ARCHIVE - Policy Writing

		Policy Writing Info

Information to help you write to an official or an editor from Nancy Parkes

Writing to Elected Officials and

Writing Letters to the Editor

For Ecological Agriculture

(from Nancy A. Parkes, faculty)

Letters to Editor:

	What do you want?
	How clearly can you define the issue?
	Can you build a realistic scenario that makes your readers care?
	Who is your audience, and what are its views?
	Who 'in this audience are you trying to reach?
	How can you motivate positively?
	Who are the stakeholders?
	What do they want?
	How can their needs be addressed?
	What, specifically, can readers do?

Letters to Elected Officials

	Who are your elected officials?
	What do they have the capacity to do?
	What committees do they serve on?
	Do they play a major/minor role?
	Who is their constituency?
	What do you want?
	Why do you matter to this elected official?
	How clearly, and uniquely, can you define the issue (avoid template postcards unless you just want to be counted)?
	Can you build a "win" scenario for this official considering his or her views and past actions?
	Are there other elected officials you would like your elected official to contact?
	How will you follow up?

Effective/Meaningful Public Policy

	Attempts to ask and answer the right questions
	Is specific and focused
	Is user friendly and easily understood by the broadest audience
	Engages the public in meaningful examination and debate
	Tolerates innovation
	Addresses the needs and values of stakeholders
	Can adapt to changing needs and knowledge
	Works across significant differences
	Is based on long‑term as well as short‑term goals
	Provides the necessary dollars, structure and training to be effective
	Has the political support it needs from formulation through implementation

This site was last updated 03/30/06