Lobbying and Advocacy Handbook for Nonprofit Organizations, Second Edition

“A must read for every nonprofit board and executive team seeking effective, practical and legal advice on how to achieve their organization’s mission by engaging with elected officials and policymakers at every level of government.” —Emmett Carson, Ph.D. CEO and President, Silicon Valley Community Foundation“The Lobbying and Advocacy Handbook is essential reading for every non-profit Executive Director and staff member. It explains the imperative and mechanics of advocacy and will be an invaluable tool for everyone who wants to ensure that all voices get heard in our democracy.” —Deepak Bhargava, Executive Director, Center for Community Change“In this revised edition Marcia Avner . . . reveals in practical terms how safe and easy advocacy is and how advocacy can strengthen the nonprofit in other important ways.” —Tim Delaney, President and CEO, National Council of Nonprofits“A must-have for any nonprofit professional who values the importance of advocacy efforts.” —Lindsey Hodel, Director, Colorado Participation Project“An essential resource that should be on the desk of every nonprofit leader.”  —Gary Bass, Executive Director, Bauman Foundation and former Executive Director of OMBWatch“This handbook is an important part of the work that we do: teaching current and future nonprofit leaders the value and practice of nonprofit advocacy. It’s been used successfully here at Georgetown . . . Students and nonprofit leaders alike appreciate its practical and well organized guidance.” —Kathy Postel Kretman, Ph.D., Director, Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership, Georgetown University“Nonprofit advocacy has never been more essential than it is today. Avner’s excellent handbook is a practical and realistic source of knowledge, guidance and support that makes it possible for any nonprofit, regardless of prior experience, to be effective in the important work of advocacy and lobbying.” —David O. Renz, Ph.D., Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, Henry W. Bloch School of Management, University of Missouri-Kansas City“I have used Avner’s book as a textbook in my graduate school class because it gives such clear, practical advice on how to change public policy for the better with your staff and board. If you’re trying to figure out how to do it, these are the tools for you.” —Sheila Smith, Executive Director, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts“Marcia Avner . . . and the book put us on the leading edge of nonprofit advocacy.” —Wy Spano, Founder and Co-Director, Masters in Advocacy and Political Leadership Program, University of Minnesota-Duluth“Practical and useful, this is a clear and up-to-date guide on all aspects of advocacy. It’s a must-have for nonprofit executives.” —Elizabeth Boris, Director, Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy, Urban Institute

• ForewordAcknowledgementsIntroduction: Why Engage in Advocacy? Why Lobby?The Essential Role of Nonprofits in Shaping Public PolicyThe Advocacy Cycle: Ongoing Work for ChangeHow to Use This BookChapter One:  Get Ready: Develop a Plan for Advocacy and LobbyingPlanning Step 1: Create a Planning Process and a Planning TeamPlanning Step 2: Articulate Policy Vision and GoalsPlanning Step 3: Develop a Policy Agenda: Establish Criteria and Identify IssuesPlanning Step 4: Target Arenas of Influence Where Issues are DecidedPlanning Step 5: Choose Strategies and Tactics for Effective AdvocacyPlanning Step 6:  Design the Organizational Infrastructure You NeedPlanning Step 7: Create Your PlanPlanning Step 8: Affirm Organizational Commitment to the Plan and You’re Set!   Chapter Two: Go: Implement Your Advocacy and Lobbying PlanAssign Organizational Roles and Responsibilities: Board, Staff, Policy AdvisorsGet and Manage the Information You NeedBuild Communications Systems:Reaching Your Internal Audiences: You and Your SupportersInfluencing External Audiences: Opinion Shapers, Decision Makers, The PublicDesign Your Advocacy CampaignHow to Develop and Advance a Policy PositionHow to Organize and Mobilize Community Based Support for Your PositionHow to Build Power Through CollaborationHow to Advocate and Lobby in Legislative ArenasHow to Advocate and Lobby the Executive Branch, Administrative AgenciesHow to  Expand Your Reach through Media AdvocacyHow to Evaluate Your Organization’s AdvocacyChapter Three: Sustaining the Cycle of Advocacy: Expanding Impact through Civic EngagementChapter Four: Nonprofits and the LawLobby LawNonpartisanship and Election LawAfterwordAppendix A: Rapid Responses to Crises or OpportunitiesAppendix B: Resources for Nonprofit Advocacy and LobbyingAppendix C: Legislative Process: A GuideAppendix D: WorksheetsIndex