What Boards Need to Know
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The Stand for Your Mission campaign is a challenge to all nonprofit decision-makers to stand up for the organizations they believe in by actively representing their organization’s mission and values, and creating public will for positive social change.
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What Boards Need to Know
- 1. What You Need to Know: A Nonprofit Board Member’s Guide to Common Questions about Advocacy
- 2. What is advocacy? Advocacy is often used as an umbrella term for many different types of policy and political engagement. That can make things a little confusing. So here’s a quick cheat sheet about the types of advocacy that are a part of the Stand for Your Mission campaign. Broad Advocacy All types of nonprofits are allowed to educate policymakers, the media, and the public about issues that are important to their mission, as long as it doesn’t include information about specific candidates or pieces of legislation, It’s this type of advocacy that is the primary focus of the Stand for Your Mission Campaign. Legislative Lobbying Lobbying means working for or against a specific piece of legislation or ballot measure. Most nonprofits are allowed to engage in a limited amount of legislative lobbying, which can be a very important way to advance – or protect – your organization’s mission and impact. When there’s a big decision being made that will affect your mission, you have a right and responsibility to weigh in. Don’t waste it! Election-Related Activities Nonprofit organizations may engage in nonpartisan voter registration, education and turnout activities. However, supporting or opposing a specific candidate (or set of candidates or a political party) is never allowed for 501(c)(3) organizations,* and is not what we’re describing as advocacy in the Stand for Your Mission campaign. *501(c)(4), (c)(5) or (c)(6) organizations are allowed to participate in electioneering activities, but only as a secondary activity.
- 3. That’s advocacy? Often, board members think that advocacy is about getting political or “off- mission.” But the reality is that advocacy could be absolutely vital to your organization achieving its mission. Advocacy can be • appealing to the zoning board to get permission to have a farmer’s market in an underserved neighborhood • requesting a parking variance to allow for a meal truck to serve homeless people in a central location • educating a legislator about the value of a community program that requires public funding • partnering with public agencies to repurpose an unused public building for a youth service agency • convening community leaders at times of natural disaster or human crisis to develop solutions for the community and promote healing
- 4. Advocacy is about your mission Advocacy is all about your organization’s work and what it will take to advance it. That is why advocacy looks different in different organizations. Here’s what a coordinated advocacy strategy might look like for an anti-smoking organization: Issue Education Tactics • Conducting and sharing research on the dangers of second-hand smoke with policymakers and the public. • Surveying the public to better understand public opinion on regulations related to smoking and second-hand smoke. • Sharing success stories of other communities’ efforts to reduce or eliminate smoking in public places. • Sharing personal stories about the impact of smoking. Lobbying Tactics • Urging elected officials to support legislation that would ban candy- flavored tobacco.
- 5. Who should advocate? If you care about an issue, then you can be an advocate. And as a nonprofit board member, you have a responsibility to advocate for your organization’s mission. That means communicating the importance of your mission to others. And helping others understand how larger issues or decisions in your community are impacting your organization, its work, and the community you serve. As a board member with a passion for your organization’s mission and work, you have what it takes to be an advocate.
- 6. What if I’m not an expert? You do not need to be an expert on advocacy to be an effective advocate. Here’s what’s most important: • Who You Are: The reason that board advocacy is so powerful is because of who you are as a board member. You are an engaged and influential member of the community. And you vote. Make sure the person you’re talking to knows it! • Make it Personal: Share why you care about your organization and its mission. Do it in a personal way that makes it real for whomever you’re speaking with. That’s what they’ll remember. • Connect the Dots: Make sure that you explain how things are connected. Does the local, state, or federal government rely on your organization to provide vital service to the public? Is there a policy decision that could accelerate your impact? Is there an administrative regulation that is standing in the way of a good solution? Help them understand how they can help you. • Coordinate with Staff: Your organization needs to be coordinated and consistent in its advocacy efforts. Make sure to communicate with your ED/CEO, so that you can strategize on the best approach, which may include doing things together.
