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BLOG for ADVOCATES
We created this blog to share interesting advocacy related items that cross our desks. It can be anything from new research on funding for advocacy to examples of unusual advocacy strategies. If you have an item to share please send it to npaction@npaction.org.
Thursday, February 28, 2008 One Day IRS WorkshopsThe IRS will be hosting one day workshops for small and mid-sized tax exempt organizations. The workshops, hosted by IRS specialists, will cover:
Pre-registrationis required for workshops at the following sites:
* Workshops will also be held in November and December for Salt Lake City, Sacramento and Columbia, SC.* Posted by Andrea Wilson Wednesday, February 27, 2008 Tracing the Money of LobbyistIf you've ever wanted to track down which members of Congress are receiving money from a particular group of lobbyists, then MAPlight.org provides just the information you need. By merging campaign contribution data, bill texts, legislative voting records and supporting/opposing interests for all bills Maplight.org's public database sheds light on otherwise shrouded financial transactions. This type of information could change politics, the types of bills that are passed as well as public perception of some politicians. Posted by Andrea Wilson Friday, February 22, 2008 Evaluating Hard to Measure ProjectsHow can nonprofits evaluate "hard to measure" projects? The answer lies partially in a Spring 2007 series called the Evaluation Exchange and partially in a growing body of literature which has just recently begun offering better guidance. Over the years, many nonprofits have found the task of evaluating advocacy efforts to be more cumbersome than projects involving the delivery of goods and services. However, a lack of certainty about how to assess the strengths and weaknesses of advocacy work should not discourage nonprofits from managing or initiating advocacy projects. In this issue of Evaluation Exchange you'll find: practical advocacy outcomes, best and promising practices for evaluating social media, as well as expert advice from several nonprofits participating in public policy grantmaking or social advocacy. Posted by Andrea Wilson Tuesday, February 19, 2008 Organizational Restructuring SeminarsIn this age of seemingly ever expanding computer networks, organizational boundaries are continuously shifting, as are responsibilities. The various networks of nonprofits have the ability to heavily impact communications, management, fundraising and several other daily tasks. Considering the large impact computer networks have on daily operations, Nonprofit Online News has set up two online seminars for February 22 and February 29th. These two seminars aim to provide strategic and practical advice to nonprofit leaders seeking to make the most of their computer networks. Whether it's cherry-picking networking opportunities or ascertaining the types of changes certain networks will bring to your organization's education and advocacy efforts, these two seminars are sure to provide tactics that you and your staff can begin applying almost immediately. Posted by Andrea Wilson Thursday, February 14, 2008 Animated StatisticsIf you've ever attempted to either analyze or explain global statistical trends, over several decades, you may have found such a task to be somewhat difficult. After all, analyzing and explaining global trends typically requires compiling data from several public sources (i.e. UN, NGOs and other national sources). Wouldn't life be much easier if a computer program linked together these different sources of data? A new nonprofit venture, Gapminder, has done just that. Gapminder provides software that synthesizes data from the UN, NGOs and other publicly funded sources to provide lively animations of complex global trends such as poverty, fertility rates/child survival rates, GDP, and many other worldwide statistical trends. Posted by Andrea Wilson Spotlight on Election Day Registration This week, the New York Times reported on the growing number of states employing Election Day Registration (EDR). In nine states, voters can show up to the polls on Election Day, and as long as they have proper ID, voters can register there and then. The Times reports that voter turnout in these states is consistently higher than states with traditional registration requirements. Regina Eaton, a voting-rights specialist at Demos,is quoted in the article, saying “Voting is a constitutional right, and it shouldn’t be denied because of an arbitrary deadline... There’s no reason to believe that because someone registered 30 years ago they’re any more informed or engaged than someone who decides to vote on the day of the election.” Posted by Katie Clabby Friday, February 08, 2008 Voter turnout up on Super TuesdayVoter turnout this past Super Tuesday was record-breaking as Americans turned out to vote in presidential primaries and caucuses across the country. According to Project Vote, a considerable portion of these voters were young voters or voters of color, two groups who have voted at low rates in the past. In an online statement by Project Vote board member Donna Massey, she said “the 2008 primary season demonstrates what we in the voting rights community have always understood: when candidates and campaigns engage voters on the issues, the voters show up and vote. And, when barriers to voting are dismantled, citizens come out to vote.” Wednesday, February 06, 2008 Voter Tech KitAre you looking for new ways to increase and sustain civic participation? If so, a new Voter Tech Kit created by the Progressive Technology Project may have just the tools you'll need. With video testimonials from community organizers describing what works and what doesn't work as well as detailed information on "the integrated voter engagement model", this Voter Tech Kit is sure to deliver much needed information on project planning, field organizing, data management and much more. To access the Voter Tech Kit, click here. Posted by Andrea Wilson |
