Advocacy, Grassroots Organizing and Lobbying

1. Hardball Lobbying for Nonprofits: Real Advocacy for Nonprofits in the New Century. Barry Hessenius; Palgrave Macmillan: New York; 2007; 224 pages. This real-world guidebook provides a comprehensive tutorial for nonprofit leaders to build political power and successfully lobby for systems change. The experienced, forthright author has been in the trenches as both a lobbyist and a government official.
2. Becoming an Effective Policy Advocate: From Policy Practice to Social Justice (5th Edition). Bruce S. Jansson; Wadsworth Publishing: 2007; 560 pages. Although this lengthy book is geared towards social workers, the skills it teaches, including agenda setting; problem analysis; proposal writing, and policy enactment, implementation and assessment; could be applied by anyone. The focus is geared towards helping oppressed, stigmatized or powerless groups, including people with disabilities. This 5th edition includes internet resources. The author is on the USC faculty.
3. From the Ground Up: Grassroots Organizations Making Social Change (Paperback). Carol Chetkovich & Frances Kunreuther; ILR Press; Cornell University Press: Ithaca, NY 2007; 217 pages. This book explains how social-change organizations address challenges related to leadership, staff development, decision-making, resource needs and collaborations. The goals, structure and challenges of sixteen diverse social-change organizations are analyzed through in-depth interviews with leaders and staff members.
4. Lobbying for Social Change. Willard C. Richan; Haworth Press: Binghamton, NY; 3rd edition: 2006; 302 pages. This updated and expanded edition, written in non-technical language, provides the basic steps needed to change public policy and lobby effectively with public officials to create social change. Clearly presented case materials illustrate the lobbying process in action.
5. The One-Hour Activist: The 15 Most Powerful Actions You Can Take to Fight for the Issues and Candidates You Care About. Christopher Kush; Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, CA; 2004; 240 pages. Provides fifteen proven grassroots actions designed to grab attention, build relationships, and influence lawmakers and reporters. Strategies are included to identify, track and analyze current legislation. Tips from professionals and real-life examples of effective letters, e-mails, phone calls, public testimony, and news story pitches.
6. Roots to Power: A Manual for Grassroots Organizing (2nd Edition, Paperback). Lee Staples; Praeger: Westport, CT; 2004; 392 pages. This how-to manual presents strategies, tactics, methods, and techniques to set goals, select issues, campaign, recruit members, develop leaders, hold effective meetings, conduct research, lobby politicians/legislators, and get the word out to the media.
7. Going Public: An Organizer's Guide to Citizen Action. Michael Gecan; Anchor: New York; 2004; 224 pages. The author urges readers to think nationally and act locally. Political organizing is easy to undertake and involves negotiating with others to get what you want. People can exert incredible power over their own lives and their government if they stand together in creative ways. Engaging and informative guide, with a call to make a difference.
8. Guide to State Legislative Lobbying (Revised edition, Paperback). Robert L. Guyer; Engineering THE LAW, Inc.: Gainesville, FL; 2003; 220 pages. Provides step-by-step detailed instruction about the state legislative process. Especially useful to policy advocates new to legislative decision-making, but is also a good refresher for those with experience. Straightforward and readable, this guide covers the major legislative procedures, political tactics and strategic choices.
9. Stir It Up: Lessons in Community Organizing and Advocacy. Rinku Sen & Kim Klein; Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, CA; 2003; 288 pages. This book is written by a renowned activist and trainer who provides concrete guidance for community organizations on how to identify key strategies, develop effective leaders, build strong alliances and networks, use research, design an effective media strategy, and develop a plan for internal political education and consciousness-raising.
10. The Lobbying and Advocacy Handbook for Nonprofit Organizations: Shaping Public Policy at the State and Local Level (Paperback). Marcia Avner; Amherst H. Wilder Foundation: St. Paul, MN; 2002; 230 pages. Explains how to shape local and state public policies, set up systems to support lobbying, develop skills to make advocacy efforts more effective, build and mobilize supporters, influence the government, use the media, and comply with regulations.
11. The Activist’s Handbook: A Primer (Updated Edition, Paperback). Randy Shaw; University of California Press: Berkeley & Los Angeles; 326 pages. This extensive resource guide provides practical, wise, and inspiring advice on how to shake the power structure, influence political decisions, build coalitions, harness the media, and bring about progressive social change, with numerous stories and cases.
12. Organizing for Social Change: Midwest Academy: Manual for Activists (3rd Edition, Paperback). Kimberley A. Bobo, Jackie Kendall & Steve Max; Seven Locks Press: Santa Ana, CA; 3rd edition: 2001; 425 pages. A comprehensive tool kit for grassroots organizations on how to effectively organize and mobilize communities at the local, state and national levels. This manual is used as a textbook by major universities. It provides information on strategy development, research, trends, technology, implementation and tips from those who have succeeded.
13. Let Them Call Me Rebel: Saul Alinsky: His Life and Legacy (Paperback). Sanford D Horwitt; Vintage: New York; Reprint edition: 1992. The biography provides a clear picture of a controversial, complex and powerful civil rights activist with world wide influence. Saul Alinsky (1909-1972), believed strongly in empowering others and attaining social justice for all through building community-wide power.
14. Rules for Radicals (Reissue Edition, Paperback). Saul Alinsky; Vintage: New York; 1989; 224 pages. Saul Alinsky developed strategies and tactics for grass root groups to promote effective activism. This guidebook/autobiography/manifesto describes how to confront and change both powerful institutions and individuals through well organized action.
15. Reveille for Radicals; Alinsky, Saul; Vintage: New York; Reissue edition: 1989; 256 pages. Through the concept and practice of community organizing, brilliant and outrageous Saul Alinsky combines radical political action and rational political discourse to translate ideals into concrete deeds. This work describes the techniques he used, and explains why and how to organize. Alinsky was a superb organizer, strategist and philosopher.

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