Nonprofit Advocacy 101: How to Effectively Promote Your Nonprofit's Cause
Advocacy is standing up for what you believe in and taking action to support a specific cause. It's not just sitting back and hoping for change to happen—it's getting involved and making things happen. It also involves educating people and inspiring them to make a difference.
So, it's obvious that nonprofit organizations and advocacy go together, right? Nonprofit advocacy requires effectively promoting your cause and achieving meaningful impact. By engaging in advocacy efforts, you can:
Raise awareness about the issues you care about
Mobilize support from the public and decision-makers
This article discusses nonprofit advocacy, its benefits, and ways to advocate for your nonprofit's cause. It also highlights the difference between lobbying and advocacy (super important!) and tools to help you in your advocacy efforts.
Benefits of Nonprofit Advocacy
One of the key benefits of advocacy is that it helps you amplify your voice and expand your reach. By actively advocating for your nonprofit's cause, you can gain visibility and attract attention to the important work you do. This increased visibility can lead to the following:
Greater community engagement
Increased volunteer participation
Stronger donor support
Additionally, advocacy enables you to shape public opinion and influence policy decisions that directly affect the communities you serve. By advocating for legislative or public policy changes, you can help elected officials create better laws, regulations, and funding that align with your nonprofit's mission and enhance your ability to address social issues. This results in your nonprofit delivering better/more services, increased resources to your community, and a more conducive environment for your organization to achieve long-term impact.
An effective nonprofit advocacy campaign also fosters collaboration and partnerships among nonprofits, as well as with other stakeholders such as businesses, government entities, and community-based organizations. By working together towards a common goal, nonprofits can leverage collective strengths, share resources, and create synergistic initiatives that have a greater impact than what could be achieved individually.
At the end of the day, your goal as a nonprofit leader is to put your cause front and center. How do you do this by engaging in advocacy? Let's look at some tips you can easily—and immediately—put into practice.
How to Promote Your Nonprofit's Cause With Advocacy
1. Build a solid foundation
The first step to effectively promoting your nonprofit's cause is to understand it inside and out. This means defining your organization's mission and goals, identifying your target audience and key stakeholders, and conducting research to understand the issue and its impact and provide viable solutions. Consider these three fundamental steps:
Define your mission and goals. What is your nonprofit's purpose? What do you hope to achieve? Once you clearly understand your mission and goals, you can start developing a strategy for promoting your cause.
Identify your target audience and key stakeholders. Who are you trying to reach with your message? Who are the people who have a stake in the issue you're working on? Once you know your target audience, you can tailor your messaging and outreach efforts to reach them.
Conduct research to understand the issue and its impact. How big is the problem you're trying to solve? Who is affected by it? What are the consequences of not addressing the issue? The more you know about the issue, the better equipped you'll be to promote your cause and make a difference.
Here are some additional tips for understanding your nonprofit's cause:
Talk to people affected by the issue. They can give you valuable insights into the issue and its impact.
Read research reports and articles about the issue. This will help you to understand the latest data and trends.
Attend conferences and workshops on the issue. This is a great way to network with others working on similar issues.
Interview people on the front line. Your staff, volunteers, and supporters in your community. This will help you get insight from different perspectives.
2. Establish relationships and partnerships
Building relationships and partnerships is essential for effectively promoting your nonprofit's cause. When you partner with other organizations, you can amplify your message, reach a wider audience, and achieve your goals more quickly.
Here are a few key steps to building relationships and partnerships.
Identify and engage with potential collaborators. Start by identifying organizations that share your mission and goals. You can find potential collaborators by attending conferences and workshops, networking with other nonprofits, or doing online research.
Collaborate with other organizations and individuals in the field. Once you've identified potential partners, reach out to them and see if there are ways you can work together. You could collaborate on a joint project, share resources, or refer clients to each other.
Build relationships with policymakers, community leaders, and influencers. In addition to working with other nonprofits, building relationships with policymakers, community leaders, and influencers is essential. These people can help you to raise awareness of your cause and advocate for your goals.
