how to make your voice heard: a post-election playbook for...

Marcia Avner Avner Consulting Services

Robert Egger CForward

Suzanne Perry The Chronicle of Philanthropy

featuring

How to Make Your Voice Heard: A Post-Election Playbook for Nonprofit Advocacy

November 15, 2012

Sponsored by

Nonprofit Advocacy 2

Webinar Host:

Suzanne Perry Senior Editor The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Nonprofit Advocacy

Please submit a question at any time

during the presentation, using the box

in the lower-left corner of your screen.

If you’d like to ask a question

anonymously, please indicate that at

the beginning of your query.

We Welcome Your Questions

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Archive of Today’s Webinar

Today’s Webinar will be available to view on demand early

next week.

Look for an e-mail from The Chronicle in three or four

business days notifying you that it is ready.

You can watch as often as you like for

six months and permanently

download the slides.

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Let’s Continue the Conversation on LinkedIn

Our speakers will be available, and joining is easy

1 - Look for our e-mail invitation to join. 2 - Follow the link and make a request to join.

Questions?

Contact Margie Fleming Glennon Editor, Online Programs

margie.glennon@philanthropy.com

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Panelist:

Marcia Avner President Avner Consulting Services

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Panelist: Robert Egger Founder and President CForward

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Nonprofit Advocacy

The Political Landscape

Where Do We Stand?

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2013 United States Senate

Democrats

Republicans

Independents

Net Change Political Party

+ 2

- 2 53 Seats

45 Seats

2 Seats

60 Seats Needed to Overcome Filibuster

Source: Politico

Nonprofit Advocacy

Republicans

Democrats

Unavailable 195

Seats

233 Seats

Net Change Political Party

- 3 + 9

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7 Seats

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U.S. House of Representatives

218 Seats Needed for Majority

Source: Politico

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2013 U.S. Governors

Republican

Democrat

Independent

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Net Change Political Party

+ 1

- 1

1

Source: Politico

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The ‘Fiscal Cliff’: What Happens If Congress Doesn’t Act?

Impending Cuts in 2013

Nearly $55-billion in non-defense spending cuts,

including 8.2-percent in across-the-board cuts to many

social programs. Some safety-net programs exempted:

Medicaid, food stamps, Children’s Health Insurance

Program. House Republicans have voted to replace some

defense cuts with cuts from other programs.

Sequestration About $109-billion in annual spending cuts over nine years, divided evenly between defense and other spending.

Fiscal Cliff A package of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts that begin in January 2013 unless Congress acts.

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• Cap charitable deduction for individuals earning more than $200,000 ($250,000 for couples). Maximum 28% of value of gifts off their taxes, down from current 35%. • Buffett Rule: Require people earning more than $1-million to pay 30% in taxes. They could continue deducting charitable contributions.

• Lower tax rates; possibly pay for it by cutting tax loopholes and deductions (so far unspecified). • Romney: give taxpayers a specified dollar amount to cover all their deductions. They could use the charitable incentive or other tax breaks to “fill that bucket.” • Eliminate estate tax.

President Republicans Simpson-Bowles Deficit Commission

• Create three new tax brackets and end itemized deductions. • Replace charitable deduction with a 12% tax credit. Available only for amounts spent beyond 2% of adjusted gross income.

Potential Changes to Charitable Incentives

Nonprofit Advocacy

Recession’s Impact on State Budgets

States had to close budget gaps of $55 billion this fiscal year,

following several years of deep spending cuts.

At least 46 states have cut services for

vulnerable people since the recession started.

1/3 of federal non-defense discretionary spending flows

through state and local governments (education, health care, human services, etc.). The federal government has cut such spending by 9 percent since 2010. In the first quarter of 2012, state revenues were

5.5 percent below pre-recession levels.

Sources: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Why Advocacy? Why Now?

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Panelist: Robert Egger Founder and President CForward

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Robert Egger (@robertegger)

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Why Now?

Sequestration / The “Fiscal Cliff” Compromise Might Be Coming … But Who Is at the Table? Who Isn’t?

Who Is in the Room? Defense, Big Business, Banks/Finance, Agriculture, etc.

Who isn’t? NONPROFITS

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Nonprofit-Sector Development Right on Schedule

SHOW PLACE WIN

2012 2014 2016

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Courtesy of Nonprofit Vote. Note: The National Exit Poll is conducted by Edison Research on behalf of ABC News, Associated Press, CBS News, CNN, Fox News, and NBC News.

