advocacy: a plus or a must?
TRANSCRIPT
David Heinen
N.C. Center for Nonprofits
Advocacy: A Plus or a Must?
Basics of Nonprofit
Advocacy and Lobbying
How Can You Be an Advocate?
Help develop better laws
Work with government officials
Empower the people you serve to make their voices heard
Educate the public about what you do and why it╆s important Public officials
Media
Your board, staff, community, and funders
Nonprofit Lobbying
Lobbying is legal for 501(c)(3) nonprofits!
What constitutes lobbying for IRS purposes
Influencing legislation
At the federal, state, or local level
Grassroots lobbying
But you must be nonpartisan
You can be an issue advocate
You can╆t support or oppose candidates or political parties
Nonprofit Lobbying
How much can you do? Two answers:
An ╉insubstantial╊ amount 501(h) election ‒ expenditure test
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Being Nonpartisan:
What Your Nonprofit Can Do! Voter registration
Voter education
Get-out-the-vote activities
Individual activity by nonprofit leaders
Some candidate appearances
Some business activity
See IRS Revenue Ruling 2007-41 or www.nonprofitvote.org
N.C. Lobbying Law - Basics
Who needs to register and report?
Principal ‒ organization on whose behalf a lobbyist lobbies
Lobbyist ‒ staff or contractor who lobbies
Staff ‒ if you spend 5% of your time lobbying in any 30-day period
Contractors ‒ must register
Volunteers ‒ not required to register
Solicitor ‒ organization that engages the public in lobbying activities ‒ at least $3,000 in a 90-day period
N.C. Lobbying Law - Basics
What constitutes lobbying?
Attempts to influence legislation or executive action
Communication with a ╉designated individual╊ Developing ╉goodwill╊ with designated individuals
N.C. Lobbying Law Differences from federal lobbying definition:
(i) N.C. law covers executive action as well as legislative action ‒ possible confusion among private foundations
(ii) Goodwill lobbying is covered by N.C. law
(iii) N.C. law applies only to lobbying with two branches of N.C. state government
What You Stand to Lose If
Yﾗ┌ Dﾗﾐげデ SヮW;ﾆ Uヮ
Wｴ;デげゲ Aデ Sデ;ﾆW Ia Yﾗ┌ Dﾗﾐげデ Advocate? If you don╆t tell your story┸ nobody will┻ You lose control over messaging about the impact of
your work.
More Immediately . . .
Governor McCrory╆s budget proposal includes no funding for community economic development organizations
Without immediate advocacy, this will become a reality.
Tips on Being an Effective
Advocate
How Can You Get Involved?
Meet with your legislators to share the story of your nonprofit
Invite them to see your nonprofit in action
How To Be An Effective Advocate Tell your story ‒ Who will the law impact?
Real-life examples
Statistics and other objective information
Simple and clear message Clear message and simple talking points
Elevator speech
One-page fact sheet
Follow-up
How To Be An Effective Advocate
Consider the media
Who is your audience?
Legislators
Executive branch
Public
Others in your organization
How Not to Advocate Ineffective advocacy
Form letters and mass e-mails Lack of clarity – know your objective
Framing Your Message in 2013
Creating jobs
╉Core functions of government╊ Saving money now
Being ╉efficient╊ and ╉effective╊ Impact in legislators╆ districts
Measurable results
Tell your stories
Finding the Right Voices
Educating the Community
Why it matters?
Public perception is important
Media can be influential
What works?
Stories are crucial
Clear, simple, and memorable
Numbers are secondary with the public
Using the media
Invite the public to volunteer or see your work
Social media can be effective, if done well
Recruiting Advocates
Who has the ear of policymakers?
Voters in their districts
Business leaders
People with common interests and ideals
Who can you engage?
Board members
Businesses in your community
Other community leaders
Hint: This may vary depending on who represents you in the General Assembly
More Resources
N.C. Center for Nonprofits
www.ncnonprofits.org
N.C. General Assembly
www.ncleg.net
National Council of Nonprofits www.councilofnonprofits.org
Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest
www.clpi.org
Nonprofit VOTE
www.nonprofitvote.org
For More Information
David Heinen ‒ [email protected]
N.C. Center for Nonprofits ‒ www.ncnonprofits.org