AFP SMART

A Guide to Quick Wins

Reach the Right Decisionmaker
with the Right Message
at the Right Time

 September 2015
Overview

Developing an effective strategy requires understanding

Key advocacy terms and concepts
 Goal
 Objective
 Quick Win
 SMART

The 3 phases essential to ensuring success

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

Build Focus Achieve
Consensus Efforts Change
Definitions and Key Concepts

 Goal
 Long-term outcome to describe the overall mission or
purpose of a project, usually supported by several objectives
 Objective
 Brief statement of intent describing the specific outcome
sought
 Quick Win
 Discrete, critical policy or funding decision that must occur in
the near term to achieve a broader goal
Types of Quick Wins

District budget for village and workplace family

Funding planning interventions increases by 54% from
$190,000 to $293,000 by December 2015

National family planning guidelines are amended

Policy to allow community-based distribution of
contraceptive injectables by mid-January 2016

Government announces Family Planning 2020

(FP2020) commitment at the International
Visibility Conference on Family Planning on November 11,
2015.
The Secret to a Quick Win

Focus our energy and attention on

opportunities for action that have

the highest potential for impact in
the near term
Definitions and Key Concepts

 SMART

A SMART objective
increases the likelihood of Specific
achieving a Quick Win
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-bound
AFP Advocacy Approach

Landscape
Assessment

Evidence of SMART
Impact Objectives
Identification of SMART
Validation of results
objectives needed to
using evidence and
alter the landscape to
review of the landscape
produce effective
for change
quick wins

Quick Win
Achievement
Documentation and
monitoring of outputs
and outcomes toward
impact
AFP SMART in 9 Steps

Phase 1 Step 3
Step 1 Step 2
Identify the
Build Decide Who to Set SMART
Decisionmake
Consensus Involve Objective
r

Phase 2 Step 5
Step 4 Step 6
Know the
Focus Review the
Decisionmake
Determine the
Efforts Context Ask
r

Phase 3 Step 8
Step 7 Step 9
Set
Achieve Develop a
Benchmarks
Implement
Change Work Plan and Assess
for Success
 Phase 1
Build
Consensus

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Decide Who to Set SMART Identify the
Involve Objective Decisionmaker
 Step 1
Decide Who to
Involve
Step 1—Decide Who to Involve

Private Sector
Government
Healthcare Providers
Academia
Civil Society
 Step 2
Set SMART
Objective
Step 2—Set SMART Objective

What are we trying to accomplish and what can we do now?

indicates what will be achieved and by

Specific
what means
framed with quantitative or qualitative
Measurable
descriptors
Attainable is within reach
contributes to the overall goal of your
Relevant
advocacy efforts
Time-bound sets a specific date for achievement
Sample Advocacy Goal and
SMART Objective

 Goal
 To have a safe, clean
space for children to play
outside
 SMART Objective
 Kampala Resident City
Commissioner signs
ordinance to schedule fixed
days for waste pick-up in
Central Kampala division
including CenKa
neighborhood, by
April 11, 2016
Many SMART Objectives to
Reach One Goal

NOW GOAL
Children in CenKa Children in CenKa
neighborhood have no safe, neighborhood have a safe,
clean space to play outside clean space to play outside

Objective 1 Objective 2 Objective 3 Objective 4 Objective 5

Kampala Neighborhood Division GTZ provides Kampala
Resident City association Councillor for sports equipment Resident City
Commissioner organizes Central Kampala and supplies to Commissioner
signs ordinance volunteer brigade division signs neighborhood signs ordinance
to schedule fixed to convert order releasing association in to enable
days for waste existing space funds for speed July 2016 neighborhood
pick-up in Central into a playground bumps and one- association to
Kampala for young way conversion use land for team
division, as a children over two of neighborhood sports for older
pilot, by April weekends in May streets in June children by
2016 2016 2016 August 2016
Our Goal and Objectives

 What do we hope to achieve in the long term?

 What are the short-term SMART objectives of our
advocacy?
 What do we do first?

Long-term Goal
Placeholder
Group Work 2.1

Box 2.1

Broad Goal:

Smart Objective:
 Step 3
Identify the
Decisionmaker
Step 3—Who Makes the
Decisions?

 Who has the power to help ensure that your issue is addressed?
 For example, who can ensure that contraceptive supplies and
services are available for women who would want and need them?

