--- title: "Advocacy Campaign Planning Guide | Common Ground Consulting" description: "Proven frameworks for designing, executing, and evaluating advocacy campaigns that create lasting policy change." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "Nonprofit Advocacy Campaign Planning: A Complete Guide", "description": "Proven frameworks for designing, executing, and evaluating advocacy campaigns that create lasting policy change.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Craig A. Bowman" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Common Ground Consulting" }, "dateModified": "2026-02-01" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://commongroundconsulting.ai/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Resources" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Advocacy Campaign Planning Guide" } ] } ] --- [![Common Ground Consulting logo: stylized circular emblem with the firm's name, linking to the homepage](/assets/commonground-logo-white-RKdLhTAB.png)](/) [Home](/)[About](/about#company-metrics)[Partnership](/strategic-implementation-partnership)[Cases](/case-studies)[Clients](/clients)[Blog](/blog) - About - Services - Interventions - Resources Search Search 1. [Home ](/) 2. [Resources ](/) 3. Advocacy Campaign Planning Guide Complete Guide # Advocacy Campaign Planning Proven frameworks for designing, executing, and evaluating advocacy campaigns that create lasting policy change. Craig A. Bowman, Common Ground Consulting Updated February 2026 Advocacy campaign planning is the systematic process of designing activities to influence government policies, corporate practices, or social norms. Unlike direct service delivery, advocacy seeks to change the rules, systems, and power structures that create problems in the first place. **Research from the Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest** found that policy advocacy delivers an average return of **$115 in community benefit for every $1 invested**. ## Explore the Frameworks [ ### Nine Questions Framework A systematic approach to developing advocacy strategy through nine essential questions. ](/resources/nine-questions)[ ### Advocacy Campaign Cycle Five phases: Identify, Research, Plan, Act, and Evaluate. ](/resources/campaign-cycle)[ ### Problem Tree Analysis Visual tool for analyzing root causes and consequences. ](/resources/problem-tree)[ ### Stakeholder Mapping Identify and prioritize stakeholders using the influence-support matrix. ](/resources/stakeholder-mapping)[ ### Leadership Roles The 11 essential leadership functions for advocacy movements. ](/resources/leadership-roles)[ ### Advocacy FAQ 28 frequently asked questions about nonprofit advocacy. ](/resources/advocacy-faq) ## The Advocacy Campaign Cycle 1 ### Identify Select your issue 2 ### Research Gather evidence 3 ### Plan Develop strategy 4 ### Act Implement tactics 5 ### Evaluate Learn & adapt [Learn more about the Campaign Cycle](/resources/campaign-cycle) ## The Nine Questions Framework 1. 1. What do we want? 2. 2. Who can give it to us? 3. 3. What do they need to hear? 4. 4. Who do they need to hear it from? 5. 5. How can we get them to hear it? 6. 6. What do we have? 7. 7. What do we need to develop? 8. 8. How do we begin? 9. 9. How will we know if it's working? [Explore the Nine Questions](/resources/nine-questions) ## Writing SMART Objectives **S**Specific **M**Measurable **A**Appropriate **R**Realistic **T**Time-bound Example: "By December 2025, pass legislation requiring all public schools to provide free breakfast to students." **Information is power.** Research provides useful data, information, and evidence. Many campaigns fail because they skip the research phase and move directly to action without fully understanding the problem or the people with power to solve it. ### Contact [+1 202 744 2567](https://wa.me/12027442567) [info@commongroundconsulting.org]() Global Reach. 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