Unleashing the Power of Boards

to Create Positive Change

The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year.— John Foster Dulles, Former Secretary of State

The ChallengeNonprofit organizations are working to address society’s most complex and challenging issues.

But we are forfeiting some of our best opportunities to create solutions.

Why?

Because those solutions those require something that many of us have been told is off-limits.

Advocacy.

The TruthOur organizations – and each of us as nonprofit leaders – has a legal right to stand up for our missions.

To educate influencers and the community about the importance of our work.

To inform policy-makers about the impact of their decisions on our communities.

And to advocate for real solutions to community problems…

…big and small.

What is Advocacy?Advocacy is…• Appealing to the zoning board to get permission to

have a farmer’s market in an underserved neighborhood.

• Requesting a parking variance to allow for a meal truck to serve homeless people in a central location.

• Educating a legislator about the value that public funding of a job training program provides to the community.

• Partnering with public agencies to repurpose an unused public building for a youth service agency.

Defining advocacyAdvocacy is often used as an umbrella term for all different types of policy and political engagement. • Electoral Activities: Working for or against a specific

candidate (or set of candidates). It is never allowed for 501(c)(3) organizations, and not what we’re describing as advocacy.

• Lobbying: Working for or against a specific piece of legislation. It is allowed for most nonprofit organizations, but must not be a significant portion of your organization’s work.

• Everything Else: There are many other forms of advocacy – public education, research, educating legislators, etc. As long as these efforts don’t include information about specific candidates or pieces of legislation, all types of nonprofits are allowed to do this in an unlimited amount.

Getting Specific501(c)(3)

Public Charities(most nonprofits)

501(c)(3) Private

Foundations

501(c)(4)501(c)(5)501(c)(6)

Electoral Activities

Prohibited Prohibited Allowed as a secondary activity. Must follow federal and

state election law.

Lobbying Activities

Must be reported and within legal

limitsUse IRS Form 501(h) to

simplify reporting.

Prohibited Unlimited

Everything Else

Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited

Advocate = LeaderLeaders who advocate……see past current realities…

…to find creative solutions……that serve our communities

better.

And then they make it happen.

Our StrengthThere are more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations in the United States.We employ more than 10% of the American workforce and represent roughly $1.65 trillion in annual revenues.And we have an estimated 20 million individuals leading our organizations who are some of the most influential, dedicated and connected leaders our citizenry has.

Our board members.

The RealityOnly 33% of organizations report that their board members are actively involved in advocating for their missions.

And many organizations aren’t advocating at all.

Which begs the question…

…if advocacy is such a powerful lever for positive change…

Why aren’t board members calling for more advocacy?

What’s the problem?If board advocacy is such a powerful lever for positive impact, why aren’t we using it?

Lack of Awareness: Some nonprofit board leaders are not aware of how policies are limiting their progress, or how new policies could accelerate it.

Lack of Understanding:Some nonprofit board leaders don’t understand that their personal participation in their organization’s advocacy efforts would add significant value and influence.

Lack of Information: Some nonprofit board leaders think that advocacy is illegal or inappropriate for nonprofits.

How do we fix it?We create awareness and understanding, and provide accurate and actionable information.

We partner across organizations and leaders that are can reach and speak to nonprofit leaders where they are.

And we do it with passion and clarity for our cause – to achieve greater mission impact by unleashing the power of board advocacy.

We launch a campaign.

The VisionAn active, engaged, nonprofit and philanthropic sector will result in greater mission impact, thriving communities, and a more vibrant country. We envision a reality where nonprofit philanthropic missions are fully realized because community leaders hear our voices, understand our arguments, and see our causes as worthy of their best efforts.

How do we get there? Advocacy. Twenty million board members standing for the mission of their organizations and helping set priorities in partnership with government rather than waiting for the outcome.

