Policy: Poverty

Addressing: Poverty in the African American community

Answer following questions

Briefly explain the concept of the agenda funnel.
Why is context important when advocating for change to decision makers?
Using the social problem you identified earlier in the course, explain how the 10 issues Jansson outlined are important when trying to activate change regarding the selected social problem. Provide 2–3 sentences for each of the 10 issues:
Timing
Coupling
Framing and finding a title
Negotiating and bargaining
Assembling early sponsors and supporters
Routing
Media coverage
Setting key endorsements
Coalition building
Building momentum
Be sure to incorporate any sources you found related to your selected social problem using standard APA format

Full Answer Section
  • Timing: It is important to time your advocacy efforts so that they coincide with other events that are likely to increase public awareness of the problem. For example, you might want to time your advocacy efforts to coincide with the release of a report on poverty in the African American community.
  • Coupling: It is important to couple your advocacy efforts with other issues that are of interest to decision makers. For example, you might want to couple your advocacy efforts for poverty reduction with advocacy efforts for economic development.
  • Framing and finding a title: It is important to frame the problem in a way that is likely to resonate with decision makers. For example, you might want to frame poverty as a "national security" issue.
  • Negotiating and bargaining: It is important to be willing to negotiate and bargain with decision makers. You may need to be willing to compromise on some of your demands in order to achieve your overall goals.
  • Assembling early sponsors and supporters: It is important to assemble a team of early sponsors and supporters who can help you to build momentum for your advocacy efforts. These sponsors and supporters can help you to raise awareness of the problem, to get media coverage, and to build pressure on decision makers.
  • Routing: It is important to route your advocacy efforts through the appropriate channels. For example, if you are advocating for changes to federal policy, you would need to route your advocacy efforts through the appropriate congressional committees.
  • Media coverage: It is important to get media coverage for your advocacy efforts. Media coverage can help to raise awareness of the problem and to build pressure on decision makers.
  • Setting key endorsements: It is important to get key endorsements for your advocacy efforts. These endorsements can help to legitimize your efforts and to build pressure on decision makers.
  • Coalition building: It is important to build coalitions with other organizations that are working on the same issue. Coalitions can help you to pool resources, to share information, and to build a stronger voice for change.
  • Building momentum: It is important to build momentum for your advocacy efforts. This can be done by holding events, by generating media coverage, and by keeping the issue in the public eye.
Be sure to incorporate any sources you found related to your selected social problem using standard APA format.
  • Jansson, B. S. (2019). Social welfare policy: From theory to practice (9th ed.). Pearson.
  • National Urban League. (2021). The state of black America: 2021.
  • United States Census Bureau. (2020). Poverty in the United States: 2020.
Sample Answer Briefly explain the concept of the agenda funnel. The agenda funnel is a metaphor for the process by which social problems become political issues. The funnel narrows as problems move from the public's attention to the attention of decision makers. Why is context important when advocating for change to decision makers? Context is important when advocating for change to decision makers because it helps to frame the problem in a way that is relevant to their concerns. For example, if you are advocating for change to a decision maker who is concerned about the economy, you would frame the problem in terms of the economic costs of poverty. Using the social problem you identified earlier in the course, explain how the 10 issues Jansson outlined are important when trying to activate change regarding the selected social problem. Provide 2–3 sentences for each of the 10 issues: