Knowledgebase

Advocacy

Nonprofits can play a vital role in advocating for those in their community. As front line service providers, nonprofit leaders have first hand knowledge of that could prove invaluable to the policy making process.

What is Advocacy?

Advocacy can involve a wide variety of activities that seek to promote the interest of a particular cause or issue. Advocacy can look like any of the following: 1. Your organization conducts a public education campaign on domestic violence. 2. You initiate a letter writing campaign to get a proportion of apartments in a new development designated as low to moderate income housing. 3. Land used for a dog park is going to be closed down and you start a petition to get the city to preserve this site, or find a new one. 4. You hear that funding for early childhood education programs in your state is about to be cut and you go speak with your elected officials to persuade them to oppose the cuts.

Advocacy Tools

• The National Council of Nonprofits has created an advocacy toolkit for nonprofits. The toolkit discusses advocacy tactics as well as the legislative process.
• The University of Kansas Community Tool Box, also provides a great how-to advocacy guide:
  • Principles of Advocacy
  • Conducting Advocacy Research
  • Providing Encouragement and Education
  • Conducting a Direct Action Campaign
  • Media Advocacy
  • Responding to Counterattacks

Other Resources

• This Chronicle of Philanthropy Article discusses the basics of nonprofit advocacy with a few real world examples.
• This article, also by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, goes over the dos and don'ts of lobbying.
• This Alliance for Justice Guide goes over the dos and don'ts of advocating during an election season.
• The Packard Foundation supported the development of "Now Hear This: The Nine Laws of Successful Advocacy Communications" by Fenton Communications.
• How to be Your Museums Best Advocate by the American Association of Museums
• The IRS issued guidance on intervention in political campaigns by 501(c)(3) organizations in Revenue Ruling 2007-41.
• The United State Conference of Catholic Bishops issued the Political Activity Guidelines for Catholic Organizations