Policy influence is rarely a straight line. Governments change course, civic space narrows, funders tighten conditions and partners behave in ways nobody planned for. Organisations that treat advocacy and partnership risk as an afterthought tend to discover it through a closed bank account, a damaging media story or a coalition that withdraws at the worst moment.

The Risk Management for Advocacy, Policy Influence & Partnerships Training Course gives participants a structured way to see those threats early. It starts with political context and stakeholder analysis, then builds risk identification, scoring and mitigation tools that fit campaign work. Later sessions examine reputational and legal exposure, the safety of staff and allies, data protection, and the duty of care owed to communities and beneficiaries who appear in advocacy materials.

The course then moves to partnerships. Participants practise due diligence on prospective allies, agree roles and decision rights, and design monitoring and escalation routes for shared programmes. Teaching relies on short briefings, scenario work and peer review, so participants finish with tools they can apply to a live campaign the following week.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Analyse the political context and stakeholders surrounding an advocacy objective.
• Identify and score risks to a campaign, its staff, its allies and its funding.
• Design mitigation, contingency and escalation measures proportionate to each risk.
• Assess reputational and legal exposure before publishing evidence or taking public positions.
• Apply safeguarding, data protection and security practice to advocacy activities.
• Conduct due diligence on prospective partners, coalition members and funders.
• Draft partnership agreements that clarify roles, accountability and exit terms.
• Prepare a crisis communication and response plan for a campaign setback.

The programme is aimed at people who plan, lead or oversee influencing work and alliances, including:

• Advocacy, policy and campaigns officers in NGOs and civil society networks
• Programme and country managers responsible for partner portfolios
• Coalition and network coordinators
• Communications and public affairs managers
• Risk, compliance and safeguarding focal points in non-profits
• Partnership and grants managers in foundations and donor agencies
• Government liaison officers and policy advisers in public bodies
• Trade association and business membership organisation staff

Participants return to work with:

• A campaign risk register template scored for likelihood and impact.
• A partner due diligence checklist and red-flag guide.
• An outline for a partnership agreement covering roles, data and exit.
• A security and safeguarding protocol for advocacy events and field visits.
• A short crisis response plan with named roles and holding statements.
• A stakeholder and influence map for one of their own campaigns.

The course is built around live advocacy dilemmas rather than abstract theory, using:

• Scenario cards that put participants in the middle of a campaign setback
• Risk register clinics where each person works on their own initiative
• Role play of partner negotiations and due diligence interviews
• Short case discussions drawn from civil society and public policy work
• Peer review of draft tools before the final action plan

Participants who attend the sessions and complete the practical exercises are awarded a CPD-accredited Certificate of Completion by Vision Reach Global Consultancy.