Squeezed by four consecutive years of budget cuts as the nation's greatest recession wears on, the country's public schools have found themselves operating under increasingly tighter fiscal constraints while facing ever-changing demands and enrollments. Reductions in financial support to schools at the federal level have compounded cutbacks at the state and local levels, meaning school leaders must stretch every dollar to go further and school districts are doing as much or more with less. In such a fiscal climate, advocacy for government appropriations--especially knowing how to make a compelling case for continued and increased education funding--has never been a more crucial skill for school system leaders. In any list of advocacy tips, an understanding of the education appropriations process is a proper starting point. This article presents strategies from American Association of School Administrators (AASA) for education leaders taking on the role of appropriations lobbying.