Foundations Engaging in Advocacy
Maine Philanthropy Center encourages funders to harness their voice and deploy the many tools at hand to engage in the advocacy space while using an equity lens.
The term “advocacy” encompasses a broad range of activities that can influence public policy. From research and public education to lobbying and voter education, advocacy is about using effective tools to create social change.
Public policy advocacy aims to address an injustice or create systemic social change through changes in the law or how the law is interpreted or applied. Advocacy activities can include conducting policy research, meeting with reporters, educating the public, lobbying a legislator, meeting with a government regulator, filing a lawsuit, or mobilizing voters.
Below are curated resources for philanthropy to become more informed and inspire more engagment in the public policy and advocacy space. A special thank you to Alliance for Justice and the Learn Foundation Law initiative for the many resources included below.
Making the Case
- Alliance for Justice's Investing in Change: A comprehensive resource for why funders should use their resources to invest in policy and advocacy.
- CFLead's Influencing Public Policy Systems resource page
- Stand for Your Mission's The Power of Board Advocacy: A Discussion Guide for Foundation Board Advocacy: A tool for you to host conversations with your trustees and board members about the importance of your foundation in engaging in advocacy.
Legal Considerations
- Learn Law Foundation's training on Advocacy and Lobbying Rules for Private Foundations: An engaging and clear curriculum for better navigating foundation law regulating lobbying and advocacy.
- Council on Foundation's Rules of Advocacy & Lobbying: includes a helpful breakdown of what foundations by type can do.
Project Rule Grants
The Project Grant Rule is a safe harbor that allows private foundations to fund a public charity’s specific project, even those that include lobbying.
- Alliance for Justice's Project Rule Grant
- Learn Law Foundation's Lesson 2 on Expenditure Responsibility: This Content Collection features a series of guides and resources on advocacy and lobbying from Learn Foundation Law, a free first-of-its-kind resource for private and family foundations, as well as NCFP webinars and other resources on advocacy grantmaking strategies. Also included is research on the rate of return on investing in advocacy strategies, as well as case studies of a number of family foundations, both small and large, that have used advocacy as a core part of their giving strategy.
Need more support?
Reach out to us at mpc@mainephilanthropy.org if you have questions about any of the above resources and learning opportunities.
Equity & Accountability
Equity is at the center of everything we do. It is a core value and underpins our values of learning, relationships, and leadership. Additionally, equity is the foundation of the informed approach we take as we use data, research, and information to do our work.