Building From Within

ARTS ADVOCACY TRAINING:

BUILDING FROM WITHIN

John R. Corlett,Vice President, Government Relations and Community AffairsThe MetroHealth System

ARTS ADVOCACY: BUILDING FROM WITHIN

1. Setting Advocacy Goals and Priorities

2. Building Internal Advocacy Structures

3. Developing Strategies/Tactics

4. Evaluating Progress

5. Rules for 501(c)(3) Organizations

WHY BE INVOLVED IN ADVOCACY

Achieving large-scale and lasting results for individuals or communities – typically cannot be accomplished with private resources alone. Often, it requires public investments and government directives. While an organization might identify and implement effective interventions, larger and more sustainable funding sources are needed to scale up those interventions and broaden their impacts. Securing such commitments requires changes in public policies.

SETTING ADVOCACY GOALS AND PRIORITIES

Five essential steps for developing public policy

Choosing the public policy goal

Understanding the challenges

Identifying influential audiences

Determining how far those audiences must move

Deciding how to move them

SETTING ADVOCACY GOALS AND PRIORITES

Some Questions to Ask

At what level of government does the policy goal need to change

How long a time commitment is required

What is the likelihood of success

What are the opposing forces or potential threats

Who is the primary audience and what will it take to move them

BUILDING INTERNAL ADVOCACY STRUCTURES

Staffing ModelsDesignated GR StaffGR Responsibilities Integrated Into Existing Staff

Executive DirectorVolunteer

Board RolesGR CommitteeIncorporate into Agendas

DEVELOPING STRATEGIES/TACTICS

POSSIBLE STRATEGIES

Conduct board member “who do you know” exercise

Create a board government relations committee or incorporate into another committee

Create a policy one pager

Conduct special outreach to freshmen legislators

Create a legislative arts caucus

Host a briefing for legislative staff

Identify champions

Identify, educate, and involve key influencers

EVALUATING PROGRESS

Process EvaluationNumber of letters/emails generatedNumber of legislative meetings held

Outcome EvaluationFunding protected or increasedLegislation passed

RULES FOR 501(C)(3) LOBBYING

Federal laws actually exist to encourage charities to lobby within certain specified limits.

Knowing what constitutes lobbying under the law, and what the limits are, is the key to being able to lobby legally and safely.

The laws have some detail, so consult your attorney or accountant for professional advice.

RULES FOR 501(C)(3) LOBBYING “Lobbying” does not include the following activities: providing technical assistance or advice to legislative body or committee in response to a written request;

making available nonpartisan analysis, study or research; providing examinations and discussions of broad, social, economic and similar problems;

communicating with a legislative body regarding matters which might affect the existence of the organization, its powers and duties, its tax-exempt status, or the deduction of contributions to the organization (the "self-defense" exception);

and, updating the members of your own organization on the status of legislation, without a call to action.

PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES

Charities are expressly prohibited from intervening in a political campaign of any candidate for public office, and from engaging in partisan activity of any kind.

Charities may not use government funds, such as government grants or contracts, to lobby, including the use of federal funds to lobby for federal grants or contracts.

QUESTIONS?