Why Lobbying and Advocacy Is Important

Governments officials, including our elected officials, propose new legislation and regulation every year that have the potential to impact the nonprofit sector. Some proposed changes would benefit the sector, and others could harm it. If nonprofit leaders, the authentic voices (clients/constituents), staff, volunteers and supporter do not speak out for the sector, we run the risk of being governed by people who are not familiar with nonprofit issues, values and dynamics.

Policies affecting nonprofits run the gamut of fund-raising regulations and charitable deductions allowances to welfare reform and public arts funding criteria. Unfortunately, many nonprofit leaders are under the mistaken impression that they are not allowed to lobby.

In fact, Congress has stated that working to influence legislation is an appropriate and allowable activity for nonprofit organizations, and the IRS has published guidelines advising nonprofits on what politically-related expenditures are permissible for tax exempt organizations. While lobbying is definitely permitted, there are also a whole host of activities that nonprofits frequently shy away from because they feel like lobbying, but they are entirely legal for nonprofits to engage in.

Such activities include:

Writing a letter to the editor that takes an editorial stance and urges others to contact public officials.

Direct lobbying: You can tell a legislator or government official your organizations position on a piece of legislation. You can also urge your members to express their opinion.

Grassroots lobbying: You can tell the general public your position on legislation and ask them to communicate this position to their legislators or government officials.

What a nonprofit organization cannot do is endorse political candidates, nor mobilize supporters to elect or defeat candidates and organizations cannot align themselves with political parties or contribute as an organization to a political candidate or party.