Social Entrepreneur blog for the world changers
advocacy
Build Your Social Media Audience
May 15th
Thankfully, "a little bit harder" doesn't mean "impossible." The nature of social networks means that every follower you get can potentially lead to many more. This is because each person "liking" your page will conceivably tell his/her friends to also follow you. Sounds great, but this is all moot if you can't get many people to care about your page in the first place.
A lot of people using social networking sites tend to over-think it. They try to get too fancy and end up with few followers. In truth, the key to building an audience is to post things that are relevant and useful. What's interesting to your followers? Why not ask them? Before making the first post on your new blog, engage your supporters on what kind of stories they want to read. When you get a good enough sample of answers, start writing about those topics.
Even with brilliant content, it’s difficult to attract supporters to a site that no one else is following. Reach out to your staff and other core supporters of your organization and ask them to follow your tweets, or “like” your Facebook page --and to invite their personal friends.
Having an active community is another good way to get people to show interest. Let's face it -- nobody wants to be a part of a page that has no interaction. Try asking questions to your supporters in addition to sharing links. The whole point of social media is interaction with the audience, and there's no better way to do this than starting a discussion.
The most important thing to remember is to be honest when participating in any of these discussions. There will be things you just can't say, of course, but don't be robotic. People like to know that the individual they are talking to is an actual human being.
Advocacy Group Files IRS Complaint Against ALEC
Apr 23rd
An advocacy group filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) against the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), claiming that the group is violating its tax-exempt status.
The Washington Post reported today that D.C.-based Common Cause accused ALEC of lobbying the government while hiding behind its nonprofit status. ALEC describes itself as a nonprofit that brings together lawmakers and private sector organizations to develop new legislation and policy.
Common Cause disagrees with this premise, saying that the organization's main motivation is to lobby for policies that favorably impact businesses. The nonprofit requested that the IRS conduct an audit of ALEC's work, penalties, and back taxes.
ALEC, which was formed in the 1970s, has long been a target of open government groups that are suspicious of its partnership with legislators. The group has made headlines recently for its support of the "Stand Your Ground Laws," which have played a major role in the shooting of Trayvon Martin. Companies that have previously partnered with ALEC, such as Coca Cola, are no longer members, and the group says it is disbanding its task force that was responsible for importing the law to other states.
You can read the full story in The Washington Post.
The Washington Post reported today that D.C.-based Common Cause accused ALEC of lobbying the government while hiding behind its nonprofit status. ALEC describes itself as a nonprofit that brings together lawmakers and private sector organizations to develop new legislation and policy.
Common Cause disagrees with this premise, saying that the organization's main motivation is to lobby for policies that favorably impact businesses. The nonprofit requested that the IRS conduct an audit of ALEC's work, penalties, and back taxes.
ALEC, which was formed in the 1970s, has long been a target of open government groups that are suspicious of its partnership with legislators. The group has made headlines recently for its support of the "Stand Your Ground Laws," which have played a major role in the shooting of Trayvon Martin. Companies that have previously partnered with ALEC, such as Coca Cola, are no longer members, and the group says it is disbanding its task force that was responsible for importing the law to other states.
You can read the full story in The Washington Post.
Komen Surveying Supporters
Feb 27th
After a couple of relatively quiet weeks, it seems that Susan G. Komen For the Cure is stirring up controversy once again. This time it comes in the form of a survey.
In the latest edition of NPT Weekly, we report on a story that the Irving, Texas-based organization had hired a consulting firm to do some damage control in the aftermath of the Planned Parenthood controversy. This firm created a survey that was to be sent to supporters asking them a variety of questions about their opinion of the nonprofit. Among the questions were whether the organization owes donors an apology, followed by a list of potential apologies that would be acceptable. The survey also asks supporters to rate a list of potential new spokespeople, including musician Melissa Etheridge.
While it's not exactly unusual for a nonprofit to test messaging through a survey, the reaction has been fairly strong because they don't usually become so public. Rebecca Devine, co-founder and principal of Philadelphia, Pa.-based Maven Communications, told The NonProfit Times that Komen needs to be asking these same questions with core stakeholders. She also said the organization should be holding one-on-one discussions with donors to ask how they can make the situation better.
You can read the full story on our website. For more stories like this, make sure to sign-up for NPT Weekly or our other free eNewsletters.
In the latest edition of NPT Weekly, we report on a story that the Irving, Texas-based organization had hired a consulting firm to do some damage control in the aftermath of the Planned Parenthood controversy. This firm created a survey that was to be sent to supporters asking them a variety of questions about their opinion of the nonprofit. Among the questions were whether the organization owes donors an apology, followed by a list of potential apologies that would be acceptable. The survey also asks supporters to rate a list of potential new spokespeople, including musician Melissa Etheridge.
