Each webinar is offered à la carte. Please register for all those that you are interested in.
This series is offered in partnership with Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network and Bolder Advocacy.
Advocacy and Lobbying: Legal Tips for 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Advocates | June 28 | 10 AM HST – 11:30 AM HST | FREE | REGISTRATION CLOSED
501(c)(3)s play an important role in educating the public about policy issues and actions taken by elected officials, including the President. Elected officials vote on bills, make public statements and executive decisions, and set the course for public policy on a wide range of issues. These actions may be consistent with or conflict with a nonprofit’s position on an issue. After this workshop you will have a clear understanding of how to maximize your advocacy, the kinds of advocacy activities 501(c)(3)s can engage in, and when a communication is considered lobbying.
Participants will learn:
- How federal tax law permits lobbying for charities and how lobbying is defined;
- One easy step most charities can take to maximize the amount they’re allowed to spend on lobbying;
- Yearly lobbying limits for charities;
- Tips for taking advantage of the narrow definitions of lobbying – which will help charities make the most of their lobbying limit; and
- The application of these rules to ballot measure activities
Nonpartisan Advocacy in Partisan Times | June 30 | 10 AM HST – 11:30 AM HST | FREE | REGISTRATION CLOSED
Election years provide a great opportunity for public charities to highlight issues and interact with candidates and the voting public. However, public charities cannot support or oppose candidates, and must avoid the appearance or reality of electioneering and other partisan activity, particularly in public and social media communications. This webinar will highlight some common pitfalls and provide suggestions and tips for avoiding them.
Participants will learn:
- How you can continue to advocate for your issues during election years;
- How you can educate the public through candidate forums and questionnaires;
- How you can respond to candidate statements;
- How you can conduct nonpartisan voter registration and ensure get-out-the-vote efforts are conducted legally;
- How you can safely support or oppose ballot measures without being partisan; and
- How staff and volunteers’ partisan activities in their personal time can be kept separate from their activities on behalf of the organization.
Assessing and Strengthening Your Advocacy and/or Community Organizing Capacity | July 7 | 10 AM HST – 11:30 AM HST | FREE | Register HERE
For nonprofits engaged in advocacy and community organizing, having a keen understanding of organizational capacities is crucial to being able to act quickly when opportunities arise. Bolder Advocacy’s capacity assessment tools – ACT!, ACT!Quick, and PowerCheck – are designed to help groups become more effective by supporting their ability to carry out and sustain advocacy and community organizing efforts. These tools provide groups with a snapshot of their organizational assets, as well as help them prioritize areas for improvement. Results can help nonprofits and their funders understand where capacity needs to be strengthened to achieve social change goals, including through increased collaboration with partners to fill gaps in expertise. The tools can also be used again at regular intervals to track progress toward capacity-building goals over time.
Participants will learn:
- Basic principles of advocacy evaluation;
- How to measure advocacy and/or community organizing capacity using AFJ’s free online tools: ACT! or ACT!Quick for advocacy and PowerCheck for community organizing; and
- How other organizations have used these tools to maximize their impact.
Advocacy Communications: Strategies and Tips for Nonprofits | July 27 | 10 AM HST – 11:30 AM HST | FREE | Register HERE
To succeed in your advocacy goals, your organization will need a clear, compelling communications plan to get your message out and influence decision-makers. In this workshop, you’ll learn about big-picture strategies and specific tools that any organization can use, no matter your budget or capacity. This workshop will help you put together the pieces for a strong campaign, including crafting a compelling message, reaching your key audiences, and measuring your effectiveness. The workshop will also provide an overview of different communications channels — from press releases and opinion articles to social media and other digital platforms — along with ideas on how to prioritize what’s best for your needs.