For far too long, foundations and philanthropists have stayed out of policy debates. Consequently, many nonprofits supported by these foundations have avoided political involvement to avoid upsetting their donors. However, this silence comes at a cost. Advocacy and Lobbying by Private Foundations Funders can support and participate in advocacy and encourage their grantees to do... Read More
For society to advance gender equity, intersectional feminism must become part of the mainstream narrative and mindset. Philanthropy is our opportunity to be change agents, so that this statistic increases: Just 1.9% of philanthropic dollars go toward women and girls, according to the “The Women and Girls Index: Measuring Giving to Women and Girls” from the... Read More
Policymakers never stop working, so it’s always the right time to engage legislators and officials. Your presence ensures policymakers hear your concerns, while absence might lead to them overlooking your issues. Foundations and their trustees tend to opt out of meeting with elected officials. But not only do policymakers need to hear from philanthropists, they... Read More
Advocacy is the act of promoting a broad and general position to legislators, bureaucrats, media, and the public. For example, saying “Poverty is bad” is advocacy. It includes public education, media outreach, regulatory work, litigation, lobbying, voter registration, and more. Many foundations think advocacy and lobbying are the same. While all lobbying is advocacy, not all advocacy... Read More
Leanly staffed family foundations can punch well above their weight, working with other funders and grantees to change systems. Over the past eight years, the Thornburg Foundation has experienced this firsthand. Given the depth of the challenges facing the state of New Mexico, systemic change is particularly important to our board chair and founder, Garrett... Read More
Advocacy is a long game, and it can be messy at times. However, when combined with grantmaking, advocacy is a powerful tool to advance system change, strengthen relationships with your grantee partners, and enhance learning and understanding around the issues your foundation supports. Helping your board understand the broader concept of advocacy will help shift... Read More