Help shape industry insights with the 2026 Grassroots Advocacy Reality Survey
Ada's TL;DR digest
AdvocacyAI is running the 2026 Grassroots Advocacy Reality Survey to collect firsthand data from lobbyists, advocacy professionals, legislative staff, and campaign strategists on where grassroots advocacy is actually having impact. The results will be published as a free public resource, and participants can receive the full benchmark report before public release.
Take the Survey & Get the Final Report
Be the first to receive the benchmark report. This is your chance to contribute to the benchmarks and strategies that guide our field.
In 1996, the first "email your lawmaker" tool was introduced.
Thirty years later, email-based advocacy remains one of the most common tactics in public affairs. Even as the political environment, technology, and communication habits surrounding advocacy have changed dramatically.
This project collects firsthand data from lobbyists, advocacy professionals, legislative staff, government affairs professionals, and campaign strategists — the people with real, regular access to lawmakers and their offices — to build a clearer picture of where grassroots advocacy is actually having impact in 2026. The results will be published as a free public resource for the entire field.
Be the first to receive the benchmark report and contribute to the benchmarks and strategies that guide our field.
Who Should Participate
This survey is for professionals who interact with lawmakers, legislative offices, or the policy process regularly (at least monthly, in a professional capacity.)
That includes:
- Registered lobbyists
- Government affairs and policy staff
- Public affairs consultants and agency professionals
- Coalition directors and managers
- Current and former legislative staff
Why Participate
Participants can choose to receive the full benchmark report before public release.
For legislative staff and policy professionals, it's a direct opportunity to shape how advocacy organizations understand and approach your offices. For advocacy professionals, it's third-party data you can use in strategic planning, budget conversations, and internal decision-making.
About this Project
This research is sponsored and distributed by AdvocacyAI as an industry initiative. The survey was shaped with input from professionals across nonprofit, corporate, and public affairs advocacy.
Findings will be reviewed before publication and shared with contributors before public release.
Questions about the survey or methodology: Bree Benn — [email protected]
Privacy: Submitting your contact information gets you the report. You will not be added to a marketing list. Respondents may optionally choose to be credited by name and organization in the published report if they wish.
The survey asks about your direct experience with grassroots advocacy — what types of constituent contact you've observed or managed, how you perceive their effectiveness, what's changed, and where you think advocacy campaigns are wasting time and resources. It's a mix of multiple choice and short qualitative responses.
We will be presenting the initial findings of this report alongside independent digital organizers at a conference in June 2026. We build advocacy software, so we have a real interest in understanding what's working in the field. But the report isn't going to mention AdvocacyAI features or make product recommendations. The goal is usable industry data that helps advocacy professionals make better decisions.
Responses are aggregated and anonymized in the published report. Individual answers will not be attributed to you or your organization unless you explicitly opt into that. Raw data will not be shared or sold.
Yes, optionally. At the end of the survey you can choose to have your name and organization acknowledged in the final report. Most respondents stay anonymous. Either is fine.
