Advocacy is all about promoting a cause or idea to lawmakers, the media, and the public. It can be as simple as saying, “Poverty is bad,” to get people thinking about the issue. Advocacy takes many forms—public education, media campaigns, legal actions, and even voter registration.
A lot of people confuse advocacy with lobbying. However, lobbying is a specific type of advocacy focused on influencing legislation, like saying, “Poverty is bad. Please support this bill to fix it.” It’s about convincing lawmakers to take action on certain laws. (For more details, check out the Exponent Philanthropy primer, Funding and Engaging in Advocacy.)
Advocacy and Lobbying by Private Foundations
Private foundations can support advocacy and encourage their grantees to do the same, but they can’t engage in lobbying or electioneering directly. Here’s a breakdown:
What Foundations Are Not Permitted to Do:
- Direct Lobbying: Talking to legislators about specific laws.
- Grassroots Lobbying: Encouraging the public to contact legislators about specific laws.
- Electioneering: Participating in or funding political campaigns to influence elections.
What Foundations Can Do:
- Fund public charities that engage in lobbying.
- Review reports from grantees about their advocacy work.
- Talk to legislators about general issues without pushing for specific proposals.
- Share nonpartisan research on legislative topics.
- Offer technical support to legislative bodies.
- Lobby on their own behalf if it impacts their status or regulations.
Foundations don’t need to restrict lobbying in their grant agreements as long as the grant doesn’t exceed the budget for non-lobbying activities. Board members, officers, and staff can also lobby privately on their own time.
6 Effective Advocacy Strategies for Lean Foundations
In our Advocacy Field Guide for Lean Funders, we outline how lean foundations can fund or participate in advocacy efforts, including:
- Educate and Influence the Public
Spread the word about important policy issues, shape how people think, write opinion pieces, and get involved with the media. - Convene, Train, and Support Nonprofits
Bring together staff, volunteers, and community leaders to share ideas and find solutions. Offer training to your grantees on how to advocate effectively and support them in their legislative efforts. - Commission and Conduct Research
Invest in surveys to gauge public opinion, conduct policy research, and analyze data to inform your advocacy efforts. - Strengthen Civic Participation
Help boost political engagement through public education, nonpartisan voter registration drives, and get-out-the-vote campaigns. - Engage and Educate Candidates
Get candidates up to speed on key issues, sponsor debates, and encourage campaigns to address specific topics. Advocate for your issues in party platforms. - Engage and Educate Policymakers
Meet with policymakers to discuss shared goals, inform them about specific issues, and support or create bipartisan legislative caucuses.
Preparing Your Foundation for Advocacy
To succeed in advocacy, it’s crucial to understand the key players, their motivations, and the best times to make your case. Start by focusing on one or two issues you’re passionate about and dive deep into learning everything you can about them.
Resources to Start Your Advocacy Journey
Advocacy Field Guide for Lean Funders
This guide helps lean foundations and donors fund and engage in policy directly. It offers seven practical steps, a basic primer on essentials, ways to fund and engage, and tips for convincing your board. We include strategies and real examples from lean funders to inspire and guide you. Download »
About the Authors
Jason Sabo is the founder of Frontera Strategy. Jason has led and assisted efforts to pass legislation and secure appropriations at state capitols across the country for more than two decades. Jason knows the issues and politics important to nonprofits and philanthropy, and he knows how to win. He holds a master’s degree in History from Indiana University.
Andy Carroll advises lean foundations on advocacy and Catalytic Leadership in Philanthropy. With an MBA from the University of Michigan Business School and over 30 years in nonprofit management, he helps these foundations leverage their unique assets for impactful change. Follow him on Twitter @andycarrollexpo, and check out his Catalytic Philanthropy Podcast.