The Campaign Workshop Blog

Qualifying ballot measures: Tips For Getting a measure on the Ballot

Qualifying ballot measures is a significant undertaking. Sometimes the most difficult part of a ballot measure campaign is just making it to the ballot. From gathering signatures to overcoming legal hurdles, qualifying an initiative takes planning, time, and (very often) a sizable investment (both in terms of dollars and human capital). Advocacy and political organizations alike have long used ballot measures as a tool to advance their policy objectives where legislative…

Grasstops vs. Grassroots Advocacy: Public Affairs Tactics 

Do you ever ask yourself, "What is the difference between grasstops and grassroots advocacy?" Well, you're not the only one scratching your head.  Here at The Campaign Workshop, we know political and advocacy definitions can be confusing. Even folks who have been around for a long time get campaign terms confused. So, in our never-ending quest to define what we do, we want to define what grassroots advocacy and grasstops advocacy are for our readers. Don't get stuck in the weeds with…

Grasstops Will Grow Your Advocacy Program

A grasstops campaign seeks to persuade the people who can influence key decision-makers. Legislators are often inundated with calls, emails, petitions, meetings, and other communications about a wide variety of issues. Breaking through that noise is tough, and grassroots campaigns, unless they reach critical mass, may not be enough on their own. When those efforts are paired with the authority of grasstops supporters, their impact will be greater, and your campaign will be more likely to succeed. What…

Thought leadership to Amp Up Your Public Affairs Strategy

Thought leadership is not used to its true potential in public affairs. With so much noise out there, engaging thought leaders to build a public campaign around a policy or public affairs goal can be really important. Especially these days, separating your issue from the rest and making it a priority is a necessity. Similar to storytelling…

Online Member Survey Tips

A member survey can be a useful tool to get a sense of how your members feel about specific issues. Traditional phone surveys used to be the only option to keep tabs on the pulse of your organization. Luckily, it’s often easier and more cost-effective to poll your members online these days. Below are some factors to think through in executing a member survey that will achieve your goals and reach the right people—all without breaking the bank. Know your goal. Why are you polling your…

The Tactics and Terms That Define Advocacy

Learn how we define advocacy -Advocacy, defined in the simplest terms, is about fighting for something you believe in. When we talk about advocacy, the issues and tactics may change, but the core is about supporting a cause or policy and working to create the change we want to see in the world. What is the difference between how we define an advocacy campaign and a political campaign? The difference may sometimes seem murky, but it boils down to express advocacy vs. issue advocacy. Express advocacy…

Land a Political Campaign Job with Our 12 Tips

When I started on the campaign trail, I was lucky enough to go through the Campaign Management Institute, where I became focused on grassroots political campaigns and met mentors through college programs and internships. Meeting folks who had made careers out of political campaigns, advocacy and public affairs, encouraged me to go on the road, pursue a career in politics and…

17 Nonprofit Job Boards for Your Search

If you’re looking for your next career move that makes a difference, check out nonprofit job boards to find openings in the areas you’re interested in. Below, we compiled a list of boards that will help you find the right fit. Check out our larger list of job boards, jobs banks, and search firms here.…

A Paid Internship Makes for Better Interns 

Finding a paid internship in politics, public affairs or political consulting is not easy.  Oftentimes, hours of web research end in disappointment with search results offering unpaid internships with unclear job descriptions. Many small businesses have given up on internships altogether, paid or unpaid, because they could not find value.  So, if you are looking for a paid internship or you are a company thinking about how to get real value from your internship program, this blog post is for you.  …

Campaign Jobs Board & Job Banks:  Find Nonprofit and Political Jobs

Campaign jobs on the left side of the aisle can be challenging to find, so can any political, advocacy or non profit jobs. Don't just google "political jobs near me ", We have developed our mega job search list to take out the guess work. What started with a few job lists like Tom Manatos, Brad Travers, and the Jobs That Are Left Google group has grown up. We now have over 40 sites on this list, that focus on a wide variety of jobs in the political and nonprofit space.…

Advocacy Campaign Goals Win Your Public Affairs Campaign

Running an effective advocacy campaign takes skill and planning. As we head into 2021, there will be a lot of competition for different advocacy issues to take a spotlight, so you need to be ready to hit the ground running. We put together five tips to help you run a winning advocacy campaign. Have a clear and measurable goal. Advocacy organizations often have goals for their campaigns that are hard to measure. For example, it can be tough to determine if a goal like “raising awareness”…

Advocacy Video On a Budget

Advocacy video  is all over social media and across the internet. Video has really become an essential channel for leveraging support on an issue for nonprofits. It’s no wonder why, many advocacy organizations and nonprofits have supporters with compelling narratives, and video is a great medium for storytelling. But we’ve seen too many small or mid-sized nonprofits that still choose to avoid creating an advocacy video strategy because they have a limited budget.  Well, great news. Developing an engaging video for…

7 Questions with Dave Fako on Political and Advocacy Polling

Dave Fako founded Fako Research & Strategies (FR&S) in 1998.  His career in politics, public policy, and government affairs spans over thirty years.  Over his career, Dave Fako has developed strategies for statewide, congressional, state legislative, and municipal candidates, in addition to referendums, and has advised numerous public policy, advocacy organizations, and national and regional private sector companies.  Dave Fako has developed expertise in state, local, and…

Membership Communications Can Make a Difference

In our socially distanced world, having a thoughtful membership communications strategy is more important than ever. For labor unions and advocacy organizations effectively engaging members across mediums can make a real difference.  Activating members  to turn out in elections or put pressure on lawmakers to pass legislation is a core part of member communications. Here are our tips for taking your membership communications programs to the next level: Plan ahead for short- and long-term programs…

Advocacy Engagement Goes Further with A Funnel

Getting more advocacy engagement for your organization involves finding new supporters and turning them into dedicated advocates. But getting people to make the transition from giving you their email address to taking action on your organization’s behalf requires a thoughtful engagement strategy. We created an advocacy funnel to show different actions you could ask your supporters to take and what value can be assigned to each action. The more personal the action is, the higher its value.…