While it's not exactly unusual for a nonprofit to test messaging through a survey, the reaction has been fairly strong because they don't usually become so public. Rebecca Devine, co-founder and principal of Philadelphia, Pa.-based Maven Communications, told The NonProfit Times that Komen needs to be asking these same questions with core stakeholders. She also said the organization should be holding one-on-one discussions with donors to ask how they can make the situation better.
You can read the full story on our website. For more stories like this, make sure to sign-up for NPT Weekly or our other free eNewsletters.
Examples Of Permitted Political Activities
Jan 26th
Nonprofit organizations are forbidden to participate in any activity that favors or opposes any political candidate, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be involved with politics at all.
While an organization can not intervene on behalf of a political campaign, it may undertake certain types of nonpartisan political activities. Yet even in these situations, organizations still need to tread lightly or risk the wrath of the IRS.
In her book “Good Counsel,” Lesley Rosenthal lists some permissible political events for nonprofit organizations:
While an organization can not intervene on behalf of a political campaign, it may undertake certain types of nonpartisan political activities. Yet even in these situations, organizations still need to tread lightly or risk the wrath of the IRS.
In her book “Good Counsel,” Lesley Rosenthal lists some permissible political events for nonprofit organizations:
- Voter Education and Voter Registration Drives: These are a-OK for nonprofits as long as there are no biased references to individual candidates or political parties. Timing is also an important factor for the permissibility of these events. For example, distributing newsletters on a candidate’s voting record on issues important to the nonprofit would probably constitute intervention during an election year.
- Speeches by Candidates: An organization may invite a political candidate to speak at an event, but only if opposing candidates for the same office are given equal time. The event must not advocate for a certain position.
- Facility Rental: A nonprofit that has space for public gatherings may rent space to a candidate looking to make a space, so long as the organization charges the campaign its customary fees and makes the space available to opposing candidates. In addition, the space must be regularly offered by the organization and not specifically for the candidate.
The Danger Of Online Lobbying
Jan 12th
The campaign season is starting to heat up as we move closer to the 2012 Presidential elections, and soon the real fun will begin: Lobbying for one candidate over another. But nonprofits need to be careful about how they participate in this kind of advocacy.
In the most recent edition of The NonProfit Times, we went over how the IRS is increasingly scrutinizing nonprofit organization's participation in political advocacy. If an organization is perceived to have overstepped its boundaries, they could be in danger of getting heavily fined.
This campaign season, it will be common for nonprofits to want to post voter guides on their websites to let their supporters make educated decisions on which candidate to support. In order to help avoid some of the pitfalls of online lobbying, Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum and Lisa M. Hix of Venable LLP offered the following advice:
In the most recent edition of The NonProfit Times, we went over how the IRS is increasingly scrutinizing nonprofit organization's participation in political advocacy. If an organization is perceived to have overstepped its boundaries, they could be in danger of getting heavily fined.
This campaign season, it will be common for nonprofits to want to post voter guides on their websites to let their supporters make educated decisions on which candidate to support. In order to help avoid some of the pitfalls of online lobbying, Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum and Lisa M. Hix of Venable LLP offered the following advice:
- Simply linking to candidate-related material alone is not enough to be considered political campaign intervention.
- If you're unsure about what constitutes intervention, consider the following: Are all candidates equally represented? Does the website your linking to favor one candidate over another? Is the link being offered with an exempt purpose (i.e. candidate education)?
- When preparing to post a link, organizations should be very careful. Any website that contains specific views on legislation, as well as links to a voting legislator's e-mail, will be treated as a "call to action," even if that wasn't the intention.
- Check sites for links added inadvertently or without authorization.
What Do The Occupy Wall Street Protesters Want?
Nov 16th
In light of the eviction of the Occupy Wall Street protesters from Zuccotti Park in NYC, I thought I would bump up this post.
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Unless you've been living under a rock for the past month or so, you are probably aware of the "Occupy Wall Street" protests that have been going on around the world. You probably have at least a vague idea of what sparked the protests: Anger over a perceived unfair financial system. A system that a few years ago led to the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, a crisis from which the country is still recovering. Given the bailout of big banks, and huge bonuses paid out to their executives, it's easy to understand why people are angry. Who wouldn't be?