The Proof … Is in the DEMO(graphics)

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2012 CForward Candidate Results

8 Endorsed

5 WINS • Sam Singh (MI)

• Andy Dinniman (PA)

• Becky Massey (TN)

• Kate Boltz (NE)

• Ellie Hill (MT)

62.5% Success Rate

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Panelist:

Marcia Avner President Avner Consulting Services

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Nonprofit Advocacy

If you are not at the table …

You will be ON the table …

or on the menu!

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Why Advocate, Organize, Lobby?

• Increasingly, nonprofits recognize that

SERVICE to meet their mission is not

enough.

• Policies need to be in place that support

their work.

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Nonprofit Advocacy

To truly meet mission …

• Seize the opportunity and the responsibility to be a voice on the issues in which you have experience and expertise.

• You are the leaders who can be a resource to decision makers who have an impact on funding, service (re)design, eligibility thresholds, and so much more.

• Advocacy supports mission!

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Nonprofit Advocacy

What Can Nonprofits Do?

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Be a Voice

• So, choose to make a difference. Use

your power as a citizen, as a member of

an organization, as a nonprofit leader to

advocate for issues that matter to your

community.

• You have experience and expertise that are

needed to inform the public-policy dialogue.

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Key Questions for Advocacy Campaigns

1. What is the problem or opportunity?

2. What do you want to happen?

3. Who decides?

4. How do you influence decision makers? How do you win their hearts, minds, and votes?

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Advocacy Outreach

Advocacy Goals and

Key Messages

Lobbying

Media Grassroots 29

Lobbying

Advocacy is the general promotion of an idea.

Lobbying is one specific type of advocacy.

It is preparing and asking an elected or appointed official to take a particular position (vote in a particular way) on a specific bill.

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Advocacy Goals

• Policy Goals: policy changes in laws or rules

• Grassroots Goals: efforts to build, increase, and mobilize active grassroots support and advocacy for the cause

• Media Goals: earned and paid media that advance your position

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Plan

Set policy goals

Research issues and

develop messages

Organize, build

support, engage

partners

Advocate and lobby

Evaluate, celebrate, and begin next steps

Plan

Ongoing

Advocacy

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Build Strategic Relationships

• Build and sustain strategic relationships with partners, elected officials, and the media.

• Become a trusted resource, a “go to” source for information, stories, and critical issue analysis.

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• Long-term work: foundation for sustained influence and impact.

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Use the Power of Constituency

• Your nonprofit and your board, staff, donors, partners, and participants are constituents.

• Constituents have the best chance of capturing attention and sustaining communication.

• Target decision makers who represent the issue-areas and districts in which you work, and make them your champions.

Support Your Champions

• Nonprofits can play an important role in finding and supporting champions for the organization’s issues.

• Support them with information: data, stories, spokespeople.

• Build leaders. Elevate your champions.

• Stay connected.

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Steps to Take Now

• Introduce your organization to elected officials.

• Invite them to your site. Do “kitchen table” meetings that establish who you are, what you do, and how you might work with them.

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• LISTEN. Learn what drives the individual, which priorities matter, and his/her goals for 2013 and beyond.

Nonprofit Advocacy

Panelist: Robert Egger Founder and President CForward

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Count Your:

• Jobs

• Taxes

• Income

…then COMBINE with others.

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Tactics

Nonprofit Advocacy

Nonprofit:

+ Jobs

+ Taxes

+ Income

= New Civic Political Math

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Nonprofit Advocacy

The News Conference That Never Ends

Social Media

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Nonprofits Don’t Need a Group …

Nonprofits Have an Idea.

More Than Rise Up or Be Heard …

It Is to Ask and Inspire Action.

A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats

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It’s a STATEMENT…

No Profits

Without Nonprofits

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It’s a QUESTION…

“What’s Your Plan, Candidate?”

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It’s an ASK…

Would You Appoint a Nonprofit Liaison?

