advocacy

When COVID-19 hit, our world changed. Organizations had to decide how to move forward while dealing with unanswered questions about what this would mean for your team, for your stakeholders, and for your partners. While nonprofits’ missions are more important than ever, the public, media, and funders are focused on work and messages directly related to COVID-19.

Advocacy should be an important part of the work of every nonprofit, but many organizations fear it because they assume they don’t have the staff capacity, tools, or funding to advocate effectively. Spoiler alert: There is no “right” way for a nonprofit to advocate for its mission! This webinar will begin with a series of questions for nonprofits to assess ways their organizations can most effectively strengthen their programs and services by being stronger advocates.

Nonprofits can – and should – be advocates for their missions and for the communities they serve. This webinar will explore what it means for a nonprofit to be an advocate and the differences between “advocacy,” “lobbying,” and “political activities.” We will begin by highlighting – and quickly debunking – the four most common reasons nonprofits think they can’t (or shouldn’t) be advocates.

Created by the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits and updated annually, the Legal Compliance Checklist for North Carolina Nonprofits outlines laws that affect North Carolina nonprofits’ governance, finances, advocacy, human resources, and fundraising.

The 2020 edition includes details on legal issues related to COVID-19, new state tax laws, and changes to employment laws.