Advocacy Communications & Issues Management

Communicating important and complex public policy initiatives

Organizations working to educate the public, ignite behavior change and influence public policy at the local, state or federal level rely on integrated marketing and communications strategies to accomplish those goals more effectively. Whether it’s a meaningful piece of legislation at the state Capitol, a local ordinance in front of city council or a ballot measure during election season, public opinion matters, and building consensus requires strategy and a bit of creativity. 

For 25 years, GroundFloor Media, a Denver-based advocacy communications agency, has partnered with organizations and lobbyists to translate complex issues into messages and tactics that educate, engage and activate the public. The result is impactful campaigns that inform, change minds, shape public policy and influence stakeholders including media, elected officials and voters. From grassroots advocacy campaigns and public education campaigns to legislative messaging and stakeholder engagement strategy, our senior strategists have guided organizations through Colorado’s toughest public policy fights – everything from mental health and healthcare liability reform to equity in education and sugar-sweetened beverage taxes — and delivered results in statehouses and communities across the country. We’re not a lobbying firm — we’re the public affairs agency that makes your lobbying more effective, combining big-agency capability with the responsiveness and relationships that only come from decades embedded in Colorado’s public affairs landscape. 

Our Approach: Inside & Outside the Capitol

Winning a policy fight requires pressure from multiple directions at once. Our advocacy communications approach is built around pairing inside-the-Capitol strategy with outside-the-Capitol pressure, working in close coordination with your lobby team to amplify their efforts while building the public support that makes it harder for opposition to gain traction. 

Inside the Capitol

We leave the lobbying to the experts. Our job is to make their work more effective. That means providing sharp, well-designed materials built on messaging we know resonates, preparing spokespeople for media appearances that can influence committee members and moving quickly when a bill evolves or opposition ramps up. We also use innovative tactics to reach lawmakers and their staff directly, putting your message in front of them at key moments.

Outside the Capitol

At the same time, public pressure matters. We build visible, broad-based constituent support through earned media, paid and digital advertising, grassroots mobilization, coalition activation and compelling storytelling — giving decision-makers a clear signal that the public is engaged and paying attention. 

Want to go deeper on our approach? Read our blog on advocacy communications as a key ingredient to influencing public policy.

Service Offerings:

We’re a “one-stop-shop” when it comes to strategic advocacy communications. We partner with organizations, associations, coalitions and lobbying teams to help policy efforts succeed. Our work spans four core areas:  

1. Legislative Communications Campaigns: When a bill is moving, or needs to move, your lobby team needs more than talking points. We provide the inside-the-Capitol support that makes their work more effective: sharp, resonant messaging; well-designed materials; and an outside-the-building pressure campaign that builds public support, activates constituents to reach out to lawmakers and generates media attention at the moments that matter most.  

2. Public Education & Awareness Campaigns: Not every policy fight starts on the floor of the Capitol or at the ballot box. Sometimes you need to change minds—or simply make sure an issue is visible, understood and felt—before you run a bill, ask voters to support a ballot measure or approach policymakers for action. We design public education campaigns that build the foundation: elevating your issue with key audiences, establishing credible messengers and ensuring that when the moment for action arrives, the groundwork is already laid.  

3. Ongoing Advocacy Communications Support: Policy doesn’t pause between sessions, and neither should your communications. We offer year-round support for organizations with active policy and advocacy priorities, keeping your messaging on point, your media presence consistent and your stakeholders informed and engaged via key channels (blogs, social media, website, etc.) no matter where you are in the legislative calendar.  

4. Grassroots Network Strategy & Management: A well-organized constituent network is one of the most powerful assets in any policy fight. We help organizations grow, build and manage grassroots advocacy networks from the ground up, or strengthen what you already have. From strategy and platform selection to content development and ongoing network management, we handle as much or as little as you need to turn your supporters into an effective, activated force.  

Depending on your goals, audiences and timeline, our campaigns draw on a full suite of integrated communications tools:  

• Strategic messaging  
• Media relations (e.g., opinion editorials, letters to the editor, media pitching, guest articles, etc.)  
• Email campaigns targeting key stakeholders   
• Grassroots mobilization and activation  
• Campaign websites and landing pages  
• Social media strategy and online community management  
• Creative services (e.g., graphic design, video production, infographic development, mailers, handouts, etc.)  
• Crisis & issues management  
• Digital and paid media (e.g., PPC, SEO digital ads, advertising, etc.)  
• Media and message training  
• Presentation and speaker training  
• Community engagement and activation   

Whether you’re a nonprofit planning a public awareness campaign, a coalition navigating ballot measure communications or an association driving legislative change, our public affairs strategy team brings the experience to match.

What is advocacy communications? 

Advocacy communications is the strategic use of messaging, media relations, digital outreach and grassroots mobilization to influence public opinion and policy outcomes. Unlike traditional public relations, advocacy communications is built around a specific policy goal — passing legislation, defeating a ballot measure, shifting regulatory decisions or building public support for a cause. An experienced advocacy communications agency designs campaigns that coordinate earned media, paid media, coalition building and stakeholder engagement to move decision-makers and the public toward a desired outcome.

What is a grassroots advocacy campaign? 

A grassroots advocacy campaign mobilizes everyday people — community members, customers, patients, parents or employees — to take action on a policy issue. This can include contacting elected officials, attending public hearings, sharing stories on social media or participating in coalition-led events. Grassroots campaigns are most effective when paired with strategic communications that amplify individual voices into a unified, persuasive message. At GroundFloor Media, our grassroots advocacy work has helped pass legislation, win ballot initiatives and shift public opinion on issues ranging from healthcare policy to childhood hunger. 

How do you develop a ballot initiative communications strategy? 

Ballot initiative communications requires a campaign-style approach: audience research, message testing, coalition building, earned and paid media planning, and a voter engagement strategy that builds momentum through Election Day. Every successful ballot measure campaign starts with clear, compelling messaging that simplifies a complex policy question for voters. Our team has supported ballot initiative communications in Colorado, including voter-approved tax measures, and brings that campaign-style discipline to legislative and policy campaigns of all kinds.  

Why do organizations need an issues management strategy? 

Issues management is the proactive process of identifying, monitoring and responding to public policy developments, regulatory changes or public controversies that could affect your organization. Without a strategy, organizations are left reacting to crises instead of shaping the narrative. An effective issues management program includes media monitoring, stakeholder mapping, message development and rapid-response communications planning — ensuring your organization is prepared to lead the conversation rather than follow it.