1. Maintain up-to-date data and develop in-depth analysis

2. Expedite contract negotiations and reimbursements

3. Promote partnerships and support grant/contracting applications

4. Develop partnerships and policies that would spur the growth of social-enterprise organizations and micro-credit funds

5. Promote volunteerism and service-learning opportunities 44

Nonprofit Advocacy

Voices

Values

Votes

NONPROFITS

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Coalition-Building

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Panelist:

Marcia Avner President Avner Consulting Services

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Recruit

Engage and

inform

Train and prepare

Mobilize for action

Evaluate, re-engage,

plan

Ongoing

Organizing

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• Identify partners. Nonprofits do well when they muster collective power for action. Convene allies.

• Engage organizations and individuals to build power and effective advocacy.

Partner With Others

• Reach beyond your usual base.

• Build your base for the long term. Sustain engagement and outreach.

Low-Cost/No-Cost Advocacy

• Organizational commitment

• Roles and responsibilities

• Clear decision making

• Use of policy committees and rapid-

response teams

• Commitment of adequate resources

• Integration of public-policy work into the

ongoing strategic plans of the organization

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Panelist: Robert Egger Founder and President CForward

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Nonprofit Advocacy

What Does This Look Like?

NPOs Politicians

?

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Nonprofit Advocacy

It Looks Like This

Nonprofit Liaison to the Governor of Connecticut Terry Edelstein

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“New York has one of the largest and most sophisticated nonprofit sectors in the country, and as we recover from Hurricane Sandy, this sector will be a critical partner.”

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo (N.Y.)

November 1, 2012

And It Looks Like This

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Overcoming Resistance

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Boards Should Embrace and Support Advocacy

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Thank You!

www.cforward.org

Twitter: @CForwardUS • Facebook: /CForwardUS

Participate. Nominate. Donate.

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Panelist:

Marcia Avner President Avner Consulting Services

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Nonprofit Advocacy

Lobbying Is Legal

• Insubstantial test

• 1996 Lobby Law

• 1990 Bright Line expenditure test

• Filing IRS Form 5768, the “H” election

• 990 Reporting

See “Worry Free Lobbying” at the Alliance for Justice, afj.org. Get free copies!

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Nonprofit Advocacy 2

Let’s Do This!

Marcia Avner Avner Consulting marciaavner.com marcia@avnerspano.com 651-210-2618

Nonprofit Advocacy 2

Questions?

Send us your questions, using the box in the

lower left-hand corner of your screen. We will

answer as many as time permits.

Nonprofit Advocacy

• Bolder Advocacy/Alliance for Justice: bolderadvocacy.org

• National Council of Nonprofits: councilofnonprofits.org

• Your state association of nonprofits.

• Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest: www.clpi.org

• Independent Sector, Beyond the Cause: the Art and Science

of Advocacy: independentsector.org/beyond_the_cause

Additional Resources

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Nonprofit Advocacy

• Nonprofits Organize New Efforts to Sway Lawmakers Nonprofits-Race-to-Learn-Rules/133035/

• Advocacy Tips: Four Nonprofit Lobbying Campaigns That Worked Four-Nonprofit-Lobbying/131002/

• Nonprofit Leaders Question Presidential Contenders Nonprofit Primary Project questioned presidential candidates in New Hampshire Nonprofit-Leaders-Question/62757/

• Testing the Limits Minnesota Council of Nonprofits led charitable property-tax exemptions campaign Testing-the-Limits/57279/

Advocacy Coverage in The Chronicle philanthropy.com/article/…

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Nonprofit Advocacy

How to Make the Case Against Potential Budget Cuts philanthropy.com/article/Nonprofits-Must-Put-a-Face-on/135004/

Impact of Charitable Deductions on Giving philanthropy.com/section/ The-Charitable-Deduction/573/

Additional Chronicle Resources

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Nonprofit Advocacy 2

Archive of Today’s Webinar

Today’s Webinar will be available to view on demand early

next week.

Look for an e-mail from The Chronicle in three or four

business days notifying you that it is ready.

You can watch as often as you like for

six months and permanently

download the slides.

Nonprofit Advocacy

Let’s Continue the Conversation on LinkedIn

Our speakers will be available, and joining is easy

1 - Look for our e-mail invitation to join. 2 - Follow the link and make a request to join.

Questions?

Contact Margie Fleming Glennon Editor, Online Programs

margie.glennon@philanthropy.com

66

Nonprofit Advocacy

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featuring

Manager of Social Media National Wildlife Federation

Danielle Brigida

December 12

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Co-author Measuring The Networked Nonprofit

How to Measure Your Social-Media Impact

Beth Kanter