Keep these in mind when building relationships and partnerships:
Be genuine and authentic. People can tell when you're being genuine, so be yourself and let your passion for your cause shine through.
Be proactive. Don't wait for people to come to you. Reach out to potential partners and introduce yourself.
Be a good listener. When you're meeting with potential collaborators, listen to what they have to say and be open to their ideas.
Be willing to give and take. Collaborations are about being in a relationship, so be ready to share resources and ideas.
3. Mobilize support and engage your audience
Once you've built relationships and collaborations, it's time to start mobilizing support and engaging your audience. This means using a variety of channels to reach out to people and get them involved in your cause.
There are a few ways to mobilize support and engage your audience:
Utilize social media and digital platforms for outreach. Social media is a great way to connect with people and raise awareness of your cause. You can use social media to share your stories, connect with other activists, and mobilize your supporters. Not sure where to start with social media? Read my guide for social media for nonprofits.
Engage volunteers and supporters in advocacy efforts. Volunteers are the backbone of any nonprofit. They can help you with everything from fundraising to event planning to outreach. Make sure to engage your volunteers and supporters in advocacy efforts so that they can help you to achieve your goals.
Organize events, campaigns, and initiatives to raise awareness. Events, campaigns, and initiatives are a great way to raise awareness of your cause and mobilize support. You can organize events such as rallies, marches, or fundraising dinners. You can also launch campaigns such as social media challenges.
Here are some tips for mobilizing support and engaging your audience:
Make it easy for people to get involved. People are lazy. 🤷🏽♀️ Make sure that your website and social media channels are easy to use and that there are clear instructions on how people can get involved.
Personalize your outreach. People like it when you make them feel special, so don't just send out mass emails or social media posts. Take the time to personalize your outreach and connect with people on a personal level.
Be creative and innovative. There are no rules when it comes to mobilizing support and engaging your audience. Be creative and innovative and find ways to reach people in new and exciting ways.
Find the proper channels. Not all channels are created equal. Find the channels that your audience uses and focus your efforts there.
Keep it simple. Don't overwhelm people with too much information or too many requests. Keep your messages clear and concise. Limit your call to action to one, so your audience doesn't get confused.
Be persistent. Don't give up if you don't see results immediately. Keep reaching out to people and keep trying new things.
The more you mobilize support and engage your audience, the more successful your nonprofit will be. So, get started today!
4. Communicate your message effectively
Effective communication is integral to mobilizing and engaging your audience.
Tailor your messages to resonate with different audiences
Not everyone will be interested in your cause, so tailoring your messages to different audiences is important. For example, you might use different language and tone when talking to a lawmaker than you would when talking to potential donors or volunteers.
Utilize storytelling and personal narratives to show how you are making a difference
Stories are a powerful way to connect with people and make them care about your cause. When you tell stories, be sure to focus on the impact that your work is having on real people. Examples include:
Creating short videos of people who've gone through your programs and can testify to their effectiveness
Sharing photos of your clients participating in one of your programs
Posting success stories
Look at this Instagram post highlighting success.
Here are some additional tips for communicating your message effectively
Be clear and concise. Your messages should be easy to understand and to remember.
Use simple language. Avoid jargon and technical terms that your audience might not understand.
Be personal. Connect with your audience on a personal level by sharing your own stories and experiences.
Be passionate. Use your enthusiasm for your cause to inspire your community.
5. Craft an effective advocacy strategy
This means setting realistic and achievable advocacy goals, developing a comprehensive advocacy plan, choosing the right advocacy tactics and activities, and staying within the parameters of advocacy.
Keep these in mind when crafting your advocacy strategy.
Set realistic, achievable, and measurable advocacy goals
What do you want to achieve with your advocacy efforts? Be sure to set goals that are realistic, achievable, and measurable.
Let's say you're a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing and finding loving homes for stray animals. Your advocacy goals will look like this:
Increase public awareness: Within the next six months, aim to reach 10,000 people through social media campaigns, educational workshops, and community events, with at least 20% showing increased knowledge about the benefits of adopting rescue animals.
