If you don’t advocate, who will?

Here is a cheesy article I wrote (except for the intro! I can not write creatively at all apparently) about a session at the Museums Alaska conference, just in case you wanted to know about non-profits and lobbying:

Winter is coming. Freezing winds are once again ruffling the papers on the desk of the archivist at the Historical Society. The seals around the windows are decaying and they need to be replaced. If the staff can feel the change in the weather, the artifacts will most definitely be affected. Funds are tight, as usual, but the Board agrees that the City’s designated funding for non-profits would be ideal for solving this problem. So now what?

Mike Walsh, VP of Operations at the Foraker Group, addressed this issue in the Museums Alaska session Lobbying and Advocacy, helping audience members learn more about the laws governing lobbying and how to develop an advocacy plan.

While many of us advocate – talk about an idea to bring about change – lobbying is specifically used to influence legislation. According to Internal Revenue Service (IRS), lobbying is direct communication with a legislator or a legislative staff member requesting action on a specific bill. Non-profit organizations are not allowed to endorse or oppose a political candidate, but they are allowed to encourage a legislator to approve a bill, even one that includes appropriations for their organization. Additionally, organizations may conduct grassroots lobbying to influence the public - encouraging people to vote for a proposition or to contact their legislator.

It is important to note that the IRS wants to know what your organization spends on lobbying. Non-profit organizations may spend no more than 5% on of their annual budget on lobbying, so it is imperative you track your expenses. In contrast, the State of Alaska wants to know how much time an organization lobbies. As an individual representing your organization, you may spend 40 hours in direct communication with a legislator or legislative staff over a thirty-day period. That’s a lot of communication! If you intend on spending more money or time, your organization may hire a registered lobbyist.

To make the most of your advocacy work, organizations should develop an Advocacy Plan. Organizations should refine a 60 second spiel about the issue, identify who to talk to, and when and how to talk to them (email, in person, on the phone).

The underlying point of Mr. Walsh’s presentation was that advocacy is important and it’s not work that we should expect others to do for us. If you won’t advocate for your own organization, who will?