On this special edition from the BISC (Ballot Initiative Strategy Center) Road Ahead 2024 conference held in Las Vegas, we bring our takeaways from our sessions on ballot measure advocacy, including handling misinformation, tips on campaigning, garnering cross-ideological support and more.   Lawyers on this episode: Sarah Efthymiou Tim Mooney     Handling misinformation in ballot measure campaigns    - Strategies to counter misinformation and disinformation.    - Focus on highlighting correct information rather than amplifying incorrect details.   How ca ..read more

Guess What! It’s 2024, which means we have a BIG election on the horizon. Not only will voters take to the polls to decide who will be our next President, but they’ll also be invited to speak their voice in relation to ballot measures and down ballot races that will impact our laws and determine who will represent us in local government, state legislatures, Congress, the courts, and more! With so much at stake, many private and public foundations may be curious whether they have a role to play. The answer is YES! And, this episode of the podcast will discuss the rules foundations need to know ..read more

On this edition, we answer some of those “greatest hits” questions we always talk about in the intro every week. And since we have primaries and spring elections coming up, we decided to do an all-elections episode to get you ready for your election season advocacy.   Lawyers for this Episode Sarah Efthymiou Susan Finkle Sourlis Tim Mooney   Shownotes  “Can our 501(c)(3) invite a candidate to speak at our fundraising event?” “In Oregon, we have 5 of our 7 Supreme Court seats up for election this spring, but since the candidates are nonpartisan I was wondering if our (c)(3) can e ..read more

For our 100th episode, we are excited to chat with the incomparable Vu Le of Nonprofit AF. Vu brings his unique blend of insight, humor, and a pinch of provocation to the table, all wrapped up in the perspectives you've come to know from his writing. Vu is a treasure trove of wisdom for the nonprofit world and his takes are all his own and don't necessarily reflect those of Alliance for Justice. A huge thank you for listening (and occasionally watching) our brand of spicy tax law for these 100 episodes, and what a better way to celebrate than with a guest who's not afraid to shake things up al ..read more

Exploring grassroots advocacy and the various activities that grassroots organizations can use to advance their mission and bring about positive policy change. Attorneys for this Episode Monika Graham Natalie Ossenfort Victor Rivera Shownotes  Introduction  Issue Advocacy and Lobbying  Rallies, Town Halls, and Community Mobilization  Persuading Elected Officials  Advocacy Days and Lobbying  Ballot Measures and Elections  Commenting on Candidates and Campaigns  Get Out the Vote Campaigns  Spotlight: Grassroots Organizations  Resources and Conclu ..read more

On this episode, we discuss best practices for 501(c)(3) public charities conducting advocacy and nonpartisan activities, like get out the vote or voter education activities during an election year. Election year is upon us and the presidential primaries and caucuses, and primaries for other elected offices are starting to take place and will continue through the November General election.   Attorneys for this show Monika Graham, Susan Finkle-Sourlis, and Leslie Barnes Show Notes ·      May 501c3 public charities advocate in an election year? How can a public char ..read more

On this edition, we're thrilled to welcome Emma Olson Sharkey from Elias Law Group, bringing her fresh perspective after successfully guiding clients to victory in the critical 2023 Ohio reproductive rights ballot measure fight. Emma will help shed light on the essential considerations for tax-exempt organizations before taking the plunge into a ballot measure campaign. Attorneys for this Episode Quyen Tu Tim Mooney Emma Olson Sharkey   Shownotes   ·      Introducing Emma ·      Lessons from Ohio: o   Progressives can work t ..read more

On this episode, we’re going to talk about those pesky new year’s resolutions… and no, we’re not talking about signing up for a gym membership or signing up for a marathon. We’re talking about resolutions that nonprofit organizations can apply as we enter into the year 2024. As you all know, 2024 is like Stefon from SNL, it has everything…primaries, general elections, an additional day… So as you are headed for your holiday break, we wanted to leave you with a list of things your nonprofit organization can do as we head into the new year.     AFJ Team Members on this Episod ..read more

On this episode, we discuss best practices for working in coalition and with affiliated organizations and the importance of firewalls to 501(c)(4)s that engage in independent expenditures. Attorneys for this show Monika Graham, Susan Finkle-Sourlis, and Leslie Barnes Working in Coalition – Affiliated Organizations ·       Maximize advocacy and resources ·       501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) activities ·       Establishing legal, financial, and programmatic independence o   Separate names, logos, EIN ..read more

On this episode we’re excited to highlight nonprofit success stories from around the country. While we talk about lobbying on this podcast, legislative wins are one type of advocacy victory. We’ll look at some legislative victories as well as other types of advocacy such as relationship building, corporate advocacy, and funding wins.  For some organizations, legislative victories can bring additional resources to your community. For other organizations, legislative victories can serve as harm reduction in the interim while we build a multi-racial democracy. We’ll also highlight strategies ..read more