ASSESSING THE EFFICIENCY OF YOUR TRADE ASSOCIATION’S PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY

In order to evaluate the efficiency of your trade association’s public policy advocacy, the following seven categories are considered: 1. Location-Resources-Mandate;  2. Infrastructure and Legislative Monitoring;  3. Networks;  4. Interaction between the Secretariat and the Members; 5. Communication;  6. Influence-Public Policy Advocacy and 7. Public Policy Advocacy Structure.  There are a total of 63 questions.

Each question can be rated according to the following scale: 5 (outstanding), 4 (very good), 3. (good), 2 (needs some improvement), 1 (needs much improvement) and 0 (not applicable)

If your total accumulated of points is comprised between  252 and 315 this shows a remarkable performance. If your total accumulated points is comprised  between 189 and 252, this shows a satisfactory performance with certain weaknesses to address. And finally if your total accumulated points are below 126 points a reform of your association’s public policy advocacy is urgent.   

  1. LOCATION-RESOURCES-MANDATE

1. Is your association based in the capital city of your country?
2. Is the office close to the governmental institutions?
3. Does your association have sufficient resources to meet its objectives?
4. Does your association represent a sector important to the national economy?
5. Do other national associations represent the same sector?

2. INFRASTRUCTURE-LEGISLATIVE MONITORING

1. Does your association conduct regular monitoring of national policy and legislation?
2. Does your association focus its monitoring on domain specific to its sector?
3. Is the monitoring regularly reviewed?
4. Does your association provide a database/intranet for its members?
5. Does the database contain all necessary information?
6. Is the database regularly updated?
7. Do the members use the database regularly?
8. Is the database protected against use by unauthorized persons?

3. NETWORKS

1. Does your association receive first hand information from its contacts?
2. Does your association take part in discussion groups and think tanks?
3. Has your association identified the public officials in the Executive and Legislative branches who are influential on its dossiers?
4. Does the staff or the Secretariat attend meetings of parliamentary committees?
5. Has your association identified the key government officials for its dossiers ?
6. Has your association identified the other key actors, professional associations, NGOS, trade unions?
7. Has your association identified the key journalists at national level.

4. INTERACTION BETWEEN THE SECRETARIAT AND THE MEMBERS

1. Is information rapidly circulated?
2. Is the information passed on to those concerned?
3. Is the information presented in an attractive manner?
4. Do the members react quickly?
5. Does the information correspond to the members’ needs?
6. Are the members and the Secretariat in regular contact?
7. Is there a regular exchange of information between the members and the Secretariat?
8. Does the Secretariat organize regular team meetings?
9. Are the responsibilities of the Secretariat clearly allocated?
10. Does the government or the parliament regularly contact the Secretary General and his/her Secretariat?

5. COMMUNICATION

1. Does your association have a professional website?
2. Is the information presented in a clear way?
3. Is the website regularly updated?
4. Has your association created a strategy to improve its visibility?
5. Does your association have a “communicative attitude”?
6. Does your association write press releases concerning its sector and measure their impact?
7. Does your association sponsor certain media or events?

6. INFLUENCE-PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY

1. Does your association have a medium-term strategy?
2. Does this plan comprise tangible objectives in terms of public policy advocacy?
3. Is the strategy based on anticipation and pro-activeness?
4. Does the association have a decision-making structure allowing it to act quickly?
5. Is 50% or more of the budget dedicated to public policy advocacy activities?
6. Is your association’s budget organized by project or by advocacy campaign?
7. Does your association conduct internal audits?
8. Is your association subject to external audits?
9. If yes, does your association put the recommendations into place quickly?
10. Are your association’s position papers credible? (or do they propose viable solutions)?
11. Is there a coherence between the different position papers of your association?
12. Does your association address personalized position papers to targets it has identified as important?
13. Are the position papers adapted to each phase of the legislative process?
14. Does your association participate in consultations of the government ?
15. Does your association participate in consultation committees and expert groups set up by the government?
16. Does your association have regular contacts with MPs?
17. Do members of the Secretariat meet with important MPs and officials?
18. Does your association seek to build alliances with NGOS and trade unions?
19. Does your association seek to build alliances with other industries or trade organizations?

7. PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY STRUCTURE

1. Does your association have a pro-active approach ? (Does it plan in advance as much as possible?)
2. Does your association directly coordinate its members public policy activities on a national level?
3. Is the Secretary General capable of managing conflicts between the members?
4. Is the Secretary General capable of making decisions?
5. Is the Secretary General’s leadership accepted?
6. Does the Secretary General have concrete experience in public policy advocacy ?
7. Does the Secretary General have a solid technical understanding in the area of expertise of his/her association?