All nonprofits CAN and SHOULD be involved in advocacy, lobbying, and elections. Advocacy is the number one way nonprofits are able to advance the issues they care about and help bring systemic, lasting change. Effective advocacy enables organizations to shape public debate on important issues and ensure that underserved communities have a voice in policies that impact their lives. ActionLink has compiled the following information on how to safely and effectively lobby as a nonprofit. Tanya Tassi is happy to answer additional questions you have.
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What Nonprofit Staff Can Do At and Outside of Work
- Nonprofit staff members often have questions about their personal involvement in political campaigns or work with candidates.
#GetCentered: Do's and Don'ts for LGBTQ+ Community Centers During An Election Year
- Created by ActionLink, this 3-page flier outlines how to engage your community prior to election day, and what you can and cannot do as an LGBTQ+ Community Center during an election year.
ActionLink's Guide To Lobbying
- Created by Tanya Tassi, this toolkit includes a guide on how to set up a lobby visit, what to do during the visit, and how to continue to build a relationship with your representative after the visit. It also includes a story-crafting worksheet.
- Created by Terry Stone, this info-graphic provides a brief summary of what non-profits can and cannot do.
8 Tips for Nonprofits with Employees Running for Public Office
- What to do when your nonprofit has an employee running for office.
501(c)(3) Employees Running for Office
- Individuals who work for 501(c)(3) organizations are not prohibited from running for office in their personal capacity.
GBT Community Centers; An Effective and Powerful Force for Change
- 93% of LGBTQ+ Community Centers engage in public education and advocacy to influence public policy.
- This simple how-to video takes you through the steps of a legislative visit.
Why Should Your Nonprofit Advocate?
- Through advocacy efforts you can help others while assuring your nonprofit survives and thrives.
How Your Nonprofit Can Advocate
- Terry Stone gives a summary of how a nonprofit can safely advocate within federal guidelines.
Public Charities Can Lobby: Guidelines for 501(c)(3) Public Charities
- Much advocacy work, including efforts to influence executive branch actions, does not constitute lobbying. Yet contrary to popular misconception, 501(c)(3) public charities—including houses of worship and public foundations—can lobby. In fact, the Internal Revenue Service has stated that public charities “may lobby freely” so long as lobbying is within generous specified limits
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Federal tax law explicitly prohibits activity by 501(c)(3) organizations that supports or opposes candidates for public office, but it also recognizes the importance of their participation in the democratic process. The law allows charities to engage in a wide variety of nonpartisan election-related activities, including voter registration and education as well as ballot measure campaigns.
The Powerful, Free, and Easy 501(h) Election
- Federal tax laws already allow every charitable nonprofit to engage in some legislative lobbying activities. There are spending limits and technicalities that curb nonprofits from spending all of their time and money engaged in legislative lobbying, but knowing your rights ensures your organization’s participation in the public policy process.
- Advocates have an important role to play when a new administration - either a new president or governor - is coming into power.