As advocates, we possess a myriad of ways to amplify our voices and illuminate significant issues within our communities. One such avenue is through requesting a proclamation, a distinctive approach that draws attention to our concerns, creates awareness, stimulates discourse, and honors the perseverance of those grappling with these challenges daily.
A proclamation is an official announcement or declaration issued by a governing body, such as a city council, mayor’s office, or state legislature, to formally recognize and affirm the significance of a particular cause, event, or achievement. It typically takes the form of a written document or public statement, often accompanied by a ceremony or presentation. Proclamations are used to raise awareness about important issues, commemorate significant events, or honor individuals or organizations for their contributions to society. They hold symbolic value and carry the weight of official endorsement, serving as a means to convey the collective support and commitment of the issuing authority.
In the realm of advocacy, procuring a proclamation holds immense importance and serves as a valuable tool for advancing a cause or mission. By securing official recognition from government entities or influential organizations, advocates can leverage proclamations to amplify their message, raise awareness, and mobilize support for their initiatives. Proclamations provide legitimacy and credibility to advocacy efforts, lending authority and visibility to the cause being championed.
Additionally, they serve as catalysts for community engagement, rallying individuals, businesses, and other stakeholders around a common purpose. Ultimately, proclamations serve as tangible evidence of progress and success in advocating for meaningful change and shaping public perception and policy.
As advocates, we possess a myriad of ways to amplify our voices and illuminate significant issues within our communities. One such avenue is through requesting a proclamation, a distinctive approach that draws attention to our concerns, creates awareness, stimulates discourse, and honors the perseverance of those grappling with these challenges daily.
A proclamation is an official announcement or declaration issued by a governing body, such as a city council, mayor’s office, or state legislature, to formally recognize and affirm the significance of a particular cause, event, or achievement. It typically takes the form of a written document or public statement, often accompanied by a ceremony or presentation. Proclamations are used to raise awareness about important issues, commemorate significant events, or honor individuals or organizations for their contributions to society. They hold symbolic value and carry the weight of official endorsement, serving as a means to convey the collective support and commitment of the issuing authority.
In the realm of advocacy, procuring a proclamation holds immense importance and serves as a valuable tool for advancing a cause or mission. By securing official recognition from government entities or influential organizations, advocates can leverage proclamations to amplify their message, raise awareness, and mobilize support for their initiatives. Proclamations provide legitimacy and credibility to advocacy efforts, lending authority and visibility to the cause being championed.
Additionally, they serve as catalysts for community engagement, rallying individuals, businesses, and other stakeholders around a common purpose. Ultimately, proclamations serve as tangible evidence of progress and success in advocating for meaningful change and shaping public perception and policy.

What Is the purpose of it?

Recognition & Awareness
Proclamations serve to officially recognize the existence and impact of chronic, complex, and rare diseases, bringing them to the forefront of public consciousness. By declaring specific awareness days or months, proclamations effectively raise awareness about these often overlooked conditions and educate the community about their prevalence, challenges, and the need for support and resources. This recognition is crucial for reducing stigma, fostering understanding, and rallying support for affected individuals and their families.
Advocacy & Policy Support
Proclamations provide a platform for advocacy efforts, calling attention to the need for policy reforms and improved healthcare services for individuals living with chronic, complex, and rare diseases. By highlighting these issues at the governmental level, proclamations can catalyze legislative action, funding initiatives, and the development of targeted policies aimed at addressing gaps in care, research, and access to treatments. They serve as a powerful advocacy tool for promoting systemic changes and advancing the interests of the patient community.
Community Engagement & Empowerment
Proclamations encourage community engagement and participation in advocacy efforts, empowering individuals and organizations to take action and make a difference. By officially recognizing awareness days or months, proclamations inspire grassroots initiatives, events, and educational campaigns that unite communities, foster solidarity, and amplify the voices of those affected by chronic, complex, and rare diseases. They provide a rallying point for collective action, enabling individuals to come together, share their experiences, and advocate for change as a unified force.
Inspiration & Hope
Proclamations offer a source of inspiration and hope for individuals living with chronic, complex, and rare diseases, affirming their resilience, strength, and contributions to society. By acknowledging their experiences and challenges, proclamations validate the journeys of patients and caregivers, instilling a sense of pride and recognition within the community. They serve as a beacon of hope, reminding individuals that they are not alone in their struggles and that their voices matter in the fight for improved healthcare, support, and quality of life.

how you can request it

1.

