What is the Difference Between Lobbying and Advocacy?

Lobbying and advocacy are both ways to influence change, but they have distinct purposes and approaches. Here are the main differences between the two:

Lobbying:

Focuses on influencing government decisions, policies, or legislation or gaining political influence.
Includes direct communication with lawmakers, advocating for or against specific bills, providing data and arguments to support a particular position, and mobilizing grassroots support.
Lobbying is always allowed as a private citizen, but researchers should be cautious about using resources (e.g., paid time, grant funded travel) to lobby while in a professional capacity.
Examples of lobbying include asking a member of Congress to vote for or against, or to amend or introduce, particular legislation, and emailing members of a group asking them to contact their member of Congress in support of or opposition to a specific bill.

Advocacy:

Seeks to raise awareness, educate, and inform the public and policymakers about a particular issue or cause.
Involves activities such as public awareness campaigns, providing information, sharing stories, and mobilizing supporters.
Advocacy is generally allowed and not considered lobbying when it comes to using resources such as paid time and grant-funded travel.
Examples of advocacy include meeting with a legislator to share stories and experiences about how a policy impacts the people, using social media to get the word out about a cause/issue, and meeting with a government official to explain how a particular problem/issue is affecting a community.

In summary, lobbying focuses on influencing specific government decisions, policies, or legislation, while advocacy aims to raise awareness and educate the public and policymakers about a particular issue or cause.