Advocacy  View RSS Feed Last updated 2/12/2009

Advocacy by individuals or organizations can be highly effective in educating government officials, organizing community support, and influencing public policy that can greatly advance causes and missions. Having an understanding of the rights, responsibilities, and the skills needed to engage effectively in advocacy can positively affect not only an organization, but the nonprofit sector as a whole. This topic area includes training, planning, and outreach resources. Keywords

Communications
Communication is the process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of words, symbols, signs or behavior. Advocacy involves communication with constituents, volunteers, and public officials through the media, correspondence, campaigning and technology.
Community Engagement
Community engagement is the process of involving communities in the prioritization and development of services in their own area. Advocates organize members of their community and promote civic engagement to inspire more community members to get involved in decision making.
Government & Political Systems
Government and political systems are the interactions of organized political and government structures in the making and administering of public decisions for a society. Advocates and lobbyists are involved in getting the public involved in the process and influencing decisions made within it.
Legal Considerations
Legal considerations are the factors governing sound judgment and lawful decision-making. Special regulations for advocacy and lobbying are set by Congress and the Internal Revenue Service. Organizations must be aware of the legal responsibilities and constitutional obligations entrusted in them to minimize negative legal ramifications and lawsuits.
Lobbying
Lobbying is efforts made to influence legislation by influencing the opinion of legislators, legislative staff, and government administrators directly involved in the drafting of legislative proposals. The Internal Revenue Code sets limits on lobbying by organizations that are exempt from tax under Section 501(c)(3).
Planning
Planning is the process of determining the needs and wants of an organization to produce suitable goals and objectives. Developing an advocacy plan will allow an organization to set objectives and goals for advocacy efforts and the means for which they will achieve them.