Description
Book SynopsisThe Lobbying and Advocacy Handbook for Nonprofit Organizations, Second Edition, is your complete road map to shaping public policy at the state and local level. It gives detailed, step-by-step instructions for developing an effective plan and putting it into action. With this handbook, you will discover how lobbying can help fulfill your mission; learn how to initiate, support, or defeat bills; develop effective lobbying skills; gather and mobilize support for your positions; learn how to use the media effectively; influence gov’t administrators to back your policy positions; comply with state and federal regulations; and set up systems in your nonprofit to support lobbying. In addition to updated worksheets, case studies, and resources, new material in the second edition includes nonprofit civic engagement and voter mobilization; designing the Policy Committee that works for your nonprofit; utilizing social media in your communications strategies; administrative advocacy: working with governmental agencies; and understanding the why, what and how of collaboration.
Trade Review“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
Table of ContentsForeword Acknowledgements Introduction: Why Engage in Advocacy? Why Lobby? The Essential Role of Nonprofits in Shaping Public Policy The Advocacy Cycle: Ongoing Work for Change How to Use This Book Chapter One: Get Ready: Develop a Plan for Advocacy and Lobbying Planning Step 1: Create a Planning Process and a Planning Team Planning Step 2: Articulate Policy Vision and Goals Planning Step 3: Develop a Policy Agenda: Establish Criteria and Identify Issues Planning Step 4: Target Arenas of Influence Where Issues are Decided Planning Step 5: Choose Strategies and Tactics for Effective Advocacy Planning Step 6: Design the Organizational Infrastructure You Need Planning Step 7: Create Your Plan Planning Step 8: Affirm Organizational Commitment to the Plan and You’re Set! Chapter Two: Go: Implement Your Advocacy and Lobbying Plan Assign Organizational Roles and Responsibilities: Board, Staff, Policy Advisors Get and Manage the Information You Need Build Communications Systems: Reaching Your Internal Audiences: You and Your Supporters Influencing External Audiences: Opinion Shapers, Decision Makers, The Public Design Your Advocacy Campaign How to Develop and Advance a Policy Position How to Organize and Mobilize Community Based Support for Your Position How to Build Power Through Collaboration How to Advocate and Lobby in Legislative Arenas How to Advocate and Lobby the Executive Branch, Administrative Agencies How to Expand Your Reach through Media Advocacy How to Evaluate Your Organization’s Advocacy Chapter Three: Sustaining the Cycle of Advocacy: Expanding Impact through Civic Engagement Chapter Four: Nonprofits and the Law Lobby Law Nonpartisanship and Election Law Afterword Appendix A: Rapid Responses to Crises or Opportunities Appendix B: Resources for Nonprofit Advocacy and Lobbying Appendix C: Legislative Process: A Guide Appendix D: Worksheets Index
