Written by Annie Hamaty
Public Policy & Government Relations Manager
Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA)
YNPN.GR Member-at-Large
The last few months have underscored the importance of nonprofit advocacy and why
nonprofits must have a seat at the policy table. Federal administrative actions have
resulted in threats to the nonprofit sector and the invaluable work they do in
communities. From the chaos around a potential federal funding freeze to attacks
against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and threats against specific communities
such as BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and Immigrants, the work nonprofits do to provide services to
the community has been threatened. Nonetheless, nonprofits continue to meet the
moment and be positive changemakers.
The good news is that you can be an advocate and educate your lawmakers on federal
changes that result in real, local impacts. You are a subject matter expert in your field.
Regardless of your mission, you are an asset to your community and to lawmakers who
want to hear about the services you provide to their district.
It can be scary to engage in advocacy work for the first time. As someone who is often
the youngest person in the room, sometimes the only person of color, and definitely the
only Asian American, I understand how it feels to have imposter syndrome in the world
of public policy. Moreover, it is important to remember that these institutions and
systems have not been built by or for BIPOC communities, which can also be
intimidating and bring certain feelings of doubt, isolation, or apprehension. If you feel
this way you are not alone. Many people feel nervous when they do this for the first
time.
You do not need to have a background in public policy to do this work – you just need to
be a leader with a voice! Your voice is powerful and necessary. Your voice can
influence policy decisions that may harm your community. Your voice gives you the
strength to speak up. Your voice can motivate and encourage others to get engaged in
advocacy.
So now that we’ve talked about the landscape, what we’re up against, and given
ourselves a pep talk, let’s get started. What is advocacy? What is lobbying? What are
some ways we can advocate as nonprofit leaders? What are the guidelines for
nonprofits doing this work?
To start, advocacy is raising awareness and mobilizing public support for an issue or
set of values, such as supporting education access, ending hunger, expanding
affordable housing, and so on. Nonprofits can generally engage in non-lobbying
advocacy without limit.
Lobbying involves asking policy makers, either directly or indirectly (by encouraging
others to do so), to vote for or against a specific piece of legislation or policy. (Source:
Nonprofit VOTE! Nonpartisan Advocacy Planning Tool).
But what are the IRS lobbying rules for charities? Congress has stated that influencing
legislation is an appropriate activity for 501(c)(3) public charities. As a result, public
charities, including public foundations (i.e. community foundations), can lobby. The IRS
sets limitations on the amount of lobbying. However, the limit is generous and should
not be an impediment to lobbying.
Here are some more examples of nonprofit advocacy:
- Public education and awareness
- Grassroots organizing
- Nonpartisan voter engagement
- Coalition building
- Lobbying – direct or grassroots
Phew, that is a lot! Although there are a lot of ways to engage in advocacy, it does not
need to be overcomplicated, and you can start small. You could invite legislators for a
30-minute site visit of your nonprofit where you can show and share the impact of your
organization, you could add legislators to your newsletters to stay up to date, or you
could invite legislators to your upcoming events. All of these options are great ways to
get started.
Keep in mind that if your organization is a 501(c)(3) public charity, you must be
nonpartisan, meaning that you cannot engage in “electioneering,” AKA supporting or
opposing specific candidates for office or specific political parties. However, you may
engage in issue advocacy; for example, your organization can take a stance in support
of reproductive rights, environmental justice, or gun violence prevention. Although these
issues can sometimes seem political, they are not in and of themselves. Since they are
policy issues, it is permissible to take a stance in support or opposition. Remember that
you are the best advocate and storyteller for the community you serve. Your voice has
the power to make a difference for Michigan’s nonprofit sector.
This blog was written by Annie Hamaty, YNPN-GR Member At-Large and Public Policy
& Government Relations Manager at Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA). If you have
questions, please contact Annie at ahamaty@mnaonline.org.
Free Resources to Get Started:
National Council of Nonprofits (NCN):
o The Impacts of the Recent Executive Orders on Nonprofits, including a
frequently updated EO Chart
o Two e-newsletters
o Nonprofit Trends and Policy Issues
o Resources on Everyday Advocacy
Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA):
o Federal 2025 Executive Actions
o Nonprofit Advocacy Resources
o MI Nonprofit Connection newsletter (scroll to the bottom of this page)
o To join MNA’s Public Policy Advisory Council to get free email updates
and virtual meeting information, please email ahamaty@mnaonline.org.
State-Level Advocacy:
o Contact the Governor or Submit a Scheduling Request
o Michigan Legislature Homepage
o Find Your State Senator by Address
o Find Your State Representative by Address
o Full list of legislators
Federal-Level Advocacy:
o One-stop shop to find names and contact information for the people who
represent you on the federal, state, and local levels.
o Congress.gov | Library of Congress