Nonprofit Management - masonnonprofitfellows
Download
Report
Transcript Nonprofit Management - masonnonprofitfellows
Chapter 14: Advocacy and Lobbying
Stages in the Life Cycle of a Social
Change Issue (Andreasen, 2006)
Stage 1: Inattention to the problem
Stage 2: Discovery of the problem
Stage 3: Climbing the agenda
Stage 4: Outlining the choices
Stage 5: Choosing courses of action
Stage 6: Launching initial interventions
Stage 7: Reassessing and redirecting efforts
Stage 8: Achieving success, failure, or neglect
Terminology
Advocacy -- action taken to support a general cause
Lobbying -- action taken to support or oppose
specific legislation
Political campaign activity -- action taken in support
of or opposition to specific candidates for office
Nonprofit Ambivalence
about Lobbying
Less than two percent of nonprofit organizations
engage in lobbying
Larger, national organizations
Organizations in fields that are significantly regulated
Reasons for ambivalence
Belief that lobbying is irrelevant to the mission
Belief that lobbying is inappropriate
Inadequate staff or resources
Concern about alienating current or potential funders
Lack of clarity about the law
Overview of Lobbying
Law for Nonprofits
501(c)(4) -- can engage in lobbying essentially without
restriction
501(c)(3) -- limited in lobbying activity and prohibited
from political campaign activity
Tax deductibility of gifts as public subsidies
Private foundations versus public charities
Sections 4911 and 501 of the Internal Revenue Code
Substantial part test
501(h) expenditure test
Other laws related to lobbying practice
Lobbying Disclosure Act
Gift rule
Political Campaign
Activity
Charitable nonprofits are prohibited from engaging
in campaigns and from endorsing candidates, either
implicitly or explicitly
Coordinating their activities with those of a candidate
or a campaign
Contributing money or time to work for a candidate
Contributing the use of their facilities for a candidate
or campaign
Citizens United v. FEC
(2010)
Applies to business corporations and nonprofits exempt
under Section 501(c)(4), 501(c)(5), and 501(c)(6)
Constants
Cannot make monetary or in-kind contributions directly to
candidates for federal office
Cannot coordinate their communication with candidates’
campaigns
Key change
Can make independent expenditures from their general
treasury to expressly support or oppose candidates for
federal office
Best Practices for
Advocacy and Lobbying
Determine the reason for lobbying and how it advances
the nonprofit’s mission
Understand the legislative process
Identify the sources of funds
Undertake research
Develop an understanding of relevant public policy issues
Obtain data needed to make the case with legislators
Develop an infrastructure to support the lobbying
program
Inventory existing relationships and identify decision
makers
Use a strategic mix of tactics
Debate About Nonprofit
Advocacy
Push for increased involvement by nonprofits in electoral
politics
Virtuous cycle between advocacy and program delivery
(Crutchfield and Grant, 2008)
Efforts to obtain legislative action but ignore political
realities are naïve (Hessenius, 2007)
Reasons for concern
Potential for unethical use of nonprofit organizations
Jack Abramoff and the Capital Athletic Foundation
Unwillingness of taxpayers to subsidize partisan political
activities by nonprofits
FORCES FOR GOOD
Advocate and Serve
Make Markets Work
Inspire Evangelist
Nurture Nonprofit Networks
Master the Art of Adaptation
Share Leadership