1 Getting Equity Advocacy Results (GEAR) identifying and tracking the essential components of equity advocacy for policy change Knowledge for Equity Conference Silver Spring, MD | November 13-14, 2012

Welcome Your trainers: Victor Rubin, PhD Vice President for Research Jme McLean, MCP, MPH Senior Associate 2

Session Objectives In this training session, participants will: Discover four essential components of equity advocacy Explore four major stages of an equity campaign Examine specific wins associated with equity advocacy at each stage of a campaign Identify various methods for planning, tracking, and measuring success 3

Definitions “Equity means just and fair inclusion. The goals of equity must be to create conditions that allow all to reach their full potential. In short, equity creates a path from hope to change.” 4

Definitions Campaign A campaign is the connected series of activities and events designed to bring about policy change Policy Policy is a course or principle of action adopted by a government, organization, or individual – formally or informally- to guide future actions or decisions 5

Example: Health Reform 6

Questions How can advocates tell, midcourse, if their campaign efforts are making an impact for equity? How can advocates elevate, motivate, and sustain their work, when political energies slow or external conditions obstruct planned strategy? 7

Questions How do advocates justify their ongoing efforts to advance a campaign, when supporters and other contributors might focus solely on the adoption of a policy proposal? What approaches can advocates use to sharpen and refine their equity strategy as they go? 8

GEAR Framework 9 Getting Equity Advocacy Results

GEAR Framework 10 Four essential, ongoing components of an equity campaign

GEAR Framework 11 Ongoing Organizing assures that those closest to community challenges are central to seeking solutions and building power to bring them about.

GEAR Framework 12 Ongoing Capacity Building involves strengthening the knowledge and skills of equity advocates and their organizations to effectively engage in efforts for change.

GEAR Framework 13 Ongoing Research is needed to inform every aspect of the advocacy process, from documenting conditions and soliciting community participation to assessing prospective solutions and projecting the impact of change.

GEAR Framework 14 Ongoing Communications activities involve a range of tools to strategically disseminate ideas and information and to educate stakeholders and decision makers to advance equity.

GEAR Framework 15 Four major stages of an equity campaign

GEAR Framework 16 Get Ready: Build the Base Engaged community residents, leaders, and organizations are the foundation of thriving communities. They are also at the base and in the leadership of efforts for equitable change.

GEAR Framework 17 Get Set: Name and Frame the Equity Solutions Finding a promising target for change requires understanding the problem and potential solutions, as well as the possible pathways to get there. Making plans to reach that target can require research, communications, and community engagement

GEAR Framework 18 Go: Move the Equity Proposal Advancing equity advocacy requires applying the results of organizing, capacity building, research, and communications to a campaign.

GEAR Framework 19 Grow: Build, Advance, and Defend A vision for equity can be achieved only when the interpretations, processes, and implementation of a proposal for change are carried through and critical components supporting equity are functioning.

GEAR Framework 20 interconnected

Example: Health Reform 21

Example: California Infrastructure Community Equity Initiative (click for video) 22

Example: California Infrastructure

A Closer Look: Results 24 Get Ready: Build the Base  Issue Identification  Community Visioning and Organizing  Initial Power Analyses  Planning the Advocacy Strategy

A Closer Look: Results 25 Community Visioning and Organizing  How central are the people most impacted by the problem to creating a vision and plan for equitable change?

A Closer Look: Results 26 Community Visioning and Organizing  What supports are available to sustain and strengthen an inclusive and ongoing organizing effort for change?

A Closer Look: Results 27 Community Visioning and Organizing  How does the leadership of the collaborative demonstrate equity, and how well is that leadership supported?

A Closer Look: Results 28 How central are the people most impacted by the problem to creating a vision and plan for equitable change? BENCHMARK: The groups, communities, and people most affected by the problem identify it as a priority for change. Outreach strategies, capacity- building efforts, and information that is appropriate, available, and accessible (e.g., culturally, linguistically, and physically) to them may have furthered their understanding and engagement.

Definitions Benchmark Benchmarks are points of reference useful for making comparisons. They are typically set in advance to help track progress. Indicator Indicators are the specific, measurable signs that a benchmark has been accomplished. 29

30 Planning, Tracking, and Measuring Questions to answer: Why assess? What results matter most? When to assess? Who will assess? How to track and assess? What’s working? What needs to change?

Planning, Tracking, and Measuring Strategies for tracking success in Unincorporated Communities? – Advisory Committee check-ins, planning and checking based on framework and specific benchmarks – Records captured in meeting minutes – Participatory activities: CBPR – Straw polls, quick surveys – Media reports: TV, radio, print news – Other reports: grant reports, issue reports 31

Conclusion Policy advocacy for equity requires: – Time – Non-traditional partnerships – Expansive understanding of the variety of equity results, and their connections to broader change Getting Equity Advocacy Results (GEAR) offers: – A common framework for understanding equity campaigns – Benchmarks for planning and tracking success 32

Further information  navigate the framework and interact with the benchmarks at your own pace  download GEAR materials  browse relevant resources 33

Welcome Your trainers: Victor Rubin, PhD Vice President for Research Jme McLean, MCP, MPH Senior Associate 34