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Petition Examples
Templates for creating a successful campaign
Change.org users have created thousands of petitions over the past couple of years, and now you can learn from their experience. We’ve collected the best petition titles, images, letters and descriptions to provide you with some inspiration in crafting your petition.
Examples of Great Petition Titles
Your title is the first thing that people see when they look at your petition, so it must be both informative and provocative. Check out these great examples:
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Why: This title is short, catchy and uses humor -- but makes the target and action clear. -
Why: While it makes the target and action clear, it also peaks the reader’s curiosity. Why would a car maker sell cars to people who can’t drive? -
Why: The play on words is what makes this title fun and eye-catching. -
Why: While focused on one location, the title introduces a target and action that could happen in other cities or towns. -
Why: The informal “hey” is a fun twist on addressing the target, followed by a declaration that makes it very clear what they want.
Examples of Powerful Petition Images
The old cliché is right: a picture is worth a thousand words. Catch your readers’ attention with a great graphic that pulls them in and leaves them wanting to learn more:
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Why: This image introduces us to Kelley Williams-Bolar, a mother jailed and convicted for enrolling her children in a school district in which she did not live, and connects the viewer to her emotions. -
Why: This image sets the context for the role Sec. Clinton plays and alludes to the access she has to decision makers around the world. -
Why: This image takes on the iconic KFC brand image and uses humor to make a point about the company’s actions.
Kelley Williams-Bolar Granted Clemency by Ohio Gov. John Kasich 
Secretary Clinton: Publicly Support Saudi Women’s Right to Drive 
Stop KFC from Destroying Our Forests -
Why: This image plays on the Facebook “Like” button that people know so well and but shows what people may actually feel about the pages in question. -
Why: Unless you’ve seen one, it’s hard to imagine the scale and size of a “megaload” through a written description alone. But one look at this picture and you get a sense of what one driving down your street might look like. -
Why: This image introduces you to Jennifer Lopez, the subject of the petition, and helps you connect more with her story and life before taking action.
Demand Facebook Remove Pages that Promote Sexual Violence 
Don’t Ruin the Rockies: Stop Big Oil’s Dangerous Megaloads 
Tell ICE: Don’t deport Florida DREAMer Jennifer Lopez away from her family! Examples of Well-Targeted Petitions
Targeting is critical to the success of your petition. Every time someone signs your petition, an email is sent directly to this target. So, petitioning the wrong decision maker may do little to move your campaign forward. But targeting the right decision maker can yield quick results. Here are some examples of strong petition targets.
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Targets
- Senior Director of Public Affairs and Community Relations, San Francisco Giants (Shana Daum)
- President, San Francisco Giants (Larry Baer)
- Senior VP of Communications, SF Giants (Staci Slaughter)
- Executive Director, SF Giants Community Fund(Sue Petersen)
- General Manager, SF Giants (Brian Sabean)
Why: It may seem like common sense to just target the president or CEO of a company, but it’s important to think of the other moving parts of an organization. Not only do the President and General Manager who oversee the business side have a stake in this outcome, but people working in the Community Fund and Public Affairs who deal with the community and press on a more regular basis.
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Targets
- Manager, U.S. Communications, McDonald's U.S. Media Relations (Ashlee Yingling)
- Manager, McDonald's Global External Communications - Media Relations (Becca Hary)
- Senior Director, McDonald's Global External Communications (Lisa Howard)
- CEO, McDonald's (Jim Skinner)
- Senior Director, McDonald's Global External Communications - Media Relations (Heidi Barker)
- Senior Manager, McDonald's Global External Communications - Media Relations (Lisa McComb)
- Director, U.S. Communications, McDonald's U.S. Media Relations (Danya Proud)
Why: Especially when targeting corporations, it's great to include a couple top players (CEO, CFO, etc.) and then 1-3 public relations folks. The top dogs will likely never get back to you or even be bothered by the petition -- it's the PR reps who will take this seriously.
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Targets
- Superintendent, Silsbee Independent School District(Richard Bain, Jr.)
- Principal, Silsbee High School (Eldon Franco)
- Athletic Director, Silsbee High School (Bobby McGallion)
- Silsbee Board of Trustees
Why: Similar to the corporate targets, you want to target a range of administration officials and staff even in smaller companies or in this case, a school. Even if one of them doesn’t have decision-making authority, they will still feel pressure and can communicate that to the right people.
Examples of Compelling Petition Descriptions
Your petition description is essential for convincing others to sign your petition. It should clearly and succinctly describe the problem, solution and any facts or research to support your position. Remember, people don’t spend a lot of time reading, but if they made it this far, they’re probably interested in your petition. So make it easy for them to sign and pass it on.
