Advocacy Quick Tips

More nonprofits are discovering the power of the Internet to promote their public policy agendas. Alliance For Justice (AFJ) provides the only guide available that comprehensively addresses the laws governing Internet advocacy, from voter education websites to e-mail action alerts. Free PDF.

Make a Difference for Your Cause: Strategies for Nonprofit Engagement in Legislative Advocacy

The Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest (CLPI) offers a resource and discussion guide providing examples of nonprofits that have successfully used public policy engagement to meet their missions and presents six questions readers can use to stimulate discussion with others in their organizations. Find the information on their website.

Speak to Inspire: Designing Effective Outreach Strategies

The Advocacy Center at the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) has developed several tools to assist nonprofits with their outreach strategies. Social justice advocacy goals almost always require the support of some segment of the public in order to move forward. Therefore, significant attention needs to be paid to planning the appropriate outreach and communications effort. Visit their website for developing the basic message of your advocacy campaign.

More information can be found on our Resource Page under Public Policy/Advocacy Links

For Foundations

Web Training: Legal Rules for Foundation Support for Advocacy

Alliance for Justice will be conducting one hour web-based workshops on the legal rules for foundation support for advocacy and how foundations can evaluate advocacy grants and help build their grantees' advocacy capacity.

Thursday, November 8, Advocacy Capacity Assessment and Evaluation
Tuesday, December 11, A Funder's Guide to Supporting Advocacy

Visit the AFJ website for a full schedule of workshops for grantmakers and how to register.

Building Your Advocacy Grantmaking

Advocacy Capacity Assessment Tool & Advocacy Evaluation Tool

The hardcopy versions of these tools, published in 2005, are used by foundations seeking to better understand potential grantees' advocacy capacities as well as the effectiveness of grantees' advocacy campaigns. In addition to foundations, advocacy organizations have used these tools to strengthen their work. Alliance for Justice has put these tools online to increase user-friendliness and to enhance the ability to improve these tools on a continuous basis -- all as another step towards breaking down barriers to provide support for and engagement in nonprofit advocacy. For more information about the tools, including pricing information, go to www.advocacyevaluation.org.