Influencing for Impact Guide: How to Deliver Effective Influencing Strategies

"People are the most important resource in designing and implementing an influencing strategy. You will need the right mix of skills and knowledge at the different stages of the cycle."

In its work to save and protect lives in humanitarian crises, to improve the lives of marginalised and excluded groups, and to tackle the root causes of poverty and injustice, Oxfam engages in influencing at national and global levels. For Oxfam, "influencing" refers to a range of systematic efforts to bring about changes in the structural causes of poverty and injustice that include changes in unequal gender and power relationships, policy, practice, attitudes, behaviours, and social norms. This guide is designed for civil society organisations, Oxfam teams and partners, activists, and campaigners. It aims to support them to develop and deliver effective influencing, advocacy, and campaigning strategies.

The guide covers steps in designing effective influencing strategies, whether for programmes or standalone campaigns. It features tools, examples, and guidance on topics such as understanding context, conducting a power analysis, setting objectives, developing strong narratives, and deciding which tactics to use to make change happen through programme and advocacy activities. (Examples of influencing tactics include: engaging in research and policy development; lobbying and direct advocacy; convening and facilitating engagement and dialogue with key stakeholders and decision makers in a change process; fostering community engagement through critical awareness-raising activities and participatory learning events; supporting women and men to become change-makers and influencers themselves; undertaking strategic communications and media; creating alliances and network building; supporting civil society organisations; and mobilising and public campaigning.) There are sections on research, lobbying, digital and social media, mobilisation, and influencing behaviours and norms.

The guide is divided into three parts:

1. Influencing: This part explains some of the context and principles that underpin Oxfam's approach to influencing.
2. Strategy: This part explains how to develop an influencing strategy to maximise impact. It takes you through the main steps, providing analysis and planning tools and examples of the strategies and tactics you can use.
3. Tactics and tools: This part provides more in-depth guidance and information on the strategies, tactics, and skills you can develop to be effective in your influencing and campaigning.

Annex 1 includes the Influencing Strategy & Planning Template; Annex 2 features the Traffic Light Checklist to ensure your campaign or influencing strategy is integrating and mainstreaming gender; and Annex 3 outlines some key steps for planning and designing a behaviour change strategy.

The guide is informed by the learning, experiences, and influencing and campaigning undertaken by social movements, civil society networks, Oxfam partners, allies, and staff over many years, as well as from evaluations and academic research. It features links to more information about a variety of influencing programmes, such as:

• Multi-level campaigns operating at across local, national, and global levels - e.g., the Even it Up and FAIR campaigns, which are focused on economic inequality, tax, and fiscal justice, and the Enough Campaign to end violence against women and girls;
• National influencing programmes - e.g., Oxfam in Ghana's advocacy and campaigns on investment in agriculture, health and education, and fair taxation; and
• Sub-national campaigns or advocacy projects within a country development or humanitarian programme - e.g., a campaign on the unjust land systems that are driving inequality in Uganda and the in-country advocacy that is being used to secure access to aid and protection for civilians in Yemen.