Yes, it's pretty clear what these large masses are lashing out against. What's not as clear is what the end game is for the protesters. We recently posted a column by editor in chief Paul Clolery, set to appear in our Nov. 1 issue, that articulates this question. It tackles some interesting contradictions of the protest, like how Occupy Wall Street supporters rail against unfair bank practices while embracing Russell Simmons, who sells pre-paid bank cards with monthly fees to poor communities. That's a practice that is at least as bad as the questionable practices of banks.
The column's biggest issue with the protest is its lack of organization. All of the social change movements in the past had a clear goal in mind. The civil rights movement wanted equal rights for all. The protests against the Vietnam War wanted an end to a conflict that had no end in sight. How do the Occupy Wall Street protesters hope to get the change they seek? These protesters need help from the charitable sector and seasoned protesters to help make a real impact on important issues like wealth disparity. Right now, as the column opines, "it’s just an opportunity to post to YouTube."
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Unless you've been living under a rock for the past month or so, you are probably aware of the "Occupy Wall Street" protests that have been going on around the world. You probably have at least a vague idea of what sparked the protests: Anger over a perceived unfair financial system. A system that a few years ago led to the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, a crisis from which the country is still recovering. Given the bailout of big banks, and huge bonuses paid out to their executives, it's easy to understand why people are angry. Who wouldn't be?
Yes, it's pretty clear what these large masses are lashing out against. What's not as clear is what the end game is for the protesters. We recently posted a column by editor in chief Paul Clolery, set to appear in our Nov. 1 issue, that articulates this question. It tackles some interesting contradictions of the protest, like how Occupy Wall Street supporters rail against unfair bank practices while embracing Russell Simmons, who sells pre-paid bank cards with monthly fees to poor communities. That's a practice that is at least as bad as the questionable practices of banks.
The column's biggest issue with the protest is its lack of organization. All of the social change movements in the past had a clear goal in mind. The civil rights movement wanted equal rights for all. The protests against the Vietnam War wanted an end to a conflict that had no end in sight. How do the Occupy Wall Street protesters hope to get the change they seek? These protesters need help from the charitable sector and seasoned protesters to help make a real impact on important issues like wealth disparity. Right now, as the column opines, "it’s just an opportunity to post to YouTube."
Indiana Nonprofit Defends Political Contribution
Oct 27th
A nonprofit in Portage, Indiana is defending a $500 contribution to the local Mayor's re-election campaign. An article on PortageCommunity.com reported that Bert Cook, executive director of the Portage Economic Development Corp (PEDCO)., said they did not consider the participation in a Sept. 19 golf outing as a campaign contribution to incumbent Democratic Mayor Olga Velazquez, but as a chance to network with the city's business and community leaders.
Cook further explained to PortageCommunity that even if the money was supposed to be a political contribution, his accountants told him that it is legal for the organization to spend up to 20 percent of its yearly total expenditures on lobbying. PEDCO receives almost half of its annual funding from tax dollars, but the contribution came from organization's marketing budget, which contains only private contributions, according to Cook. Velazquez has a seat on PEDCO's board of directors, though Cook says she is not on the executive committee, which has a say in the decisions the organization makes. Cook says he will re-evaluate the decision to attend the fundraiser, and probably will avoid similar events in the future.
Lobbying has long been a source of discomfort for nonprofits. Many organizations aren't confident they are allowed to lobby, and lobbying rules are complex and often require disclosure. You can learn more about nonprofit lobbying by visiting our website. You should also be sure to read the rest of the PortageCommunity aritcle.
Cook further explained to PortageCommunity that even if the money was supposed to be a political contribution, his accountants told him that it is legal for the organization to spend up to 20 percent of its yearly total expenditures on lobbying. PEDCO receives almost half of its annual funding from tax dollars, but the contribution came from organization's marketing budget, which contains only private contributions, according to Cook. Velazquez has a seat on PEDCO's board of directors, though Cook says she is not on the executive committee, which has a say in the decisions the organization makes. Cook says he will re-evaluate the decision to attend the fundraiser, and probably will avoid similar events in the future.
Lobbying has long been a source of discomfort for nonprofits. Many organizations aren't confident they are allowed to lobby, and lobbying rules are complex and often require disclosure. You can learn more about nonprofit lobbying by visiting our website. You should also be sure to read the rest of the PortageCommunity aritcle.
Management Tip: 4 Ideas For Spotlighting Your Mission
Oct 10th
Every nonprofit has a mission for which it advocates. Think back to when you first joined your current nonprofit. Aside from the usual reasons for taking a job, you most likely had a passion for the mission of the organization. Unfortunately, it can be easy to lose sight of that goal during the day-to-day grind of running an organization. That's why it's so important to constantly spotlight your mission to your donors and supporters:
- Highlight the strength of your mission, not your organization. It's a key way to associate your brand with the cause. Ways to accomplish this include explaining what is innovative about your approach to the mission, and showing how you play an essential role in your field.
