A 360 Degree View of League
A well-rounded approach for League success
Workshop presented at LWVUS Council, Summer, 2005 -- a summary

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This workshop was designed to help local and state leagues develop a consistent approach to successful advocacy through education fund development, membership recruitment and engagement, and adequate community visibility.

Components of the 360 Degree View of the League:

    1. Visibility and Communication

    • Cultivate a good relationship with the local media.
    • Seek to be known as a reliable community source of information.
    • Ensure that the league message is clear, concise and includes what action will be taken.

    2. Advocacy

    • Develop a process for choosing the issues on which to advocate. Questions that may be asked when selecting an issue for consideration include:
      • Does the league have a position on the issue?
      • Can the league provide leadership on the issue?
      • Is there sufficient member interest?
      • Will this issue attract new members, media interest, or donors?
      • What are the short and long term opportunities for action?
    • Develop an advocacy strategy that both advances the issue at hand and strengthens the league's standing the community:
      • Focus on a few issues or an umbrella issue.
      • Establish a process for program planning and selecting advocacy priorities; involve your issues experts and advocates in the priorities selection process.
      • Develop a plan for communicating your advocacy work to the press.
      • Join a coalition that will bring visibility, new members and donors to the league.
      • Engage non-league activists in advocacy activities when appropriate.

    3. Membership

    • Best Practices for "growing" a league
      • Develop a program which includes issues at the local, state and national levels.
      • Leverage the league's trusted reputation.
      • Increase visibility through media relationships.
      • Set "stretch" membership goals.
      • Involve all league members in membership recruitment.
    • The most successful strategy for growing the membership is to ASK, ASK, ASK others to join!
      • Membership recruitment should be the league's top priority.
      • Offer activities that allow members to develop leadership skills.
      • Show respect for individual contributions, work styles and available time.

    4. Education Fund Development

    • Effectively communicate the need for support.
    • Build a sustainable relationship with prospective donors and supporters.
    • Focus on individual donors.
    • Solicit members for monetary support in addition to annual dues.

Submitted by

Yvonne Brakefield,
President, LWVGB

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