Thinking about Goals: What needs to happen?

Impact is the big change in the big picture that your policy advocacy helps achieve. Think of your impact as a statement of the broader mission of your organization. Keep that impact in mind as you set your goals for this particular campaign. But remember that impact and policy goals are not the same.

Your policy goal should be the tight focus of your current advocacy effort: a law, regulation or practice needs to be designed, implemented, blocked, protected, measured, etc. Think about what you’re really asking of your campaign.  Mouse over the goals on the page to see definitions and explanations for each one.

Add notes below, if you’d like, about the specifics of your goal(s) and your reasons for making the choices you did.

Impacts

Improved Services And Systems

Programs and services that are higher-quality and more accessible, affordable, comprehensive, or coordinated.  When all is said and done, our work on policy is meant to improve the quality of services and systems through which government serves the public interest.

Positive Social And Physical Conditions

Better circumstances and surroundings for people, communities, and the larger web of life of which we are a part. These conditions may include reduced poverty, improved health, higher air quality, etc.  Our desire to change policies – and therefore services and systems – all serves one higher purpose: to produce a better world.

Goals

Policy Development

Creating a new policy proposal or policy guidelines. Perhaps the issue requires a new policy approach; your goal is to articulate it in a form ready for decision-makers to consider. This may involve building consensus among key issue experts, advocates, interest groups, potential opponents, decision makers, and those affected by the issue.

Placement on the Policy Agenda

The appearance of your issue or policy proposal on the list of issues that policymakers give serious attention. Your issue is on the radar screen for key decision makers -- but it’s still a disturbingly small blip. Increasing its salience with constituents and decision makers can place your issue on the agenda, or move it higher on that agenda.

Policy Adoption

Successful passing of your policy proposal through an ordinance, ballot measure, legislation, or legal agreement. Your policy solution is ready for prime-time: it is well considered; it’s moving up the agenda; the political stars are aligned. Going for policy adoption is the right goal.

Policy Implementation

Proper implementation of a policy, along with the funding, resources, or quality assurance to ensure it. The policy is in place, but it’s not being implemented well. Your goal is to fix what’s wrong. Focus on the details. The implementation stage might also provide opportunities for adopting new regulations or policies (to fix those that are problematic).

Policy Monitoring and Evaluation

Tracking a policy to ensure it is implemented properly and achieves its intended impacts. The policy is being implemented, but you aren’t sure that it’s being implemented fully. Its ultimate impacts might be compromised or even undermined. Your goal is to put effective monitoring in place.

Policy Maintenance

Preventing cuts or other negative changes to a policy. A good policy is under attack – whether for budgetary or ideological or programmatic reasons. Your goal is to protect it.

Policy Blocking

Successful opposition to a policy proposal you do not support. A former policymaker remarked: “My job was to ensure that government did fewer stupid things on my watch.” Perhaps that is your role. It is an honorable one.

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