Advocate for supportive policies: Work towards achieving the passage of a local ordinance within one year that requires mandatory spaying/neutering of pets and allocates additional funding for animal shelters.
Expand community partnerships: Establish partnerships with five local businesses and two veterinary clinics within the next three months to provide discounted services for rescued animals and promote adoption events.
By making these goals measurable, you can track progress, evaluate the effectiveness of your advocacy efforts, and make adjustments if necessary. This way, you can demonstrate tangible results and inspire continued stakeholder and public support.
Develop a comprehensive advocacy plan
Your advocacy plan should outline your goals, target audience, tactics, and timeline. Continuing with our previous example, a comprehensive advocacy plan will look like this:
Goal: Increase public support and awareness for rescue animals in our community.
Target Audience:
Local residents interested in adopting pets
Community leaders and influencers
Local media outlets
Tactics:
Social Media Campaign: Launch a month-long social media campaign to share success stories of rescued animals, promote adoption events, and provide educational content about responsible pet ownership.
Community Outreach: Organize monthly adoption drives in partnership with local pet stores and community centers, offering information about the adoption process and showcasing adoptable animals.
Pet Showcase Events: Host quarterly events at popular public venues, such as parks or shopping centers, where prospective adopters can interact with rescue animals and learn about the benefits of adoption—bring people together!
Media Relations: Develop relationships with local journalists and pitch human-interest stories about rescued animals, emphasizing their transformative journeys and the positive impact of adoption.
Timeline:
Social Media Campaign: Launch on October 1st and run throughout the month
Community Outreach: Monthly adoption drives starting in November
Pet Showcase Events: Quarterly events, with the first one scheduled for December
Media Relations: Ongoing efforts to secure media coverage and feature stories throughout the year
By developing a well-designed advocacy plan like this, you can strategically target your efforts, engage the right audience, and create a consistent presence in the community. The timeline provides a roadmap for implementation, ensuring that advocacy activities are executed effectively and with maximum impact.
Choose the right advocacy tactics and activities
There are many different advocacy tactics and activities that you can use. Be sure to choose the tactics that are most likely to be effective for your cause.
For our example nonprofit, activities can include:
Petition Campaign: Create an online petition urging local government officials to allocate additional funding for animal shelters and promote responsible pet ownership. Encourage supporters to sign and share the petition widely. Lawmakers want to listen to their constituents' petitions, so take advantage of this.
Community Education Workshops: Organize workshops and seminars in collaboration with veterinary professionals, where attendees can learn about the benefits of adoption, responsible pet ownership, and the importance of spaying/neutering.
Media Campaign: Develop a series of compelling stories and visuals featuring successful rescue stories, heartwarming pet adoptions, and the impact of animal welfare initiatives. Pitch these stories to local newspapers, radio stations, and television outlets to raise awareness in the wider community.
Collaborative Partnerships: Forge alliances with other animal welfare organizations, local businesses, and community groups. Collaborate on joint advocacy efforts, organize fundraisers, and leverage each other's networks to amplify the message of pet adoption and responsible pet ownership.
Advocacy and Lobbying
Nonprofit advocacy efforts and lobbying deserve a section of their own. Your work should stay within the parameters of advocacy. If your organization is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, the IRS prohibits lobbying. Violating this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise taxes.
Let's examine this more closely—what's the difference between advocacy and lobbying?
Advocacy is about influencing public policy. It is not about lobbying, which is illegal for nonprofits.
Advocacy is raising awareness of an issue, educating policymakers, and building support for your cause.
Lobbying is trying to influence specific legislation. It's about contacting policymakers and asking them to vote for or against a particular bill.
So, what does this mean for your nonprofit? It means that you can advocate for your cause, but there are limits on lobbying. You can't contact policymakers and ask them to vote for or against a particular bill.
What you can do to stay within the parameters of advocacy:
Educate policymakers about your cause. Share your research, data, and stories with policymakers.
