In addition to advocacy, which we read about in chapter 2 this week, Crutchfield and Grant state that networking is also an important tool for high-impact organizations. I was really impressed with how advocacy combined with networking for Self-Help. They were able to join forces with NAACP, AARP, and local credit unions and churches. Because they were advocating, they were able to network with powerful national lobby groups and local NPOs; That is a great range of organizations to become associated with.
Can advocacy also be used as a networking tool? Would you try to utilize advocacy as part of a strategy for networking? How would you do it?
For the Tioga County Historical Society (TCHS) I would try to join forces with local schools, Homeschool groups, antique dealers, collectors, and auction houses, Fire and Police departments, cultural associations, local manufacturing and agriculture groups, and libraries to name a few. All of these groups are local and have history to share with others and preserve for the future. The TCHS has a very rich networking pool to join forces with. Currently we do not engage in any advocacy work at all. Hiring policy experience is not currently an expense we can consider, but I will bring up advocacy at the next board meeting.
I also decided to google "Museum Advocacy" to see what others have done and found out that there is a "Museums Advocacy Day" in Washington, DC which actually happens to be three days between February 28-March 1, 2011. If possible, I hope to attend in the near future because it gives the opportunities of meeting with other museum supporters and professionals, a working lunch with your state delegation, and a variety of guest speakers to learn from. The Ameican Association of Museums has a great list of museum issues here.
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