Everyday Advocacy for Nonprofits

 

The Everyday Advocacy Guide for Nonprofits is a practical guide for nonprofits wishing to engage in advocacy. This Guide is intended to help inform a range of nonprofit stakeholders, including executive directors, staff, board members, and volunteers, about the context, rules, and strategies that can be used to support nonprofit contributions to public policy dialogue and development.

No matter how you use this guide, our intent is that it contributes to a healthy and participatory democratic process through the invaluable contributions of the nonprofits across Alberta.

Guide chapters can be read sequentially for a complete picture, or individually based on the needs and interests of your organization. Individual chapters can be downloaded below.

For more advocacy resources, check out our #ABCommunityAdvantage page for practical tools to help your organization engage in advocacy efforts.

Guide Chapters

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chapter 1: ADVOCACY IS A JOURNEY NOT A DESTINATION

No matter where you are in your advocacy journey, it is important to remember that engaging in advocacy is a long-term commitment that requires persistence and dedication while working towards your desired outcome. This chapter contains valuable insight that will help put your advocacy efforts into context to keep you motivated throughout your advocacy journey.

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chapter 2: WHY ADVOCACY MATTERS: THE CRUCIAL ROLE THAT NONPROFITS PLAY

We live in a world of budget and resource limitations, differing opinions, and conflicting priorities. Engaging in advocacy is an opportunity for nonprofits to share their priorities with the public, represent communities, advance policies, and promote funding of meaningful objectives. Nonprofits engaging in advocacy work bring benefits to communities at large, and also bring benefits to the organization through opportunities of attracting greater attention and creating broader impact.

Woman with glasses sitting at a table in front of another women with curly hair. They are looking at papers and smiling.

CHAPTER 3: WHY NONPROFITS MATTER: THREE MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE NONPROFIT SECTOR

Nonprofits have a profound impact in Alberta and it is important that organizations talk about the value of the sector as a whole — but it can be challenging to communicate the greater value of the sector to government. To help articulate this, we’ve highlighted three major contributions of the nonprofit sector that demonstrate its collective impact on society and the economy.

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CHAPTER 4: RULES OF ENGAGEMENT FOR NONPROFIT ADVOCACY

Before engaging in public policy advocacy, nonprofits should make sure they understand the rules and regulations around what they can and cannot do, so that they can engage with clarity and confidence. Knowing the rules can empower your organization to lead and encourage important discussions.

Four people sit at a white table in front of their laptops. They look at a large monitor.

CHAPTER 5: SETTING A POLICY AGENDA

There are no step-by-step rules or established set of parameters that nonprofits can follow to ensure success when seeking public policy change. What we can do, though, is develop a policy agenda — a set of issues or problems aimed at gaining the attention of policymakers and decision-makers — sometimes known as the “policy ask”. Setting a policy agenda involves many components, including: identifying the issue, forming a clear goal or goals, framing the issue, and creating conditions for success.

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CHAPTER 6: DEVELOPING AN ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY

If your nonprofit has spent time determining a policy agenda, it is time to develop an action plan for engagement. The development and implementation of an engagement strategy is often when the work becomes publicly visible. Choosing to make your policy priorities visible is a significant step for your nonprofit and should be approached in a coordinated and strategic manner. This chapter focuses on tackling the shorter-term objectives through various tactics, which all work towards achieving longer term advocacy goals.

 
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CHAPTER 7: TIPS FOR ENGAGING WITH THE MEDIA

Engaging with media outlets is one tactic to consider in your engagement strategy. Media exposure can help bring awareness to your causes and start public dialogue and collaboration among community members. This chapter highlights tips provided by CCVO’s trusted contacts in media, that can help make your outreach to media more effective.

 
 
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Are there other topics or resources you’d like to see to support your advocacy efforts?

Let us know at policy@calgarycvo.org.