Advocacy Committee

The Advocacy Committee supports the Ohio Local History Alliance to be a strong, dedicated voice for the importance of history and for local history organizations, ensuring that history remains a vital part of life in Ohio.

Regardless of whether our audience is the statehouse, the county courthouse, or the house on Main Street, the Alliance will raise public awareness within private and public sectors about the importance of both public history work in Ohio and the organization’s work with local history organizations.

What is Advocacy?
Advocacy is the process of bringing about change that will result in public policies and laws that better your organization.

Although advocacy can seem overwhelming, history organizations must speak up for themselves to assist elected public officials in creating changes to increase funding for their organization.  When organizations effectively advocate, elected officials understand the important role history organizations and museums play to the voters that they represent. By informing elected officials on the public services your organization provides, they will be more likely to support policy change to help your organization grow.

Services:
The Advocacy Committee manages the annual Outstanding Achievement Awards.  Since 1960, the Ohio Local History Alliance, in partnership with the Ohio History Connection, has led the state in recognizing excellent projects, programs, and publications produced by Ohio’s historical societies, museums, and related organizations, as well as the individuals who make them happen.  Nominations are accepted in two categories: Individual Achievement Awards and History Outreach Awards.  To learn more, see the Outstanding Achievement Awards resource page.

Advocacy Resources: 

Tips for Effective Local History Advocacy (from the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Alliance)

American Association for State and Local History
AASLH has created resources to learn how to effectively advocate and lobby with elected officials.  AASLH also participates in Museum Advocacy Day.

American Alliance of Museums
AAM provides resources to help your organization begin advocating.  In addition to providing ideas for tools to advocate, AAM also head the Museum Advocacy Day every February to bring awareness to the need for public policy support of museums.