In San Francisco, here’s how nonprofits get public funding–form a collaborative effort and advocate for their cause: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Big-little-S-F-arts-groups-bury-hatchet-divvy-6295538.php
Non-Profit Advocacy Matters
The latest news on federal regulations, state budget issues and legislation from the National Council of Nonprofits: http://pages.omkt.co/archive/bWVzc2FnZV8yMjAwOTA5XzEwNzFfMTAyNl8zNDQ0OA==?type=100&channel=199
More Oversight of Non-Profits?
An argument for greater transparency and accountability in philanthropy and charity—and a call for a federal oversight agency: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/31/opinion/sunday/who-will-watch-the-charities.html?_r=1
Key Your Advocacy to the Date
Use the calendar to prompt your non-profit’s advocacy messaging—it works for fundraising: https://ecoscribe.infusionsoft.com/app/hostedEmail/16401939/be2c996b52aa1e7d?inf_contact_key=a4140e7ec5bf4f3aef382d92daad180efef789e54d67b675dbc8d93341429de5
Non-Profit Advocacy is Expensive
The American Jewish World Service can fundraise for overseas aid, but has trouble raising unrestricted money for its advocacy programs, so is cutting them back: http://forward.com/news/308020/ajws-scales-back-domestic-advocacy-program-sheds-dozen-jobs/
Clarity is Coming
The IRS has been revising its rules to guide non-profits in conducting political activity: http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/uncategorized/243582-encouraging-signs-on-new-rules-for-nonprofit-political
Non-Profit Advocacy Matters for Mundane Stuff
Such as getting government agencies to pay contractors on time: https://nonprofitquarterly.org/policysocial-context/26207-late-contracts-dominate-for-ny-nonprofits-despite-20-years-of-state-reforms.html?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=18017677&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_-sYHTm_PAQPKq4L5Ew8VteY0gcyCKTGplw5_jMeJaFY61LR-M1epiHL8UpwOOT5uo00UlRy3Me3HCEK0YlMfKDMjQ09B2AWNDfOOCtu6oPy1t2iU&_hsmi=18017677
Why Local Government Relations Matter to Non-Profits
City of LA’s minimum wage hike impacts some signficantly: http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-minimum-wage-jobs-20150601-story.html#page=1
Why Your Non-Profit Needs to be a Good Neighbor
An example of the importance of community relations from right here in LA—even though it lined up all its “big” ducks in a row, the Motion Picture Academy is running into opposition from local neighbors over its proposed plans for a movie museum next door to LACMA: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/museums/la-et-cm-film-museum-lawsuit-20150529-story.html
Bolder Advocacy
Weathering the storm of attacks, online advocacy and what constitutes lobbying—great advice from the Alliance for Justice: http://bolderadvocacy.org/blog
Another Public-Private Partnership
An emerging trend is private philanthropy funding efforts to improve local government—Los Angeles and 20 other counties won a MacArthur Foundation grant to figure out how to reduce jail populations: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-county-jail-grant-20150527-story.html
Think You Have it Bad?
An example of really bad non-profit government relations: http://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/new-law-enables-russia-to-declare-foreign-ngos-undesirable?utm_campaign=news|2015-05-27&utm_source=pnd&utm_medium=email