The policy arena has become increasingly crowded with groups and organizations advocating on behalf of their industries. In the midst of this crowded space, how can associations effectively reach policymakers? With any number of groups working on similar issues, joining forces with other organizations through coalitions can boost your advocacy efforts and increase your influence on issues affecting your members most.

Strength in Numbers

Groups that share similar interests, or have joint interests on a particular issue, can find great opportunities by partnering. At the most basic level, coalitions are groups of organizations working toward a common objective, but they can take a variety of forms and can be either formal or informal. Whatever the shape or form of a coalition, its strength and impact come from the collective.

For smaller associations, especially those with limited resources dedicated to advocacy, coalitions can provide significant advocacy support. "One of the greatest strengths of coalitions is that collective resources are brought to bear to impact a particular issue," says Ellen Fern, managing director of Washington Partners, LLC. "This can provide opportunities for smaller organizations to expand their reach and have a much larger footprint on issues that are important to them."

In addition to aggregating resources, coalitions bring together different voices and allow organizations to learn from each other. "It's important for organizations to be open to the different points of view of other members of the group when they work in coalitions," Fern says. "Not only can they expand their knowledge about particular issues from other organizational leaders, but they can also avoid possible missteps by learning from the combined experience of other advocates."

Coalitions can provide opportunities for smaller organizations to expand their reach and have a much larger footprint on issues that are important to them.—Ellen Fern, Washington Partners, LLC

Coalitions also strengthen advocacy work on Capitol Hill. These groups provide an easy way for congressional staff to reach multiple stakeholders on a particular issue simultaneously. At the same time, a diverse group of organizations working cooperatively can send a powerful message to lawmakers.

Challenges for Coalitions

While coalitions are important mechanisms to work collectively and expand reach, they have unique challenges, too. To successfully reach their goals, coalitions have to operate in consensus, making compromise essential despite differing interests across organizations. It's important to focus on your organization's bottom line and the common denominators that brought coalition members together in the first place.

Because consensus is critical for operations, coalitions can often be cumbersome and bureaucratic. Associations expecting quick action on issues or using coalitions to execute their whole advocacy agendas will find themselves frustrated with the pace of activity.

To support and execute the work, coalitions should have a clear infrastructure in the form of one or more organizations serving as the coalition's backbone or governing body. And keep in mind that organizations may want to join a coalition and attend meetings but may not be able or willing to take on additional work to support the collective purpose.

Lastly, coalitions without a clear mission or set of guiding principles can quickly find themselves changing course based on the whims of their leaders or loudest voices at the table. To avoid this, especially among groups from the same field, organizations should join together with a clear goal at the outset.

What to Look For

When considering whether to join a coalition, an association should look for a clear mission. "Associations should review the guiding principles and goals of the coalition up front," Fern says. "They need to ask themselves, 'Are we on board with that?' [and] 'Is this in keeping with our association's mission?' before they consider joining."

Associations should also review the other partners in the coalition. Will participating in this coalition make it easier to advance your advocacy goals? Are there other advantages to working with these partners? Often, coalitions bring disparate groups together that may not agree on everything. Can that work for your association or will participation bring additional challenges?

Another consideration is the commitment needed from partners in the coalition. "Are there fees to join? Are there specific expectations of partners in terms of the kind of commitments they need to make? Do partners need to take on specific responsibilities, and is your association ready to take that on? All that should be understood before agreeing to join," Fern says.

Finally, it's important to understand that the coalition may only be temporary. While some coalitions form around certain issues, others form to achieve a specific policy objective or obtain a certain funding level. Once that goal is reached, the group can disband or dissolve. But remember, the relationships that form within the coalition can often lead to future partnerships and opportunities.