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.
NPAction Staff

Friday, March 28, 2008

The Alliance for Justice has several workshops coming up:

• Using the IRS Form 990

• The Essentials of Representing Nonprofits and Foundations: Federal Lobbying Disclosure Act, Gift and Travel Rules

• Advocacy Rules for Nonprofits

• Foundation Support for Advocacy

• Election Related Activity for Nonprofits

  For more information and a complete listing of workshops available across the country and online, click here.
  
  
  
  
  

  Tuesday, March 25, 2008

  Nonprofit Marketing
  

  If you’ve wondered which actions might help your organization avoid the most common advocacy marketing mistakes, then a new posting at Associated Content (AC) provides several tips for establishing better connections with audiences/potential supporters. Some of these tips are listed below. To see the entire listing, click here

  • For a Good Marketing Strategy: Ensure research is completed so that your message does not alienate or divide potential supporters

  • For Shared Long Term Responsibility: Create supporting roles which reinforce campaign and audience legitimacy-- which may ultimately translate into organizational growth or increased sustainablity

  • For A More Engaged Audience or More Supporters: Add stakeholder insights to traditional descriptions of your organization’s impact

    
    
    Posted by A. Wilson
    
    
    
    

    Tuesday, March 18, 2008

    Spreading Economic Relief
    
    In 43 days, the first economic stimulus payments for 2008 will be sent out. To ensure that all eligible Americans receive checks, the IRS has created a new webpage for key stakeholders and partners (such as charities, governmental organizations, churches and other interested organizations). This site, provides several links to easy reference tools so that nonprofits and government organizations alike can quickly gather the necessary information to assist persons whom normally have no requirement to file taxes (such as Americans whom receive certain Social Security, Veterans Affairs, Railroad Retirement benefits or wages from earned income or combat pay). With envelope stuffers, webpage logos and one page informational flyers, this site seems to be making a good faith effort to get the word out.
    
    Posted by Andrea Wilson
    
    
    
    

    Thursday, March 13, 2008

    New book on voting technology
    

    Will the 2008 elections be smoother than the presidential elections of recent memory? Will technology be the key to better elections? A new book published by the Brookings Institute- Voting Technology: The Not-So-Simple Act of Casting a Ballot - examines whether new voting technologies are really improving elections for Americans.

    On March 21st, Brookings is holding a panel discussion with the book's authors -- Paul S. Herrnson, Richard G. Niemi, Michael J. Hanmer, Benjamin B. Bederson and Frederick C. Conrad.

    
    
    Posted by K.Clabby
    
    
    
    

    Tuesday, March 11, 2008

    Identifying Front Groups
    
    If you've ever questioned the legitimacy of some advocacy campaigns, then a new website created by the Center for Media & Democracy and Consumer Reports Webwatch may help you discover if an advocacy campaign is actually an offshoot of a "front group". The site, Full Frontal Scrutiny, not only provides a list of common characteristics shared by several "front groups" but it also unveils the actual campaign ploys used by recently detected front groups. With the help of more and more concerned citizens, hopefully this site will have an increased capacity for exposing organizations and persons seeking to underhandedly persuade millions of Americans.
    
    Posted by Andrea Wilson
    
    
    
    

    Friday, March 07, 2008

    Youth Vote Surges
    

    According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, young voters are turning out to vote in much higher numbers in this year's Democratic primaries than in 2004. If this trend continues, it could have a major impact on the general election in the fall. In 2004, 9% of primary voters were under the age of 30, compared to 13% this year, in the states that have voted to date.

    To learn more about the youth vote, see a recent report by CIRCLE -- a nonpartisan research organization focused on youth civic engagement. The report -- Young Voter Registration and Turnout Trends -- takes an in-depth look at historical trends in youth voter turnout, the demographics of young voters, and the politics of the youth vote.

    
    
    Posted by K. Clabby