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publication Nov 2017

Contribution Analysis in Policy Work: Assessing Advocacy’s Influence

How do we know what difference advocacy really makes? This brief explores the methodological application of contribution analysis, a non-experimental impact evaluation method, to advocacy and offers guidance for evaluators considering this approach.

publication May 2017

Strategy Behind the Design of Advocacy Communications Support

Foundations that fund advocacy understand the critical role communications play in policy change efforts. How can foundations best support grantees’ advocacy communications? This brief offers lessons based on the experiences of advocacy grantmaking initiatives.

publication Feb 2017

Considering Starting a 501(c)4? Case Studies

Thinking about starting a 501(c)(4) to enable a wide range of advocacy activities, including electoral advocacy? Learn from those who've already done it.

By Alliance for Justice

insight Feb 2017

Making Collaborative Advocacy Work

For many foundations, collaboration is key to advocating for policy and practice change. But these kinds of partnerships can be challenging to execute well. This collection from GrantCraft and IssueLab brings together dozens of reports and reflection pieces about multi-party advocacy efforts; providing valuable perspective on both the sticking points and how we might move through them.

By GrantCraft and IssueLab

publication Oct 2016

501(c)(4) Strategy and Discussion Guide

This guide is for individuals, organizations, and funders interested in starting 501(c)(4) organizations. It discusses the strategic questions that must be considered in determining whether, when, and for what purpose(s) to create a 501(c)(4).

By Alliance for Justice

publication Oct 2016

Primer on Social Welfare Organizations: Using 501(c)(4) Organizations for Good

The primer covers the big questions that advocates and funders ask, including how 501(c)(4)s are unique, what kinds of activities they can undertake, who donates to them, and what rules govern donor disclosure. Brief descriptions of real-world examples help illustrate how (c)(4)s have played key roles in advancing causes such as marriage equality and immigration reform.

By Alliance for Justice

publication Oct 2016

No More Half Measures

Funders can get better at designing grantmaking strategies that meet the dual demands of advocacy capacity needs and the realities of the policy and political landscape. This brief explores how funders can support policy campaigns while also building advocacy capacity, instead of just picking one approach or the other.

By Scott Downes

insight Sep 2016

Could Foundations Have Mounted A Better Defense of the Affordable Care Act?

The Atlantic Philanthropies sought to explore what supportive funders did to advance the ACA’s odds of success following enactment. The author focused on a mix of national funders and those that worked in selected states, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Community Catalyst, The California Endowment and The Atlantic Philanthropies itself.

By Michael Booth

publication Aug 2016

Evaluating Legal Advocacy: A How-To Guide for Evaluators, Funders and Advocates

This brief by TCC Group introduces an evaluation framework for legal advocacy, along with information about how legal advocacy evaluators can use various approaches to evaluate these strategies.

By Jared Raynor, Deepti Sood

publication Aug 2016

Stepping into the Fight: A Guide for Nonprofits to Understand and Engage in Legal Advocacy

TCC Group describes how legal advocacy can be a synergistic partner to other advocacy strategies, including legislative advocacy, grassroots mobilizing, public awareness and education, and media campaigns. The guide dives into how advocacy organizations can think about engaging in legal advocacy and look at their own readiness to engage in this work.

By Jared Raynor, Deepti Sood

publication Aug 2016

Stepping into the Fight: A Funder’s Guide for Understanding and Supporting Legal Advocacy

This guide from TCC Group introduces funders to the concept of legal advocacy, what questions funders should ask themselves to know if the foundation is ready to fund legal advocacy, and how to best support legal advocacy.

By Jared Raynor, Deepti Sood

publication Apr 2016

Measuring Political Will: Lessons from Modifying the Policymaker Ratings Method

Advocates often seek to move political will as a way to build champions who will drive their issue through the policy process. This brief shares three scenarios where a method for measuring political will was modified. It offers lessons about the tool, the process, and the kinds of products that can be created.