Getting started is easy. Here are five easy steps to making a difference:

1. Motivate your board
• Play this short video at your next board meeting
2. Start the conversation
• Define the board’s role in advocacy
• Appoint an Advocacy Leader
• Create an Advocacy Committee
3. Get trained
• Sign up for a specialized training from Common Ground
4. Create an agenda
• Find out how much of your agency’s funding comes from public dollars; use this worksheet
• Develop your organization’s advocacy agenda
• Make a plan, calendar, and budget
5. Stay active
• Sign up for Legislative Action Alerts
• Sign up for Board Advocacy Project updates
• Meet with your legislator
• Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper
• Testify before a committee