How To: Action Plan

Action planning to execute your #CommitToAct campaign. Taken from the Alliance Campaign Management training.

Building an action plan

1. What do you seek to achieve with your campaign?

Define your policy goals

• Keep it simple
• Limit to one or two policy goals to allow focus and energy
  • Example: “To petition for higher penalty for abuse of NMT infrastructure (encroaching and misuse of pedestrian sidewalks and cycling lanes) in Takoradi.”
• Project specific priority goal relating to your policy goal but short term and SMART
  • Example: “In 3 months, collect 1000 signatures from pedestrians and cyclists in support of higher penalty for abuse of NMT infrastructure in Takoradi“

TASK: Formulate your own campaign policy goal

• My policy goal is……………………………….
• My project specific priority goal at community level is ……………………………….

2. Formulate the key message(s)

• Formulate campaign messages that are short, captures attention, and accurately address your campaign issue.

Task: Formulate a message

• My campaign policy message is……………………………….
• My priority project specific message is……………………………….
• The SMART commitment I am looking for is……………………………….

3. Who is your target?

• The greatest challenge to an advocacy campaign is narrowing down your target
• Person or persons who can give you what you want. Your targets have a name and a face.
• Example: The target isn’t the City Council; it is Chairperson of the City Council Madam XX and council member Madam YY. All of your tactics will be focused, in some way, on affecting your target(s) and getting them to move.
• A target can be a champion (someone who is a strong supporter), or a challenger (someone who may block your efforts), or something in between. You can build up your champion to take a stand on your goal, or you can convince your challenger that your goal is worth supporting.

TASK: Identify and narrow down your target for your goal

• My primary target is Madam/Sir……………………………….
• My Secondary target is……………………………….

4. Who is your base?

• Your base is the group of people who stand to benefit from your goal.
  • Example: If your goal is to develop a bike and trail plan and your project priority is to expand a trail, your base is the people who use and benefit from that trail.
• Organizations or businesses might also be part of your base if your goal is in their self interest. Example, a Hospital along the street can be a helpful ally in moving your target to act on your goal.

TASK: Identify your base and how you will reach them

• My base includes: 1……………………………….2……………………………….
• I will reach them through 1………………………………. 2……………………………….

5. Assess your capacity

• Availability: How much time do you have to dedicate to this campaign?
• Strengths: What are your strengths? What experience do you bring to the table?
• Skill development: Are there skills that you would like to develop like writing, public speaking, or making videos?
• Needs: Ask yourself what other additional capacity you might need to make your campaign a success.

Task: assess your capacity

• Are you available in the coming 6 months to implement your post training action plan?_
  • What are your strengths?
  • What additional support do you need?

6. Plan your tactics

• Based on your capacity, plan actionable tactics.
• Ask yourself:
  • What is it going to take to move your target to enact your policy goal(s)?

Task:

• Pick two outreach and communications tactics:
  • Traditional media
  • Social media
  • Email/e-newsletter
  • Blog or newsletter
  • Press conference
  • Other (Innovative tactic)

• Pick two target engagement tactics:
  • Write a petition
  • Write, email, or call your elected official
  • Meet your elected official
  • Testify before elected officials
  • Other (innovative tactic)

7. Create your action plan benchmarks

Benchmarks are major milestones along the road to your policy goal.

• Making a timeline and planning benchmarks can help you celebrate your achievements, or revise your strategy along the way.
• Make sure that your benchmarks are meaningful and important to your policy goal.
• Make sure to choose benchmarks that are measurable and within your budget and capacity.

Task: Identify your short-term, medium-term, and long-term benchmarks to track progress toward your overall policy goal

• Short-term:
  • What do you want to complete within a week to 2 months?
• Medium-term:
  • What do you want to complete within 3 months to 8 months?
• Long-term:
  • What do you want to complete within 8 months to over a year?