Grassroots lobbying and advocacy has a rich history in the U.S. From huge public efforts like the Love Canal Homeowners Association in the 1970s and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in the 1980s to more recent efforts by groups like Black Lives Matter, the Sierra Club, Moms Demand Action and AARP, individuals and organizations use grassroots lobbying to motivate the public and help reform laws.Companies, associations and citizens are increasingly engaging in grassroots lobbying and advocacy as an attempt to influence changes in legislation that support their core missions and constituency groups. Grassroots lobbying and advocacy, in contrast to direct lobbying, tends to focus on stimulating the politics of specific communities by impacting public opinion and encouraging public action.In addition to covering the history of lobbying, students will examine how the legislative process works, key tactics used by groups in order to promote different issues, building coalitions, relationship building and ethical concerns. Certificate holders will leave the program with the skills needed to step into grassroots lobbying or professional advocacy roles in most any field as well as the knowledge to support personal causes through grassroots lobbying or advocacy.