Strategy and Policy Development

Strategy and Policy Development involves planning how to develop, draft, and prepare for enactment of your policy.

Why is strategy and policy development important?

Creating a strategy and drafting the policy can help you make the policy option you selected actionable. This process may look different depending on the policy you selected.

Who should be involved in strategy and policy development?

To understand the strategy and policy development process, you will probably need the help of stakeholders, as the process isn’t always straightforward. Consider which stakeholders can help you develop a strategy and draft the policy. Also plan who should be involved in moving it forward.

People who can help design your strategy

Who they are:

• People whose jobs or lives might be affected by the policy
• Community members and leaders
• Subject matter experts
• People who understand the legislative process

How they can contribute:

• Develop communication strategy and materials
• Identify and connect you with key contacts and partners
• Figure out clear next steps

People who can help develop the policy

Who they are:

• Subject matter experts
• People who understand the legislative process

How they can contribute:

• Provide critical information for the policy

Ask your stakeholders about what may help or prevent enactment of the policy.

How do you define your strategy and develop your policy?

1. Develop your enactment strategy.

Identify the steps you and your partners will take to enact the policy. Your stakeholders can play an important role in this step. For example, if your policy involves writing a new policy, your stakeholders will know—usually from past experience—the best contacts and partners who can help guide your policy through the appropriate process. Because they previously traveled to the same destination and successfully navigated the same route, you might learn a lot from them. Stakeholders might also be able to help with timing of the policy.

2. Develop and draft the policy.

Start by trying to find pre-existing language for the policy. This might come from a model policy or policies others have drafted. In other words, you might be able to get to your destination via a well-traveled route. On the other hand, if nothing exists, you’ll need to chart a new course and write new language. As the policy is drafted, consider how it might work in your situation and what additional information or resources may be needed for implementation.

Model policies offer examples of legislative and regulatory language that can be used to address specific policy problems.

Strategy:

• Your strategy identifies the steps for policy enactment
• You identified what may help or prevent the enactment of the policy

Policy Development:

• You researched and considered model policies
• The policy is drafted and clearly shows how it will work in the real world
• You identified any additional information or resources that may be needed for implementation