Mission-based Advocacy Toolkit from Alliance for Children & Families

Part II: Addressing Common Barriers
BARRIER 5: Limited Board Support for Advocacy
Focus Group participants cited “limited Board support for advocacy” as one of the
barriers holding agencies back.
This problem is a common one for nonprofit organizations, but those agencies whose
boards have embraced policy advocacy swear by it. Once again, there are some easy,
practical steps that can move agencies in the right direction – especially those new to
policy advocacy.
Easy: Make sure all Board members get copies of the Alliance for Children and
Families Magazine articles which describe effective Board involvement in missiondriven
policy advocacy. E.g., the Fall, 2004 issue highlights Lutheran Child and Family
Services of Illinois – which believes pursuing their goals “…couldn’t be accomplished
without impacting the political arena.” As their board – which comes from a range of
political perspectives and backgrounds - put it so well, “…if we don’t stand up for
children and families, who will?” Similarly the Alliance’s e-news highlights advocacy
“best practices” on the Alliance website. Call attention to both at Board meetings.
Most people understand the concept of “tithing” – the practice of giving one-tenth of
one’s income to a congregation. Suggest that Board members adopt a variant of that
idea, by tithing their own lobbying time. Many board members have already-established
relationships with elected officials and readily approach them on behalf of their own
business or personal interests. Think what it would mean if all the board members of all
of a state’s Alliance members used the last fraction (one-tenth or less) of every contact
with elected officials, to put in a good word for the agency and the work that it does. It
can be something as simple as saying, “Before I leave, I just want to remind you that I
wear another hat. When I’m not (a lawyer, a doctor, a member of the Junior League) I sit
on the Board of Family Services. I think they do terrific work, and I hope that when any
of them comes to see you, you’ll hear them out.”
Invite someone from your state’s Non-profit Association to make a presentation to the
Board on the legality and importance of policy advocacy by non-profits. Include a board
member from a sister agency in another community, one that is actively engaged in
policy advocacy.
Encourage a board discussion of the pro’s and con’s of greater involvement in policy
advocacy.
A bit more challenging: Suggest that your Board develop an advocacy plan just for the
Board – one with goals, timelines, and ample opportunities to revise the plan as
circumstances change. Make review of the Board’s advocacy plan a standard part of
every board meeting.
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© January 2006 The Alliance for Children and Families