Build relationships with policymakers. Get to know them and let them know about your cause.
Mobilize your supporters. Encourage your supporters to contact policymakers and share their stories.
Use social media and other channels to raise awareness of your cause.
Things that are not allowed in the context of nonprofit advocacy:
Lobbying. Lobbying is contacting policymakers and asking them to vote for or against a particular bill. Grassroots lobbying is part of this!
Contributing to political campaigns. Nonprofits cannot contribute to political campaigns.
Using your nonprofit's tax exempt status for political purposes. Your nonprofit's tax exempt status is for charitable purposes, not political purposes.
Making false or misleading statements. You cannot make false or misleading statements in your advocacy work.
Harassing or threatening policymakers. You cannot harass or threaten policymakers in your advocacy efforts.
According to the IRS, nonprofit organizations may take a stance on specific issues and share their viewpoint as long as it's a nonpartisan and objective approach. This means they can conduct educational meetings and distribute materials focusing on public policy matters. Bottom line: nonprofits can advocate in a nonpartisan way.
The IRS also permits nonprofits to engage in lobbying activities to address significant legislation. However, these activities must remain nonpartisan and should not dominate the organization's overall efforts. Put simply, nonprofits can engage in nonpartisan lobbying, but there are limits to the extent of their involvement.
If you are unsure about whether something is allowed, it is always best to err on the side of caution and consult with an attorney.
Advocacy Tools and Resources
Advocacy tools and resources will help you carry out your campaigns efficiently and effectively.
Technology and digital tools for advocacy
In today's digital age, technology is vital for reaching a wider audience and amplifying advocacy efforts. Online platforms, social media, and digital marketing tools can help organizations create compelling content, engage supporters, and mobilize action. Additionally, advocacy-specific software and apps can streamline communication, manage campaigns, and track progress. Examples:
Social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
Email marketing software (e.g., Mailchimp, Constant Contact)
Online petition platforms (e.g., Change.org, Care2)
Advocacy management systems (e.g., Phone2Action, NationBuilder)
Data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Google Data Studio)
Data and research/Advocacy training and capacity-building opportunities
Robust data and research provide a solid foundation for advocacy initiatives. Organizations can leverage data and statistics to substantiate their claims, identify trends, and develop evidence-based arguments. Access to credible research, studies, and reports about their cause can empower advocates with accurate information to influence public opinion and decision-making processes.
Some resources to look at:
The Advocacy Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides training and resources to advocates. It has a range of training programs, workshops, and webinars focused on advocacy skills development, campaign planning, and effective messaging.
The Center for Effective Advocacy is a nonprofit organization that provides training and resources to advocates.
The National Council of Nonprofits is a nonprofit organization that offers resources, guides, and webinars on advocacy and public policy for nonprofit organizations. They also provide advocacy training sessions and events.
The Nonprofit Advocacy Academy provides online courses and coaching programs specifically tailored to nonprofit advocacy, covering lobbying, grassroots organizing, and advocacy campaign planning.
The Stanford Social Innovation Review has articles, research papers, and resources on nonprofit management and social innovation, including advocacy-related topics. They also offer webinars and virtual events on various aspects of advocacy.
The GrantSpace offers webinars, workshops, and training resources for nonprofits, including sessions on advocacy, public policy, and building effective advocacy campaigns.
It's always a good idea to explore local resources as well, such as community foundations, nonprofit associations, and universities, as they may offer advocacy training and capacity-building opportunities tailored to your specific region or cause.
Continuous learning and skill development are essential for effective advocacy. Organizations should seek out training programs, workshops, and webinars that offer insights into advocacy strategies, messaging techniques, and best practices. Capacity-building opportunities provide advocates with the knowledge and tools to navigate the complex landscape of advocacy work, ultimately enhancing their impact.
Advocacy in Action
You've got all you need to be an effective advocate for your nonprofit's cause. Now, it's time to get inspiration from real-life advocacies. After all, that's what we're all about—supporting and inspiring each other, yes?