Example Decisionmakers
Private Sector Government
Academia Minister of Health
Economists
Researchers Minister of Gender
Healthcare
Professors Minister of Finance
providers
Advisors to the Minister
Civil Society Technical Officers
Nongovernmental Organizations
Faith-based Organizations Healthcare Providers
Women’s Associations Doctors
Youth Groups Nurses
Advocacy Officers Midwifes
Group Work 3.1

Box 3.1

Identify Decisionmaker:
 Phase 2
Focus Efforts

Step 4 Step 5 Step 6

Review the Know the Determine the
Context Decisionmaker Ask
Step 4
Review the
Context
Step 4—What Is the
Decision-making Context?

Placeholder
Insert photos or statements
representing what decisionmakers or
other influential individuals or bodies
are saying about the issue to be
addressed by your goal and objective
Group Work 4.1

Box 4.1 Box 4.1

External Challenges External Opportunities
 Step 5
Know the
Decisionmaker
Step 5—What Do We Know
About the Decisionmaker?

 What is their
background? What are
their core concerns?
 Have they made any
statements for or against
family planning?
 Whose opinion do they
care most about?
 Are they willing and able
to act on issues they care
about?
What Does the Decisionmaker
Value?
 Maternal health or
women’s rights?
 Cost-effectiveness of
public health programs?
 Young people?
 Socio-economic
development?
 Cost-effectiveness?
How Do We Best Approach Each
Decisionmaker?
 Provide information
 Why is our issue important?

 Encourage the will to act

 What is most likely to persuade the decisionmaker to take
action?
 Recognize their leadership
 How can we thank the decisionmaker publicly and celebrate
his/her role in securing a win?
 Group Work 5.1
Decisionmaker Name (from Box 3.1):

Knowledge:

Box 5.1 Values:

Core Value

Willingness to Act:
 Step 6
Determine the
Ask
Step 6—What Is Our “Ask” and
How Can We Support It?

Support the ask through

 Rational arguments
 Use facts or evidence

Emotional arguments
 Use evocative stories and
photos

Ethical arguments
 Use a rights-based approach
From an Ask to a Quick Win

 Example: Advocates considered what was needed to amend the national

family planning guidelines to enable community health workers to provide
contraceptive injectables
How Did They Do It?
Group Work 6.1
Box 6.1
Identify Decisionmaker:

Rational

Emotional

Ethical
The Five-Point Message Box

2. Enter decisionmaker’s
3. Anticipate objections and
core concerns
prepare response
(Step 5)

1. Enter decisionmaker’s
name (Step 3)

5. Answer the question:

4. Articulate the SMART ask
“What is the benefit?”
The Five-Point Message Box—
Example

2. Decisionmaker’s core
concern: All women do not
have equal access to
healthcare
3. Objection: Universal
access is too expensive
Response: Family planning
is one of the most effective
investments

1. Decisionmaker: Budget
analyst for the Minister of
Finance [Name of person]

5. Benefit: Health gains for 4. SMART ask: Create a line

underserved groups (e.g., item for family planning in the
lower maternal mortality) budget
Enter the Decisionmaker’s Name

2. Enter decisionmaker’s
3. Anticipate objections and
core concerns
prepare response
(Step 5)

1. Enter decisionmaker’s
name (Step 3)

5. Answer the question:

4. Articulate the SMART ask
“What is the benefit?”
Enter Core Concerns

2. Enter decisionmaker’s
3. Anticipate objections and
core concerns
prepare response
(Step 5)

1. Enter decisionmaker’s
name (Step 3)

5. Answer the question:

4. Articulate the SMART ask
“What is the benefit?”
Anticipate Objections and
Prepare Response

2. Enter decisionmaker’s
3. Anticipate objections and
core concerns
prepare response
(Step 5)

1. Enter decisionmaker’s
name (Step 3)

5. Answer the question:

4. Articulate the SMART ask
“What is the benefit?”
Articulate the SMART Ask

2. Enter decisionmaker’s
3. Anticipate objections and
core concerns
prepare response
(Step 5)

1. Enter decisionmaker’s
name (Step 3)

5. Answer the question:

4. Articulate the SMART Ask
“What is the benefit?”
Answer the Question:
“What Is the Benefit?”

2: Enter decisionmaker’s
3: Anticipate objections and
core concerns
prepare response
(Step 5)

1: Enter decisionmaker’s
name (Step 3)

5: Answer the question:

4: Articulate the SMART ask
“What is the benefit?”
 Group Work 6.2

1. Decisionmaker’s Name:

2. Decisionmaker’s Core
Concerns:

3. Objection:

4. SMART Ask:

5. To What End?:
Message and Messenger

 Each team member

should be able to deliver
the message and the
supporting message
points
 Remember: the
messenger is as
important as the message
Determine the Messenger

