Advocacy Do’s and Don’ts for Non-Profit organizations and & AmeriCorps Members Presented by: Nadia Tonova, Director, NNAAC Linda Sarsour, Advocacy and Civic Engagement Coordinator, NNAAC/ACCESS

Non profits organizations can not : O Endorse candidates for public office. O Provide donations, loans, or in-kind contributions (working on a campaign is considered an in-kind donation) O Register voters for a certain political party O Sponsor events for a particular candidate. O Spend more than 20% of your organizational budget on lobbying efforts

Non-profit organizations can: O Organize voter registration drives and register eligible voters O Sponsor/Organize debates and/or candidate nights so as long all running for that public office are invited and given equal time to speak and respond to a multitude of issues. O Write letters, send petitions to elected officials on issues of local or national concern – Immigration Reform, Racial Profiling O Meet with elected officials on issues and push for legislation that affects our communities.

O Create scorecards educating voters on how potential candidates stand on issues of concern to the community. O GOTV – canvassing, phone banking, poll site monitoring and other Get Out The Vote Efforts – MUST be NON PARTISAN O Have voters sign pledge cards. i.e I will vote on Election Day because I care about better education and healthcare for all.

AmeriCorps members can not: O Register voters at all O Organize letter writing campaigns to congress O Influence legislation even if it relates to the program or position you serve in. O Engage in partisan activities or political campaigns to influence the outcome of an election O Participate in, or endorse, events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, political platforms, political candidates, proposed legislation, or elected officials

O Take part in political demonstrations or rallies. O Organize or participate in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes. O Religious Activities, including engaging in religious instruction; conducting worship services; or engaging in any form of religious proselytization. O Raise funds for his or her living allowance or other costs of the AmeriCorps program; write grant applications for AmeriCorps funding or for any other funding provided by the Corporation for National and Community Service; or writing grant applications for funding provided by any other federal agencies.

What you can do as a private citizen: O Employers, officers, and directors of nonprofits, including organizations that receive federal funds, may engage in political campaign activities as private citizens, on their own time, and using their own facilities and resources. The political activities should be in the employee’s own name and should not be identified with the organization. If there is a chance that the activities of a director, officer, or employee— particularly a highly visible employee—will be identified with the organization, disclaimers or other statements may be necessary.

O This also goes for ARC members – you can do whatever you want on your own time. O Remember NOT to wear any of your AmeriCorps gear when engaging in prohibited activities. O If AmeriCorps members engage in prohibited behavior they will be terminated from the program and lose their education award.