Advocacy & Civic Engagement

In this webinar, you'll learn the basics about what 501(c)(3) nonprofits can and can’t do in an election year, ways nonprofit staff, board members, and volunteers can (legally) engage in campaigns, and common questions (and possibly some answers!) about tricky election-year situations for nonprofits.

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Advocacy should be an important part of the work of every nonprofit, but many organizations fear it because they assume they don’t have the staff capacity, tools, or funding to advocate effectively. Spoiler alert: There is no “right” way for a nonprofit to advocate for its mission! This webinar will begin with a series of questions for nonprofits to assess ways their organizations can most effectively strengthen their programs and services by being stronger advocates.

Nonprofits can – and should – be advocates for their missions and for the communities they serve. This webinar will explore what it means for a nonprofit to be an advocate and the differences between “advocacy,” “lobbying,” and “political activities.” We will begin by highlighting – and quickly debunking – the four most common reasons nonprofits think they can’t (or shouldn’t) be advocates.

Is your nonprofit prepared for a natural disaster? Daniel Altenau of North Carolina Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh shares key steps nonprofits can take to protect themselves from the next disaster and craft plans to assist survivors following the event. Working through questions to help identify actions during blue sky planning, pre-event preparedness, and post-event response, this webinar will help participants:

Family Forward NC created the Guide to Family Forward Workplaces to provide tools for employers of all sizes with practical tips for selecting and implementing 16 family-friendly workplace practices such as flexible scheduling, accommodations for pregnant workers, and paid parental leave.

This article by Sonya Campion explains why engaging board members in advocacy is such an important and powerful tool to give nonprofits a voice. (The Chronicle of Philanthropy)

Have a burning advocacy-related question? Bolder Advocacy offers an "Ask an Expert" service, where you can submit your question and get help from their advocacy coaches. (Alliance for Justice)

Federal tax laws allow for all charitable nonprofits to engage in legislative lobbying "as long as that activity amounts to only an 'insubstantial' amount of the nonprofit's activities." Learn how to take the 501(h) election and advocate for your cause with legislators while still maintaining your organization's tax exempt status. (National Council of Nonprofits)

This brief chart helps nonprofits to understand what needs to be tracked in terms of time and expenses as related to federal direct lobbying, federal grassroots lobbying, and state lobbying.