Community
Policymaker Celebrity
Members
Deliver the Message

 Will your request be part of an

informal discussion or require
a formal presentation?
 How much time will you have
to make your case?
 If more than one of you is
involved in the meeting, who
will present the issue and who
will ask the decisionmaker to
act?
 How will you follow up after the
meeting? Is another meeting
needed?
Group Work 6.3

Box 6.3

Messenger Name:
 Phase 3
Achieve
Change

Step 8
Step 7 Step 9
Set
Develop a Implement and
Benchmarks
Work Plan Assess
for Success
 Step 7
Develop a
Work Plan and
Budget
Step 7—Assess Internal
Resources

 Do we have financial
resources?
 Do we have the time?
 Do we have the data to
support our request?
 Do we have human
resources?
Group Work 7.1

Box 7.1 Box 7.1

Internal Challenges Internal Opportunities
Specify Advocacy Activities

 How will the activity further our

objective?
 How does it relate to what the
decisionmaker considers
important?
 Is the activity worth the time
and money it will require?
 Is the activity needed to
achieve a Quick Win?
 Is the activity SMART?
Group Work 7.2

Box 7.1
Internal Challenges
SMART Next Steps/ Estimated Person(s)
Timeline
Objective Input Activities Budget Responsible
 Step 8
Set
Benchmarks for
Success
Step 8— Three Ways to Measure
Success

 Outputs—Did you carry out all

the advocacy activities in your
work plan?
 Outcomes—Did you fulfill your
SMART objectives and
achieve a Quick Win?
 Impact—Did your Quick Win
improve the situation for those
who need and want access to
family planning?
Sample Benchmarks

NOW GOAL
Children in CenKa Children in CenKa
neighborhood have no safe, neighborhood have a safe,
clean space to play outside clean space to play outside

Objective 1 Objective 2 Objective 3 Objective 4 Objective 5

Kampala Neighborhood Division GTZ provides Kampala
Resident City association Councillor for sports equipment Resident City
Commissioner organizes Central Kampala and supplies to Commissioner
signs ordinance volunteer brigade division signs neighborhood signs ordinance
to schedule fixed to convert order releasing association by to enable
days for waste existing space funds for speed July 2016 neighborhood
pick-up in Central into a playground bumps and one- association to
Kampala for young way conversion use land for team
division, as a children over two of neighborhood sports for older
pilot, by April weekends in May streets by June children by
2016 2016 2016 August 2016
Sample Benchmarks

SMART Objective:  Outputs—One-on-one

meeting with city
Kampala Resident City commissioner; a brief with data
on previous successful pilot
Commissioner signs waste pick-up projects
ordinance to schedule
fixed days for waste pick-  Outcomes—Signing of
up in Central Kampala ordinance; resources allocated
in city commission budget
division, as a pilot, by
April 2016  Impact—Did your Quick Win
improve the situation? What’s
the next objective?
Group Work 8.1

Box 8.1
Indicators of Progress
Anticipated Outputs Anticipated Outcomes (Quick Wins):
 Step 9
Implement and
Assess
Step 9—Putting it All Together

Landscape
Assessment

Evidence of SMART
Impact Objectives
Identification of SMART
Validation of results
objectives needed to
using evidence and
alter the landscape to
review of the landscape
produce effective
for change
quick wins

Quick Win
Achievement
Documentation and
monitoring of outputs
and outcomes toward
impact
Assessing Our Impact

We assess
Because advocacy can produce useful results
To capture longer-term gains from quick wins
To better explain the value of our investments in advocacy
To keep our eyes on the long-term impact as we track our
quick-wins
What Do You Do After a Quick
Win?
 Review your plan
 Ask: What must happen
next to get to your goal?
 Has your landscape
changed? Is the next
objective still correct?
 Should you reformulate
your advocacy strategy?
Should you add another
objective?
Time to Take Action

 What are our immediate actions following this meeting?

 Review assignments and next steps
 Set up the next phone or in-person follow-up on
progress
 Evaluate progress against benchmarks to ensure that
we are on track
For More Information

AFP Advocacy Portfolio: http://advancefamilyplanning.org/portfolio

Evaluation
 Thank You!
AFP aims to increase the financial investment and political commitment needed to
ensure access to high-quality family planning through evidence-based advocacy.

advancefamilyplanning.org