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- Make an introduction. This description starts by telling a local story, but sets up the broader context for the action.
- Present the facts. By including facts about existing laws and how they are enforced, the petition starter can better connect them to their own case.
- Ask for what you want. It’s simple and concise, but this letter tells you exactly how your action will make a difference.
The principal of Flour Bluff High School, a public high school in Corpus Christi, Texas, has repeatedly rejected a student's application for a Gay-Straight Alliance on campus. Not only is this homophobic, it breaks federal anti-discrimination laws.
Under the Equal Access Act, federally-funded secondary schools must provide equal access to extracurricular clubs. The act also grants equal access on school grounds and inside school publications to student groups. This includes Gay-Straight Alliances on campus.
Please sign the petition below to urge school officials to approve Flour Bluff High School senior Bianca "Nikki" Peet's application to start a Gay-Straight Alliance on campus and create a safe spaces for all students.
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- Borrow a page from their book. The description starts by using Chipotle’s own branding to set up the case for the action.
- Set the context. The petition creator provides a clear timeline of events, and links to supporting articles and facts.
- Zoom in. Then they describe a specific incident, including the date, location, and details about the people involved.
- Connect the dots. The fourth paragraph brings us back to the big picture problem and provides the solution.
- Ask for what you want. The last paragraph tell us exactly what they want from the target and urges us to take action.
Chipotle strives to make its popular burritos with fresh, sustainable ingredients. The company motto is, after all, "food with integrity." So why is Chipotle treating its immigrant workers like trash?
When the federal government presented the company with immigration warnings (known as "I-9 audits"), Chipotle began laying off entire stores full of workers. They gave long-time employees no warning, no time to prove their status, no respect, and even insufficient pay. Now, the way the company is firing workers in Washington, DC, is so appalling that City Council Members are speaking out publicly, saying they may be forced to hold hearings into the matter.
At the D.C. Columbia Heights Chipotle, a dozen workers were fired in one day -- March 9th, 2011. They were taken into the back room during a 30 minute break and replaced with new employees before they could return to work their next shift. Many long-time workers -- some who had worked at Chipotle for six years -- were literally tossed out in the cold. They received no warning and no respect. They huddled together to comfort each other, thinking of how they would feed their families and pay the rent.
While it works to be an ethical company, Chipotle is setting a dangerously low standard for how it treats long-time employees. We must join DC City Council members to hold Chipotle to a basic standard of respect.
Sign the petition to demand Chipotle apologize, change its mass firing practices, and pay employees what they are owed. In short: demand Chipotle treat workers with integrity!
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- Set the scene. This description introduces us to the key players and what the goal of the petition is.
- Do your homework. The petition creator includes key research and data to support their argument, while also continuing the storyline of the young women.
- List your allies. By telling us what progress has been made and what new allies have joined the cause, we can see positive momentum.
- Ask for what you want. They close with a clear call to action to join them and leaves us with an image of what winning will look like.
Two courageous Girl Scouts, Madison Vorva and Rhiannon Tomtishen, are asking for your help in their campaign to get rainforest-destroying palm oil out of Girl Scout cookies.
Five years ago, Madi and Rhiannon were completing research for their Girl Scout Bronze Awards when they discovered a cold hard fact about the much-sought-after commodity they’d been selling each year: Girl Scout cookies — including all but one of the 17 different brands — are packed with palm oil, an ingredient that causes clearcutting of irreplaceable rainforests and threatens the survival of humankind’s closest relative, orangutans. The two sixth graders were shocked.
They wrote to Girl Scouts USA about their concerns, but got nowhere. They've taken their campaign public and enlisted the help of the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Center for Biological Diversity, Cultural Survival, Orangutan Foundation International, and RAN, but top brass at Girl Scouts USA remain unmoved.
Stand with these two courageous young activists in their battle to cut the ties that bind Girl Scouts to the mortal threats facing orangutans and the destruction of irreplaceable rainforests by signing this letter to Girl Scouts USA CEO Kathy Cloninger today!
Examples of Persuasive Petition Letters
Your petition letter is where you convince your petition target to take action. Short, well-researched letters can inspire action, while long, rambling threats will get your petition ignored, if not blocked. Check out these great letter examples, and then go write your own!
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- Be direct. This letter introduces the purpose of the petition and who Jennifer Lopez is right away.
- Give facts and details. It also includes an official reference #, so her case can easily be verified and found by the people receiving your letter.
- Do your research. The letter outlines the current guidelines and laws, and how they are not being met in this case.
- Tell a story. This letter makes Jennifer more than a case # by providing important details about her life, goals, and responsibilities to her family.
