Issue Advocate

Everyone wants to have an impact. Yet in too many jobs, there’s no need to bring your conscience to the office. At the state PIRGs, our advocates can put their ideals front and center. From protecting public health to safeguarding consumers, preserving the environment to limiting the influence of special interests in politics, PIRG advocates spend every day working to create exciting and rewarding political change on behalf of the public interest.

On the local, state and federal levels, advocates achieve concrete victories on their issues by employing the time-tested techniques of investigative research, media exposes, grassroots organizing, advocacy and litigation. More specifically, PIRG advocates are responsible for the following:

• Policy development: Develop new policy areas for PIRG to tackle. Analyze and create new issue areas based on current political climates and hot issues.

• Campaign strategy: Create a plan to win on our public interest campaigns; strategize how to gain political support through coalition-building, grassroots organizing, media publicity, endorsements and message development.

• Lobbying: Bring problems and solutions to the attention of decision-makers-including state legislators, representatives of the Executive branch, environmental agency staff and local officials.

• Media outreach: Serve as the public spokesperson for our campaigns through media events, press releases, editorial board meetings and other PR tactics.

• Fundraising: Write grant proposals, network with donors, and present our case to foundations. Seek creative approaches for bringing more resources to our efforts.

While much of the state PIRGs’ work centers on the legislative arena, advocates take their issues to whatever forum offers the best hope of winning results. In addition to lobbying decision makers, advocates file lawsuits, testify at administrative hearings, and file shareholder resolutions. Further, as part of a network of hundreds of advocates, organizers, attorneys and non-profit professionals across the country, PIRG advocates share resources and expertise with a large network of organizations, helping to build a stronger public interest movement nationwide.