Lobbying In The Public Interest

1742 Words4 Pages

The Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest (CLPI) was founded in 1998 as a project, but later became a trainer of nonprofits as well as a helper to increase advocacy impact of the nonprofits and philanthropy organizations. CLPI, who also serves as a protector of such organizations, believes that nonprofits organizations are one of the most effective tool to exercise citizen participation and make democracy work. As part of the activities the CLPI provide the necessary tools for different level and scenario nonprofits organization are. For instance, an organization might be starting, consequently it’ll need guidance in the process and tools to be able to start advocating. The CLPI provides tools and maps that could help in this process, …show more content…

Per the CLPI some nonprofits organization have the need to speak out louder and go as far as engaging in legislative lobbying. In order for nonprofits organizations to be allowed to influence legislation the activity amount should be insubstantial, which is not define by either the IRS or the Congress, so for nonprofits to be in compliance taking the 501(h) election or for those with big budget submitting to the IRS the Form 5768 would allow them to exercise the right lawfully and within clear guidelines. The CLPI follows the law and uses its definition as the way to guide nonprofits organization, consequently and although it’s a very powerful element, lobbying is a fraction of the full amount put on advocacy effort. Lobbying is the attempt to pursue a specific legislation at different government levels, but as already explain is limited by a percentage of the organization budget. Therefore, a nonprofit organization must make sure to meet the budgetary requirement to avoid falling in other categories. Moreover, some nonprofit organization must follow state regulation where in some states the organization must register and submit report of their lobbying …show more content…

For a nonprofit organization advocacy is unlimited, meaning it can be exercise without budgetary restriction as lobbying. The CLPI believe that grassroots are powerful and that nonprofits groups are the perfect candidates to influence public policy through advocacy. Advocacy can be done by anyone and on a daily basis, as the act will empower and advance the mission of the organization. Per one example set by the CLPI advocacy can be convince, educate, explain, persuade, support different audiences such as volunteers, or as simple as anyone around us. As part of the advocacy process or the lobbying process is important to look for support from other allies as well as to get more people involve making more promising and powerful the policy, idea, cause, and /or position the organization is defending. When lobbying that tactic could be by direct lobbying which is when direct communication is launch with a legislator, or grassroot which is when the organization try to influence a legislator but doesn’t have direct communication. When practicing grassroot lobbying the goal is to persuade other citizens to support the cause and those citizens to be the one contacting the legislator. This communication direct or grassroot lobbying is done by phone calls, email, letters, petition, fax, manifestation, among other ways

Open Document