Determine Your Proclamation Cause
Before diving into the process of requesting a proclamation, you’ll need to decide the focus of your advocacy efforts. You have a few options:
  1. A proclamation recognizing your specific condition’s awareness day or month
  2. A proclamation recognizing Rise & Rally’s chronic, complex, and rare disease advocacy and healthcare reform awareness month
  3. Both 🙂 you would just need to make sure that the awareness day/month for your specific condition and the awareness day/month for Rise & Rally are different

2.

Fill Out the Templates
We want to help make this as easy for you to do as possible which is why we created some templates that you can use to help make it happen! The main templates you will want to use is our email template and our proclamation template example which is a PDF you can edit and attach to your email.Before reaching out to someone about your proclamation request, you’ll need to fill out these templates so you have them ready to go when you make contact.

3.

Submit the Request
A few months before (or maybe longer depending on how far in advance the government agency plans ahead) reach out to the number you find on the representative you are hoping to get to issue the proclamation’s site and ask for the designated contact person responsible for handling proclamation requests.Try to get their name, number and email if possible. Talking to them on the phone and then sending the email request after is ideal so they know it is coming and can be working on it, but if they don’t answer send them the email and try to call a few days later if you receive no response.

4.

Plan An Event (Optional)
By organizing an event in conjunction with the proclamation ceremony, you have the chance to maximize momentum and drive tangible change within your community. Whether it’s hosting a panel discussion, organizing a community walk, or facilitating a fundraising event, a monument lighting ceremony, the possibilities are endless. Remember, the goal is not necessarily to host a large-scale event, but rather to create meaningful opportunities for engagement and advocacy.

5.

Consider Requesting A Monument Lighting (Optional)
A monument lighting event is a powerful way to draw attention to a particular cause or initiative by illuminating a landmark or monument. It serves as a visual representation of support and solidarity, capturing the public’s attention and raising awareness about the chosen issue.You can request a monument lighting for your specific disease awareness day/month or for Rise & Rally’s Chronic, Complex, and Rare Disease Awareness Day/Month by contacting the appropriate authorities or organizations responsible for the lighting of the monument. We want to help make this easy so we have a whole page that has templates and instructions as to how to create and submit a lighting request here!

6.

Notify Media Outlets (Optional)
Notifying media outlets is crucial to maximizing the impact of your proclamation and if applicable your proclamation event and raising awareness for your cause! One of the most effective ways to do this is through a press release, a formal statement sent to journalists and media organizations to announce news or events. Press releases provide essential details about the event, such as its purpose, date, location, and significance, in a concise and compelling format. They also offer journalists quotes, background information, and contact details for further inquiries.To simplify the process, we offer customizable press release templates that you can tailor to your event and cause. You can download them here!

7.

Notify Us & Receive Your Rise & Rally Pin
Once you have secured approval for your proclamation, please let us know along with any relevant details we should know by filling out the form at the bottom of the page. This will allow us to promote your proclamation and hard work on our website, social media channels, and other platforms to maximize its visibility and impact! BONUS: If you choose to take do one of the optional activities (the ones in purple), such as organizing an event, requesting a monument lighting, or engaging with media outlets, please be sure to indicate this on the notification form at the bottom of the page and we will send you a complimentary Rise & Rally official pin to wear during your proclamation event, interviews, or monument lighting ceremony!

8.

Attend The Event
Yay! Time to obtain your proclamation! Every office does it differently, some have events, others have a formal signing, others might just have you pick it up at their front desk – it all just depends on their office. For whatever they decide to do, we highly recommend you take pictures and celebrate the moment with friends and family! We also recommend wearing Rise & Rally apparel (shop here) and your complimentary Rise & Rally pin (see box 7) if you have it so that other Rise & Rally members, the news crew or any others wanting to come learn more and celebrate to easily identify you!

