    Considerations
    Make sure you use this opportunity to introduce your nonprofit, outline your mission, and your contributions.

  • Opportunity

    Political parties and candidates required some encouragement and support following the election. The victorious party and all successful candidates should be congratulated. Other parties and unsuccessful candidates should also be thanked for their contributions to the democratic process. The importance of such courtesies is bolstered by the importance of relationships not only in the immediate aftermath of an election campaign but also for the future. The next election is only four years away!

    Considerations
    Make sure you use this opportunity to introduce your nonprofit, outline your mission, and your contributions.

  • Opportunity
    In an age of political polarization and growing distrust of institutions, nonprofit organizations are particularly well positioned to work in collaboration with policymakers. Nonprofits are among the most trusted groups in our society. And they collectively represent one of the largest and most important sectors of our province, contributing approximately $5.5 billion to Alberta’s GDP. With more than 30,000 nonprofits working to make every community in our province stronger, elected representatives are increasingly aware that this vital sector can’t be taken for granted.

    Considerations

    It may be important to quickly establish and demonstrate credibility to an incoming government with a reminder of your track record and previous engagements.

  • Opportunity
    What if the election results are disappointing to you personally? Changes in government are always challenging, especially if you don’t support the winning party or respect the leader. A natural reaction might be to brace for the worst. However, that emotional response could actually contribute to negative consequences. On the other hand, most new governments are seeking ideas and allies. This is a perfect opportunity for relationship-based advocacy. In fact, many nonprofit leaders have noted that the big policy changes they’ve been associated with have come from so-called

    Considerations
    There is always an opportunity to make progress. Sometimes that progress may be slower or take a different path, but there is always progress to be made.

  • Opportunity

    In the aftermath of an election, while some are celebrating the joys of victory and others are licking their wounds in the disappointment of defeat, stand your ground. Regardless of whether the party you supported has triumphed or been vanquished, don’t give up. For you will have allies waiting for you in cabinet, in caucus, and in the public service. Your members, supporters and stakeholders will need you to be more clearheaded and caring than ever.

    Considerations

    Every step you take to move your policy agenda forward is progress, even if it may not seem like it at the time. Keep going.

  • Opportunity

    Immediately following an election is a good time to review policy your agenda, to look ahead over the next four years and set key timelines, to engage your allies, to identify new opportunities and threats, and to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the advocacy wins.

    Considerations

    A new government (even if it is the incumbent governing party) will have new people to meet and new opportunities to engage.