Tools for Action

Starting a new advocacy or issue based campaign can seem like a daunting task for both seasoned and new advocates. This toolkit was developed to provide advocates with the tools, tips, and educational resources to take action to cut poverty and create greater opportunity in our nation. The Half in Ten campaign hopes that you will use these strategies to develop innovative and unique partnerships to plan and execute effective advocacy campaigns. These tips and resources are meant to be used as an introduction or to promote new ideas among more seasoned advocates. The Half in Ten campaign encourages you to use the ideas presented in the tool kit as a template to develop more targeted materials and products that best fit your community, coalition partners, and policy agenda. We stand ready to work with state and local partners in implementing these ideas and brainstorming additional options to fit the needs of your community. This tool kit is part of a series of Half in Ten resources that include data on poverty in each congressional district and a story map where we match real stories showcasing the positive impact of government programs enabling the American Dream with captivating data. Half in Ten will continue to update these resources and ask that you share your stories along with innovative outreach and advocacy strategies with us so we can continue to improve our training materials. Our partner organizations the Center for American Progress Action Fund, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the Coalition on Human Needs have also developed a wealth of policy resources and outreach materials that could be helpful in your advocacy efforts.