​Advocacy Strategic Budget and Action Plan

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GRADING RUBRIC MUST BE FOLLOWED

Create a 3–5-page advocacy strategic budget and action plan. Use the budget template provided.

Questions to Consider:

  • Who is directly involved with this type of initiative on both the local, state, and federal levels?
    • What is their record of voting on this issue?
  • What are examples of funding sources for policymaking functions related to your initiative?
  • How would you use a logic model to create a realistic advocacy budget with the common cost categories (staffing, materials and supplies, equipment, and travel)?
  • How does cost, organizational structure, motivation, and strategy impact the advocacy budget and action plan?
  • What do you see as the greatest challenge to implementing your advocacy budget?
    • How would you overcome this challenge in the budget process?

Scenario

Continue using the same health issue and health care policy you used in previous assessments. In this scenario, you have been asked to interface with other interns who have been assigned to work on the fundraising team for the newly approved policy initiative.

Your supervisor has asked you to create a 3–5-page memo addressed to fellow team members that lays out your Advocacy Strategic Budget Plan. Be sure to work through the Vila Health: Advocacy Strategic Budget Plan media piece in the Resources before completing this assessment. You will need to summarize the advocacy agenda, identify the laws and regulations related to the policy, compile a budget, identify the sources of funding the group could consider for the policy-making initiative, and propose a strategic plan of action for the team.

Preparation

Use the Capella University Library, the Policy and Legislative Resources (found in Resources), and the Internet to prepare for this assessment:

  • Laws, regulations, and ethics: Identify the legal and ethical issues related to political action committee funds. Identify the provisions of the regulations governing the funding of advocacy functions. Focus on the impact of these regulations on tax-exempt organizations.
  • Advocacy strategy: Identify the specific activities the organization should sponsor to promote endorsement of the issue. The activities include, but are not limited to, education of the public, constituents, and legislators; training of volunteers; production of media; lobbying activity; and personnel costs.
  • Funding sources: Identify how and where funds may be obtained. The source needs to be specifically identified. For example, identify the type of government or foundation grants and the specific features of fundraising activities.

Budget Strategy and Memo

In your memo, summarize the key points contained in the budget that team members should keep in mind when fundraising.

  • Provide a summary of your advocacy agenda: Provide a brief summary of the health policy advocacy initiative that was recently approved.
  • Outline legislative strategy and action steps: Outline the legislative process and action necessary to enact the policy, including financial considerations to influence the legislative process.
  • Prepare advocacy functions budget: Prepare a budget for the special interest group’s advocacy agenda for the next year.
    • This financial statement needs to include assets (as identified in the above funding sources) and line-item expenses for each of the advocacy functions noted above. Net assets must exceed expenses at the end of the fiscal year.
    • Note: Use the budget template found in the Resources.

Resources:

This article discusses the current process for the funding of nonprofit organizations that serve the community and provide helpful information on the funding process for nonprofits and their reliance on government and philanthropic funds.

These websites provide helpful information on current laws and regulations including HIPAA and HITECH, as well as codes of ethics and lobbying regulations.

Policy and Legislative Development Resources

These links may be helpful in setting the framework for personal research expected of MHA-FP5032 learners. A number of the links in this document are “bookmarked” by professionals in the field of policy development as “go to” resources used repeatedly on the job.

Advocacy Strategies

These readings provide information in how to advocate for health policy, and the policy process.

Policy Evaluation

This website from the CDC provides information on the evaluation process using the CDC framework.

American Government – History
Government Resources – General
Health Care Research, Data and Statistics
Laws and Regulations
Lobbying
Policy Statements