9.

Share Photos & Summary With Us
We put our heart and soul into supporting our members, and there’s nothing more rewarding than celebrating their victories with our community! That’s why we’re reaching out to you to share your photos, any news segments, or articles featuring the event, along with a detailed summary of the occasion. Your contributions help us amplify your advocacy efforts and inspire others to join the cause.It’s also a great opportunity to recognize your unwavering dedication to raising awareness for chronic, complex, and rare diseases. We’re eagerly anticipating the chance to showcase your event on our social media platforms and commemorate your achievements together with the entire Rise & Rally community!You can submit those photos here!

10.

Continue To Follow-Up With Representatives
After successfully securing a proclamation, the journey towards effecting change for chronic, complex, and rare disease communities is far from over. Continuing to engage with representatives is essential to ensure that the issues highlighted in the proclamation are addressed and acted upon. Now that you have the attention of your representatives, it’s crucial to capitalize on this momentum by actively following up and working collaboratively to implement tangible solutions. By staying engaged, you can keep your cause at the forefront of their agendas and advocate for policies and initiatives that benefit individuals affected by chronic, complex, and rare diseases.

PROCLAMATION Request, Press Release & Event Invite Templates

Trying to request a proclamation and putting together everything else that comes with that such as press releases, event planning and possibly obtaining a proclamation – can be a lot to do. We know that and want to make it as easy as possible which is why we worked hard to create templates you can easily fill in and use!
When engaging in advocacy alongside our organization, we ask that you use our branded templates. This ensures that policymakers, organizations and all involved are fully aware of your affiliation with our organization, fostering cohesion and maintaining a unified voice across our advocacy efforts.
Below you will find a variety of pre-made and easily downloadable templates you can use to help you with your lighting, event and press release requests. These were all made and are editable in canva. If you have not used canva before it is free and simple to use just head over to canva.com and create a free account to get started. If you need help with this please contact us via our contact page and we will help you out! Whether you’re a seasoned advocate or new to the world of advocacy, our templates will help you make a meaningful impact in the fight for chronic, complex and rare disease advocacy and healthcare reform!
Request A Proclamation For Rise & Rally’s Chronic, Complex & Rare Disease & Healthcare Reform Awareness Month Template
Press Release For A Proclamation For Rise & Rally’s Chronic, Complex & Rare Disease & Healthcare Reform Awareness Month Template
Proclamation For Rise & Rally’s Chronic, Complex & Rare Disease & Healthcare Reform Awareness Day Event Info Invite Template
Request A Proclamation For Your Specific Condition Template
Press Release For A Proclamation For Your Specific Condition Template
Proclamation For Your Specific Condition Event Info Invite Template

Notify us of your Proclamation Approval And/Or Upcoming Event

We would love to be able to share, promote, and celebrate your proclamation signing and/or event or any associated events! Once you secure your lighting date, please let us know by filling out this form. We’ll be in contact to ensure you’re all set and answer any questions you may have. Your advocacy efforts are incredibly valuable, and we’re excited to support, cheer you on and share how you are making a difference!

how did it go? Share Your photos, news clips etc. From your event

Fill out this form after you have your proclamation signing and/or event to let us know how it went, share photos, news clips & articles and any other important info that you would like to share with us so we can share with our community!

Notify us of your Proclamation Approval And/Or Upcoming Event

We would love to be able to share, promote, and celebrate your proclamation signing and/or event or any associated events! Once you secure your lighting date, please let us know by filling out this form. We’ll be in contact to ensure you’re all set and answer any questions you may have. Your advocacy efforts are incredibly valuable, and we’re excited to support, cheer you on and share how you are making a difference!

how did it go? Share Your photos, news clips etc. From your event

Fill out this form after you have your proclamation signing and/or event to let us know how it went, share photos, news clips & articles and any other important info that you would like to share with us so we can share with our community!

Don't forget to get your outfit for your event