You’ll often hear that non-profit organizations can’t participate in lobbying. Though untrue, there are some rules that non-profits have to follow (see my previous blog post). But what about advocacy? You’ll hear non-profits advocating for their constituency or developing advocacy programs. So, what’s the big difference between the two?
Let’s start with a graphic. All lobbying is advocacy and education, but not all advocacy is lobbying and not all education is even advocacy.
Education is talking with people about your constituency, mission, and the people you serve. An example of education is talking with elected officials and the community about a needs assessment you conducted or disseminating research done by a university. Education can take many different forms and can look like one to one meetings, classes, seminars, forums, or something else entirely.
There is no limit to the amount of education you can participate in as a non-profit. In fact, to be effective at achieving your mission, robust education strategies should be at the forefront of your strategic plan.
Advocacy is taking a position. Advocacy is supporting an idea and working on an issue. This could include having statements such as “my non-profit supports increased funding for K-12 education.” Advocacy does not reference specific legislation, but rather is about a broader topic of public policy.
As long as you’re not lobbying, the amount of advocacy you can do is unlimited. Again, to be successful in serving your clientele, advocacy is something that should be a part of your strategic plan.
Lobbying is the four-letter word of, well... just about everything, but what does it really mean? Lobbying is taking a specific stance on a specific piece of legislation. There are two types of lobbying. Direct lobbying is where you or your staff seek to influence legislation directly by having conversations with elected officials and referencing legislation. This is the important distinction between advocacy and lobbying. If you’re doing advocacy, you can still talk to elected officials, but lobbying is specifically around legislation. Grassroots lobbying is urging others to contact their elected officials to support or oppose legislation. This could be by asking people to contact their elected officials through a newsletter in support or opposition of a specific piece of legislation, or telling a class to support or oppose a specific piece of legislation.
There is a limit to the amount of lobbying you can participate in as a non-profit organization and can have variation between different 501 statuses. See my prior blog post to understand how your organization can begin lobbying activities.
Whatever you do: education, lobbying, or advocacy, remember that the time you invest in issues impact your clients helps people before they even come through your doors. And, as always, it's wise to contact an accountant to understand your specific tax obligations and restrictions before undergoing any advocacy or lobbying work.
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