Strategy development is an essential part of advocacy because it brings stakeholders together and lays the foundation for bringing about change. Change rarely comes from the strength of a persuasive argument alone. Rather, effective advocacy requires the time and commitment to map out the policy landscape, set a focused objective, and identify the principal decisionmaker and the most appropriate messenger.

AFP SMART: A Guide to Quick Wins features examples from AFP’s focus countries on what has worked to increase financial and political support for family planning. It also includes group exercises and worksheets to foster the creation of a results- oriented plan to achieve discrete, critical policy or funding decisions toward a broader goal. Developing an effective strategy begins with gaining an in-depth understanding of the overall landscape or environment surrounding your issue; thus, this portfolio component begins with an overview to understand your context.