With effective communication, nonprofit organizations engaged in policy and advocacy work can have a positive impact on the constituents served by the organization, on the advocates working with the organization, and on social issues in general. Effective communication is necessary not only to achieve social change but also to motivate supporters to act to effect change. Much like direct-service programs, advocacy efforts can be evaluated to demonstrate effectiveness and achievement of identified outcomes. While advocacy evaluations face a number of challenges (e.g., lack of a practical guide, difficulty identifying outcomes, and methodological issues), innovative tools and methods can be used to overcome these challenges. This study sought to examine empirically the effect that different types of advocacy communication, created by a nonprofit organization, had on (a) advocates' advocacy-related behaviors, and (b) college students' advocacy-related perceptions and intentions. The study found mixed support for three message frame theories: goal-valence, social norm, and goal setting/behavioral tracking. The largest effect was found for the goal-valence frame for advocates and the goal setting/behavioral tracking frame for college students. Implications of these findings are discussed, as are future directions. For example, additional research is needed to verify the effect of the message frame theories and to examine alternative advocacy behaviors and modes of communication.
