By engaging in public policy through advocacy, nonprofit leaders ensure their mission and the people the organization serves are not forgotten when important decisions are made according to BoardSource. Voting is the most direct form of advocacy. When nonprofits engage voters, they turn out at rates three percentage points higher than comparable voters, with an even larger impact in underrepresented communities.
Voters engaged by nonprofits are:
- 4 times more likely to be voters of color
- 1 times more likely to have less than $30,000 in household income.
- 6 times more likely to be under 25 years old
Nonprofits closed voter turnout gaps among low-propensity Black and Hispanic voters. They also closed the gap among low-propensity, non-college educated Asian American/Pacific Islander voters.
Nonprofits that identified as doing “client advocacy” demonstrated a 6.6% boost among the voters they engaged, compared to comparable voters.
Learn how to assure that your organization is a leader in civic engagement/advocacy in the Discovering Trends Through Civic Engagement class on Monday, October 24, 2022 at 5:30 pm as part of the Sunshine Certificate in Nonprofit Management.
Source: Independent Sector – Health of the U.S. Nonprofit Sector
Independent Sector brings together a diverse community of nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs. Florida Nonprofits has been a member of Independent Sector since 1991 and they have been a trusted source for us and our members. They are a source for advocacy information and our advocacy program.