Why Is Advocacy Work So Important?

Whether intentional or not, every time you act to improve the lives of your clients you are engaging in advocacy.  When you speak to a community group or the to the press about your work you’re engaging in advocacy.  When you meet with a potential funder or make the big “ask” at your annual gala, you’re engaging in advocacy.  Advocacy is the root of everything you do.  There is very little you do that doesn’t involve advocacy, but are you doing it in a thoughtful and deliberate way?

So, why isn’t every non-profit out in the community pushing advocacy agendas; especially now, when non-profits are more impacted by policy and legislation than at any other time?  There are a couple of primary reasons: 1) Because it’s rarely a part of non-profit training, folks aren’t very comfortable with advocacy. 2) Some non-profit professionals are afraid of it, or the board is afraid of it.  And, where does the fear come from?  A lot of us believe 501c3s are prohibited, by IRS tax codes, from engaging in formal advocacy.  Others are afraid of offending some supporters and losing donors. 

The first one isn’t true, and with some forethought, and planning the second fear won’t be realized.  The tax codes governing non-profit behavior place limits on lobbying but not advocacy and lobbying has a very specific legal definition.  And the board?  If the advocacy is within the scope of your agency mission, and you take the time to talk with your board about your advocacy work and how it supports your mission, you’ll be in good shape.  Don’t surprise your board.  Help them understand almost everything you do is advocacy, and their board work is advocacy.  Maybe you want to take a more public stance or begin working at the community level on advocacy initiatives-bring the board along.  Talk to your allies on the board, starting with your chair-assuming your chair is an ally (that’s a whole other issue).

Some of your board will be concerned advocacy work will lose donors.  I’ve rarely seen this happen.  Even when I was with a national civil rights agency with a wide agenda, as long as we kept donors focused on the primary mission, we didn’t lose any donors. If, however, after all your efforts a donor tells you they will withdraw their gift, you’ll have to make that call.  I never let a threat of a withheld donation determine a decision I made.  Once you travel down that road you may as well pack up and go home.   Again, if you work with your board and donors, bring them along with you, and help them understand the importance of advocacy work, you’ll have a strong group of allies.

If you don’t have a well developed advocacy program, it’s time to start thinking about it.  For more info, look for my blog postings on different types of advocacy and on using advocacy to increase your development efforts.  If you want to talk some more, please call us at 562-618-0853.