One challenge that almost every advocacy team faces is how to show a return on investment. Unlike other nonprofit functions, like fundraising or events, advocacy generally cannot show ROI in dollars.
So, how does an advocacy team show value? The answer is internal reporting.
Keeping colleagues and stakeholders informed about your activities and how they support the mission is a vital element of a healthy advocacy program.
When your team understands your value, they are more likely to support you when it comes time to ask for approvals and resources. Even campaigns that fall short, if delivered in the right context, show that you are working hard and may need more support.
Regular Reporting
A good way to ensure you are reporting your work effectively is to set a schedule and stick to it. The amount of information you share and the frequency at which you do it will vary according to the internal audience you are briefing.
For example, the people you work with directly might need to be briefed every week with detailed information. By contrast, your board of directors might be briefed quarterly with a high-level summary of your activity.
One rule that applies to all audiences: keep your briefings short. People retain concise facts and details. Keeping your materials short and easily digested gives them a better chance of getting read.
Here’s what a sample schedule might look like:
- Weekly. On a weekly cadence, share important updates with your stakeholders at your organization, or your regular collaborators (this could be your direct manager, your executive director, or a volunteer who is partnering with you). This update provides the numbers pertaining to this week’s activity. It may be as simple as an email summary with a link to a shared document or spreadsheet so they can see performance over time.
- Monthly. This might go to a wider circle, such as department heads or organizational leaders, if they are interested, and it might be a prepared document with a few paragraphs. Summarize your activity and the results, and perhaps give them a taste of what’s coming next.
- Quarterly. This might go to the board or other top leadership and it should be a concise, high-level summary of your activity and the results. A single, deep paragraph included in a broader report from leadership to the board is one way to approach it. Remember, if they have questions, you can always provide more information. Use Resilia’s Storybuilder tool to help draft your brief report.
- Annually. Make sure to include your advocacy progress in your organization’s annual report. If your organization doesn’t issue an annual report, or this is your first time crafting an annual report, Resilia offers easy templates and examples to get started.
It is worth noting that some of this information can be selectively shared externally as well, whether that is with a coalition you work with or directly with your audience.
For example, if you sent four calls to action this month and they averaged a 40 percent open rate, that might be something to share with coalition partners. If you held a rally with 200 people or got 1,000 to sign a petition, you might share that with your audience to build enthusiasm.
The Right Metrics
Foundational metrics like open rate and click rate will likely be part of your reporting, but it is hard to show value with low-effort metrics like likes and shares. It does not take much effort for a supporter to click the like button on a post. In an organization where revenue is a frequent topic of discussion, these types of metrics can feel thin.
Instead, focus on metrics that relate to the mission, when you can. Here are some examples:
- List Growth. Showing that your program is recruiting supporters is almost always appreciated.
- Active Participation. Showing that you encouraged people to take action, such as attending a webinar or a rally, is often a strong indicator of success.
- Personal Engagement. Getting people to submit their personal stories or volunteer—things that take time—show that your message is resonating.
Using the right metrics on a regular briefing schedule will ensure that your leadership knows your advocacy program is active and that you are measuring your impact. That’s always a good message to project.
