Author's articles

If You Want Government to Listen, You've Got To Make the Ask!
By Stephanie Vance · 16 years ago
One of my main messages for advocates is "make the ask." In my opinion it is almost always a waste of time to talk to an elected official without asking for something. Believe it or ...
Why I LOVE Tax Day: A Perspective from the Advocacy World
By Stephanie Vance · 16 years ago
For all my proselytizing on the benefits of government and its many valuable programs, you'd think I'd be overjoyed to pay my taxes. I mean, they do help provide the financing for services I care ...
March Madness on Capitol Hill (And I Don't Mean Basketball)
By Stephanie Vance · 16 years ago
Well, I've had quite an exciting week. First of all, the team here at the Advocacy Associates empire organized hundreds of Congressional meetings for two different Washington, DC fly-ins, both of which occurred on March ...
Lessons from JazzFest: Five Strategies for Effective Advocacy
By Stephanie Vance · 17 years ago
The guru and her husband were at Jazz Fest in New Orleans this weekend. We go every other year to enjoy the music as well as to remind ourselves why we don't stay out all ...
Point and Click Democracy: Why It Doesn't Work
By Stephanie Vance · 17 years ago
It seems like you can't click the mouse these days without finding a website seeking to connect citizens with their government. But are these sites really helping citizens connect with their elected officials in a ...
Seven Ways International Organizations Can Get the U.S. Government to Listen – and Act!
By Stephanie Vance · 17 years ago
Mystified by the U.S. Government?: you're not alone. International organizations often find it difficult to get the U.S. Congress or federal agencies to even listen to their priorities, much less act on them. In truth, ...