- Ask again. The letter closes by repeating their request and describing what a positive outcome will look like.
Subject: Don't deport Florida DREAMer Jennifer Lopez
Greetings,
I just signed the following petition addressed to: ICE.---------------- Don't deport Florida DREAMer Jennifer Lopez, A. # 205-013-274
I am writing to ask that you work to immediately stop the deportation of Palm Beach county resident Jennifer Lopez (A. #205-013-274). Like Manuel Guerra, Jennifer Lopez is a DREAM Act-eligible youth who should clearly not be a priority for deportation under the new ICE guidelines. Jennifer has lived in the U.S. for about a decade and completed high school through a GED program in order to help her mother and siblings.
Jennifer's deportation would be doubly devastating -- not only would it cut her dreams and future plans short, it would rip her away from a family that depends on her care. Jennifer's younger sister, Ashley, a 5-year-old U.S. citizen, has been diagnosed with a blood clot, requiring her to be in observation for 3 months in the hospital, and to wear a special "boot" to get around. Her brother, also a citizen, appears to be losing his vision.
Jennifer's mother has been diagnosed with a tumor in her knee, which required knee reconstruction. On top of all of this, Jennifer and her mother have NO criminal record and have been paying taxes for more than 8 years. They were pulled over for a minor traffic stop that apparently triggered deportation proceedings.
Please work to stop Jennifer's deportation and grant her status that allows her to stay in the U.S. with her bright future and family, who depend on her loving care.
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Sincerely,
[Your name] -
- Be direct. This letter starts by making the details clear: who is the target, who needs help and what exactly needs to happen.
- Do your homework. By referencing the newspaper article and their research, this letter shows evidence and support from reputable sources.
- Make a connection. By connecting Ms. Johnson’s work with Bank of America’s goal to support small businesses, it puts the onus on them to do the right thing.
- End on a good note. Using a positive tone can cut the defensiveness and make the target more willing to take action.
Subject: Stop the foreclosure on Vera Johnson
Dear Bank of America,
I just signed a petition calling on Bank of America to immediately stop the foreclosure on Vera Johnson's Seattle home and business, and to work with Johnson to modify her mortgage payments.
For 17 months, your bank has repeatedly asked Ms. Johnson to submit the same documentation and paperwork, claiming you did not receive it. This behavior was independently verified by a Seattle Post reporter, here: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nicolebrodeur/2015615416_nicole15m.html
Ms. Johnson is a single mother of two and an outstanding member of the community. Her small business, Perennial Nursery, routinely hosts educational tours and classes and works closely with local nonprofits and schools in the area. I know that your bank wants to support businesses like Ms. Johnson's, and I'm calling on you to do the right thing.
We're all frustrated by this housing crisis. It's going to take all us, working together, to find a way out of this mess. Let's start by giving homeowners like Johnson a fair deal.
[Your name] -
- Tell them how you feel. The letter sets the tone by listing the University’s actions and making it clear the community is paying attention and is not pleased.
- Get specific. While there are many examples, the letter focuses on one story that really embodies the need for change.
- Share your values. This letter references the shared values that members of the community have and want for everyone, not just a few.
- Sum it up. In a letter with many examples, this letter ends by summarizing key points that support a clear call to action.
Subject: Belmont University should not be an epicenter of intolerance
Dear President Fisher, Mr. Pillon, Vice President Lake, and Dean Johnston,
I am deeply dismayed at the events going on at Belmont University over the past month, and the message of intolerance your University continues to send. First came word that the university was denying a request from a group of gay students to form an organization on campus. Dean Johnston, you even went so far as to suggest that gay Christians could be disruptive.
Now comes word that a successful soccer coach, Lisa Howe, has been removed from her position because she chose to have a child with her same-sex partner. While statements from you, Mr. Pillon, suggest that Howe resigned, students on the women's soccer team are saying that Howe was put in the position of choosing to resign, or be fired, solely because she wanted to start a family.
Both of these actions are offensive, intolerant, and completely contrary to the Christian values of loving your neighbor, showing respect for all, and welcoming all to the table. Being a religiously-affiliated school does not mean having to be a place where intolerance toward gays and lesbians thrives.
The reputation of Belmont University has decreased in my eyes, and I'm saddened that while students at your school seem willing to love everyone and work with everyone without judgment, university officials are all too eager to create a climate of intolerance and discrimination.
I urge you to allow gay students to meet on campus, and to enact a non-discrimination policy that protects gay employees from being fired because of their sexual orientation. These aren't radical requests. They come from the heart of someone who does not want to see "Christian" values become synonymous with bigotry.
Thank you for your time.
[Your name]