- 7. I don’t have a lot of time. Can I still be helpful? You don’t need to make a major commitment of time to effectively engage in advocacy. In fact, the whole point of engaging as a board member, is that your community connections and influence may be really helpful in speeding up advocacy efforts and making them more successful. Here are some examples of quick ways that board members can make a difference: • Get a Phone Call Returned: If staff have been trying to get a decision-maker to respond, you might be able to call to someone you know (or who knows you) that will ensure that your organization is able to connect with the appropriate person. • Encourage Attendance: If you’re having an educational town hall or other event that would be helpful in educating decision-makers about your organization, your invitation might make a difference in getting them to attend. • Get a Meeting: If you know a decision-maker, or even if you’re simply a voter in his or her community, your participation in a meeting can make a huge difference in whether or not the meeting takes place or how it goes.
- 8. How much does advocacy cost? Well, that depends. For some organizations, advocacy is a major part of their strategy, and they have dedicated the staffing and resources that they need to drive that work, just like they would for any other program. But, for many other organizations, advocacy doesn’t take a big investment, because it’s integrated into all of the other things that they are doing. Here are some simple, free ways that advocacy could make a difference: • If you’re hosting an educational session on your program for community members or donors, consider inviting a decision-maker who you want to educate about your work. • If you are talking with a potential donor, consider sharing how current policies make your work easier, or more difficult. • If you’re at an event where an elected official or other decision-maker is present, consider taking a moment to thank him or her for supporting your organization’s work.
- 9. How do I know if it will work? The short answer is: You don’t. Just like with any program or fundraising strategy, there is no guarantee that your advocacy efforts will yield the results that you want. But that’s not the point. The point is that advocacy can help your organization consider solutions that would otherwise be impossible: • Sustainable progress that alleviates the core challenges your organization seeks to address. • Awareness of the challenges in the community and the commitment of your organization to dealing with them. • Meaningful commitments to community needs and values. • Resources and support for programs that the community relies on to serve its citizens. Advocacy can deliver real, long-term solutions that enable our organizations to leverage limited resources to maximum effect. The potential is real. And that’s what makes it worth it.
- 10. How can I make sure we’re following the rules? There is a lot of confusion about the rules and regulations around nonprofit advocacy, in part because the legal guidelines are different for different types of organizations. 501(c)(3) Public Charities (most nonprofits) 501(c)(3) Private Foundations 501(c)(4) 501(c)(5) 501(c)(6) Electioneering Working for or against candidates or a political party. Prohibited Prohibited Allowed as a secondary activity. Must follow federal and state election law. Legislative Lobbying Working for or against specific pieces of legislation or ballot measures. Must be reported and within legal limits Use IRS Form 501(h) to simplify reporting. Prohibited, except with specific exceptions Unlimited Broader Advocacy Most things related to public education, research, and educating policymakers Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited
- 11. More Guidance for 501(c)(3) Charities (not private foundations) *Or just call the Alliance for Justice! Definitely OK • Educating the public and decision-makers about your work in a nonpartisan way • Sharing information about how public dollars positively impact your work and your community • Communicating how broader issues impact your mission and the people that you serve OK, But Check the Fine Print* • Voter education, registration and candidate forums • Naming legislators who support (or oppose) a specific piece of legislation • Limited lobbying on behalf of the organization • Lobbying and campaigning as private citizens Definitely Not OK • Organizational support or opposition of a candidate or set of candidates • Spending federal grant funds on lobbying
- 12. More detailed guidance for…Ifyouarea… Nonprofit Organizations 501(c)(3) Public Charities Can Lobby Lobbying Rules for Houses of Worship Taking the 501(h) Election Benefits of Filing the 501(h) Election 501(c)(4) Comparison of 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) permissible activities 501(c)(5) or 501(c)(6) Types of Organization s & General Guidance on Advocacy Rules Foundation/ Grantmakers Community/ Public Foundation Public Foundations & Advocacy Public Foundations Can Lobby Funding Charities that Lobby Private Foundation Private Foundations May Advocate Funding Charities that Lobby Family Foundations Family Foundations May Advocate Funding Charities that Lobby
- 13. Your Mission. Your Voice. www.standforyourmission.org #StandForYourMission #AdvocacyNow