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is known for its effective advocacy efforts in defending civil liberties and promoting social justice. Their advocacy campaigns have led to significant policy changes, such as legalizing same-sex marriage and protecting voting rights.
Following the tragic school shooting in Parkland, Florida, in 2018, students organized the March for Our Lives movement to advocate for gun control reforms. Their grassroots advocacy efforts increased public awareness, mobilized supporters nationwide, and influenced policy debates at the state and national levels.
As a global human rights organization, Amnesty International has successfully advocated for the release of political prisoners, abolishing the death penalty, and improving human rights conditions worldwide. Their campaigns and lobbying efforts have led to tangible changes in legislation and improved human rights protections.
The Sierra Club, an environmental organization, has been instrumental in advocating for policies and regulations to address climate change and protect natural resources. Their grassroots advocacy initiatives have influenced public opinion, driven the adoption of renewable energy sources, and shaped environmental policies at local, state, and national levels.
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) engages in advocacy efforts to bring attention to humanitarian crises and advocate for increased access to healthcare in underserved regions. Their advocacy work has contributed to policy changes, increased funding for healthcare initiatives, and improved access to life-saving medical treatments in crisis-affected areas.
These examples demonstrate how effective nonprofit advocacy can lead to significant changes in policies, laws, and public perception, ultimately creating a positive impact on society and advancing the missions of these organizations. If they can do it, so can you! 💪🏾
Nonprofits, Be the Best Advocate for Your Cause!
Advocacy is essential in creating meaningful change and making a difference in important issues. By advocating for your nonprofit's mission, you have the power to bring about positive and impactful results.
To be an effective advocate, staying up-to-date with the latest developments, research, and trends surrounding the issue you are passionate about is crucial. This will not only strengthen your arguments, but it will also ensure that you are well-prepared to counter any opposing views or arguments.
By staying informed, you can continue to educate and inspire your supporters, keeping them engaged and motivated to support your cause. Remember, advocacy is a continuous effort, and it is essential to maintain a strong network of supporters who share your passion. So, keep advocating, stay informed, and keep your supporters motivated.
FAQ
What is nonprofit advocacy?
Nonprofit advocacy refers to the efforts made by nonprofit organizations to promote and support a particular cause or issue by influencing public opinion, policies, and legislation.
What is the difference between advocacy and lobbying?
Advocacy is a broader term encompassing various activities aimed at promoting a cause or issue, while lobbying specifically involves influencing legislators or government officials to support or oppose specific policies or legislation.
Why are nonprofits involved in advocacy?
Nonprofits engage in advocacy to advance their missions and create social change. Advocacy provides nonprofits a platform to educate the public, raise awareness, and influence policies aligning with their organization's goals.
What are some examples of nonprofit advocacy campaigns?
Nonprofit advocacy campaigns can take various forms, such as public awareness campaigns, grassroots organizing, letter-writing or calling campaigns, and coalition building. These campaigns aim to generate support for specific issues or policies.
How does advocacy contribute to a nonprofit's mission?
Advocacy allows nonprofits to address the root causes of various social issues and work toward long-term solutions. By advocating for change, nonprofits can have a broader and more lasting impact on the communities they serve.
What guidelines should nonprofits follow when engaging in advocacy?
Nonprofits must adhere to IRS rules and regulations when engaging in advocacy. Organizations should avoid campaign activities that exceed a substantial part of their overall activities and must not participate in partisan politics and lobbying efforts that could jeopardize their tax-exempt status.
How can nonprofits effectively engage in advocacy work?
To effectively engage in advocacy, nonprofits should develop a clear advocacy strategy, set specific goals, identify key stakeholders, and utilize various communication channels to educate and mobilize their supporters. Nonprofits need to have a persuasive call to action and engage in grassroots lobbying efforts.
What role do donors play in nonprofit advocacy efforts?
Donors play a significant role in supporting and funding nonprofit advocacy efforts. Their financial contributions enable nonprofits to conduct research, organize campaigns, and engage in activities that advocate for their causes.