The GoalsTo change the “norms” of nonprofit and philanthropic board culture and firmly establish advocacy as an expectation for engaged and effective board leadership.To do so, we need leadership and collaboration within and beyond the nonprofit sector that will:

• bring about a sustainable shift in the understanding and expectations around board engagement in advocacy

• move advocacy from an ancillary to an essential role for all board members

• strengthen our collective ability to advance the public good

Who We AreThe Stand for Your Mission campaign was initiated by BoardSource and builds on the strengths and networks of our launchingcampaign partners. Together, we have… • expertise in nonprofit advocacy• access to networks of leaders, organizations and

foundations• influence to change board leadership norms and

expectations

The CampaignThe Stand for Your Mission campaign is an ongoing effort to build awareness about the importance of board advocacy to nonprofit success, and to change the norms and expectations for board leaders about their engagement in advocacy.

We are:• Speaking out about the importance of board advocacy• Standardizing expectations and roles for board leaders in

advocacy • Creating a central hub of resources and tools at

www.standforyourmission.org.

We invite you to join us.

What you can do1. Start a conversation in your board room. Download the discussion guide at www.standforyourmission.org.

2. Tap into resources and tools that can jump-start your advocacy efforts – legal tips and guidelines, board job descriptions, technical assistance, etc.

3. Tell your story about how board engagement in advocacy has made a difference for your organization and the people you serve.

4. Share the campaign and its resources with other nonprofit leaders.

Your Mission.

Your Voice.www.standforyourmission.org

Optional Slides to Add

Changing the NormsThrough the campaign, BoardSource is setting a new expectation for the role that board members can and should play as advocates, including in:

• Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards• Board Self-Assessment• Training Programs for Board Chairs and CEOs• Certification Programs for Consultants• Benchmarking Board Leadership Practices

through Leading with Intent

Changing Board CultureStep 1: A shared vision for the future • How would the world be different if our mission was fully

achieved?

Step 2: A deeper understanding of your work• What are the broader issues associated with our core work?

Step 3: Identification of the opportunities and threats• Which policy changes would dramatically improve (or threaten)

our ability to fulfill our mission?

Step 4: Board engagement in making it happen• Do we have board leaders who can connect with a broad cross-

section of community leaders in support of our work?

Step 5: Making advocacy a part of your board’s culture• Is there an expectation for all board members to engage in our

advocacy work?

Why it Matters

Darin McKeeverDeputy Director, Global Policy & AdvocacyThe Bill & Melinda Gates FoundationThe message of this campaign is very simple: raise your voice to bring some lift to your cause.  If you serve on a nonprofit board, consider how you might lend your support – not just with your wallet or your time, but as a vocal champion and advocate for the issues you care about.

Heather McLeod GrantCo-Author, Forces for Good“When we wrote ‘Forces for Good,’ there’s a reason we put the chapter on advocacy first – it’s one of the most important leverage points for driving significant social change. In fact, the best nonprofits understand that to advance their missions and have lasting impact, they need to change larger systems. That means engaging board members, and influential stakeholders, to influence policymakers and make sure that your voices are heard on your issue. If more nonprofits engaged in advocacy work, we’d have fewer problems to solve!”

Why it MattersDiana AvivCEOIndependentSector

“Working to impact public policy decisions – at the federal, state, and local levels – is a vital yet often overlooked part of advancing the mission of charitable nonprofit organizations.

Jan MasaokaCEO, California Association of Nonprofits“When the first shelters for battered women were being built in the 1970s, it was not against the law to hit your wife. Some shelters said, “We don’t want to be involved with politics.” But how could shelters separate helping women in the shelter from helping them in their homes? And who would be the most effective advocates? Board members, of course! “

Chuck LoringGovernance & Fundraising Consultant

“Boards want to increasingly talk about fundraising when they should be talking about advocacy. The funds from local, state, and federal government given to public charities through nutrition, housing, health, and youth programs dwarfs philanthropic fundraising. We cannot fundraise our way out of government cutbacks!!! “

What We Stand For