WGEO Webinar | Funding by the Rules: How Education Grantmakers Can Support Advocacy and Organizing

To more effectively carry out their shared missions and to strengthen our democracy, public and private foundations are increasingly supporting non-profits’ advocacy and organizing efforts. As an effective strategy for improving student outcomes, this is a smart approach. At the same time, lobbying and voter engagement activities are two areas of nonprofit advocacy that are carefully regulated by the IRS. Join us to learn both about the legal parameters for funding grantees who employ these two strategies as well as several compelling examples, including Community Coalition, demonstrating how investment in advocacy and organizing can achieve high impact.

This web seminar will highlight the following topics.

• Overview of foundations and federal tax law
• Avenues for advocacy by public charities
• Lobbying rules for public charities under federal tax law
• Foundation support for advocacy by public charities
• Funding public charities who lobby
• Remaining nonpartisan
• Funding voter registration drives
• Advocacy capacity and evaluation

Speakers

Daren Garshelis
Counsel, Bolder Advocacy
Alliance for Justice

Lee Christian Parker
Director, Education Initiatives
The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region

Presented by Grantmakers for Education’s Working Group on Education Organizing, this web seminar is made possible in part by the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region.