If charities want to influence political parties’ election manifestos they should already be lobbying policy-makers, according to a new nfpSynergy report.

The research consultancy has based its latest report, Nine campaign tactics for charities to consider before the next election, published today, on interviews with 150 MPs.

The first point it makes is that charities should “start talking to other policy makers early (like, yesterday)”.

“If your charity is not already talking to policy makers about their policy priorities for the 2015 general election then it should be,” it says.

MPs surveyed said that the most effective time to influence policy is during the manifesto drafting process, which is already underway. Manifestos will be ratified at the party conferences in the autumn.

Tim Harrison, head of professional audiences at nfpSynergy and one of the report’s authors said: “MPs would see the ideal campaign as a coalition of cost-effective, non-partisan charities asking politicians to implement policies that won’t cost anything, but will benefit their constituents.”

He added that another theme to come out the interviews with MPs was to give campaigns a local angle as election candidates will be more likely to engage with something that affects their constituents, with one Labour MP saying that: “All politics is local.”

Nine election campaign tactics for charities

 

1. Talk to MPs early and often in the run-up to a General Election. If you wait until after the manifestos have been written, your chances of influencing policy are greatly diminished.
2. MPs will only support credible campaigns. You demonstrate your credibility through the quality of your evidence, showing you have the correct expertise to speak on a particular issue, and co-ordinating your message with other organisations in your sector.
3. Make sure your campaigns are innovative and/or garner a great deal of media attention as these are more likely to get support.  
4. Invite all candidates to events or meetings your charity runs in their constituency.  
5. Make briefings you give to MPs relevant to their constituency. This could be done by using local case studies, or including information about services your organisation provides in their constituency.
6. If you ask your supporters to email or write a postcard to their MP, encourage the writer to personalise the message. The more investment and connection a constituent displays in the campaign, the more likely it is to grab an MP’s attention.
7. Avoid overly long or complicated briefings.
8. Avoid showing (or appearing to show) partisan bias.
9. Avoid failing to respond to feedback or concern from the MPs you reach out to.