- Show your donors how they create an ongoing story for accomplishing your mission. This will help them feel more connected.
- Explain how your work represents your guiding principles. Back away from practical specifics and take a bit of a philosophical approach. Ask yourself what fundamental values or concerns lead your readers to your organization and its mission.
- Describe your vision of what the community (or world, depending on your ambitions) will look like when you accomplish your mission. It is important to remember that your long-term vision is just as important as short-term goals.
Management Tip: 3 Elements Of Activist Relationship Management
Aug 2nd
Here is this week's Management Tip of the Week. This one comes from the advocacy category:
Every cause needs its activists, but a nonprofit that hopes to get the best it can from concerned individuals needs to understand the potential they offer and to treat them as effectively as possible.
Speaking during the DMA 2011 Washington Nonprofit Conference, Yvonne Garrett of OMP, Inc., Vinay Bhagat of Convio and Randy Paynter of Care2.com said that there are three main areas of concentration, with the second and third combining for a fourth.
The main thrusts:
* Recruit. Be thoughtful about the form of ask. Think about a pledge vs. “contact your legislator.” Think of constituent relevance. Offer multiple venues in addition to your Website. Provide a strong user experience. Remember viral marketing, including social media.
* Engage. Acknowledge returning Web visitors. Send tailored/updated stories. Make related appeals. Use multi-channel appeals: email, text, social. Provide rewards and incentives.
* Convert. Provide campaign-specific donation forms. Have an email welcome/conversion series. Follow up in a timely fashion with mail or TM. Apply filters to prioritize investment. Select appeals based on advocacy actions.
Effective use of the second and third parts leads to a fourth: Deepen. Remember, major donors are frequently active. It is increasingly critical to track messaging intensity/congruency across programs and channels.
To read more like this, check out the advocacy management tips page on The NonProfit Times.
Every cause needs its activists, but a nonprofit that hopes to get the best it can from concerned individuals needs to understand the potential they offer and to treat them as effectively as possible.
Speaking during the DMA 2011 Washington Nonprofit Conference, Yvonne Garrett of OMP, Inc., Vinay Bhagat of Convio and Randy Paynter of Care2.com said that there are three main areas of concentration, with the second and third combining for a fourth.
The main thrusts:
* Recruit. Be thoughtful about the form of ask. Think about a pledge vs. “contact your legislator.” Think of constituent relevance. Offer multiple venues in addition to your Website. Provide a strong user experience. Remember viral marketing, including social media.
* Engage. Acknowledge returning Web visitors. Send tailored/updated stories. Make related appeals. Use multi-channel appeals: email, text, social. Provide rewards and incentives.
* Convert. Provide campaign-specific donation forms. Have an email welcome/conversion series. Follow up in a timely fashion with mail or TM. Apply filters to prioritize investment. Select appeals based on advocacy actions.
Effective use of the second and third parts leads to a fourth: Deepen. Remember, major donors are frequently active. It is increasingly critical to track messaging intensity/congruency across programs and channels.
To read more like this, check out the advocacy management tips page on The NonProfit Times.
Dipping Into Diaper Reserves In Minnesota
Jan 18th
A nonprofit group in Blaine Minnesota is planning what is labeling as the biggest diaper drive in all of America. The event will take place at the Mall of America in Bloomington. The nonprofit in question is known as The Diaper Drive, and they embrace the fun and witty slogan of 'No Child Wet Behind', which is of course a spoof of the 'No Child Left Behind' Motto of the national education administration.
What the group hopes to achieve
The Diaper Drive is positioning itself as the leading advocacy group for the need for diapers. They hope that the fundraising event will bring in at least 200,000 diapers, as well as increase public awareness regarding this constant need. The Diaper Drive is happy to receive disposable and fabric-based diapers from newborn to adult sizes, and appeals to a generous public to help them in meeting their targets. The group is active in a number of locations in the state and beyond.
What the group hopes to achieve
The Diaper Drive is positioning itself as the leading advocacy group for the need for diapers. They hope that the fundraising event will bring in at least 200,000 diapers, as well as increase public awareness regarding this constant need. The Diaper Drive is happy to receive disposable and fabric-based diapers from newborn to adult sizes, and appeals to a generous public to help them in meeting their targets. The group is active in a number of locations in the state and beyond.
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