6- Tell Your Story

2-minute read – This is Lesson 6 of 7 of OC’s Local Advocacy Toolkit

Now it’s your turn. The most effective advocacy comes from clarity – clarity about who you are, what you need, and how your work connects to the broader goals of your municipality. Preparation is what makes this feel natural in the moment. By taking time to write things down, you and your team can sharpen your mission, vision, values, and goals, and build a shared language you can return to across meetings, presentations, and campaigns.

The two exercises below are designed to help you articulate your story, frame your challenges, and generate a concise, compelling pitch. They can be completed directly on this webpage, and once you’re done, you can email your responses to yourself or your team by clicking the button at the bottom. Use these prompts to experiment, refine, and practice. The more grounded you are in your own narrative, the more confidently and authentically you can advocate for your work and your community.

Use this guide to help shape a compelling narrative about your organization, its challenges, and the support you need. Whether you’re preparing a presentation, a grant report, or a funding pitch to Council, this framework helps align your story with local priorities.

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What is your mission? How long have you been active in the community? What’s the scale and range of your programming? How are you funded (public, private, earned revenue, etc.)?
What issue or challenge are you currently facing? How is it affecting your organization, your team, your audiences, or your ability to deliver programs?
What choice(s) have you had to make/are you wrestling with because of the challenge(s) you’re facing? How could these choices affect your ability to fulfill your mission?
What has happened so far as a result of the situation? What have you learned? What might you do differently next time?
What exactly are you requesting from the municipality? (Time? Money? Visibility? A vote?) How much do you need, by when, and for how long? If you receive this support, what will change, and for whom? Are other partners or governments involved in your broader request? How does the municipal ask fit into the overall picture?
Are others in your community facing a similar challenge? Who are the key stakeholders and partners? How many people are affected, and where in the community are they located? What are their demographics (age groups, income levels, neighbourhoods)? What broader impact is the issue having?
What could happen if this issue isn’t addressed? What’s at risk for your organization, your community, or the city? What can we do now to prevent negative outcomes?
How does your issue connect with municipal priorities? Is it mentioned in your municipality’s cultural policy, strategic plan, or another civic framework? How can you tie your ask to what Council already says it values?
Email
Your answers will be emailed to you and will not be used by OC. If you prefer not to provide your email, your can copy/paste the info to an external document.

Once you have fleshed out your story and connected it to advocacy priorities, pull it all together into one short, compelling paragraph: your core advocacy message.

Use this section to create a brief narrative you can deliver in 30-60 seconds: at a meeting, in a presentation, or when submitting a written brief. Aim for clarity, connection, and a specific ask.

Your pitch should include:

  • Who you are
  • What the challenge is
  • Who is affected
  • What you are asking for
  • How this aligns with local priorities
  • What will change if your ask is granted
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Email
Your answers will be emailed to you and will not be used by OC. If you prefer not to provide your email, your can copy/paste the info to a document.

Local Advocacy Toolkit – All Lessons: