Wed, 10 Mar 2004 -- Media Matters No. 43
Does your dissemination constitute "lobbying"?

The election cycle is heating up and will be taking up the lion's share of the available media space through the end of this year. That is no reason to throw in the media towel. Disability and medicare will surely surface during the year and when they do, our projects should be ready to take advantage of media opportunities.

What questions are candidates going to be addressing that intersect with your research? Maybe Assistive Technology or medical care? Maybe Independent Living or Long Term Care? Surely education will be on the list this year.

So are we ready to disseminate our research that is relevant to the topics that will be in the news?

Many groups which receive federal funds worry that their dissemination efforts might constitute "lobbying."

Here are some resources to answer your questions:

"We're not allowed to lobby. We're not allowed to influence public policy," one nonprofit group told Jeffrey Berry, a professor of political science at Tufts University, who, along with David F. Arons, wrote the book "A Voice for Nonprofits," published last fall by the Brookings Institution.

"Such views are not merely wrong, they're harmful," says Berry. "Not only can charitable nonprofits engage in more lobbying than is commonly accepted, they can lobby extensively." Nonprofit organizations serve a vital function in supporting under-represented groups. "But if these organizations wrongfully assume they cannot lobby, they are failing to serve the needs of their constituents while well-financed for-profit organizations lobby at will."

Berry's op-ed from the Nov. 30, 2003 Washington Post can be found online in the archives of the Justice For All News Alerts, at http://www.jfanow.org/cgi/getli.pl?1887

The SPIN Project, a nonprofit organization "dedicated to providing comprehensive communications support to community organizations" has published what it calls "the essential election year resource for non-profit organizations:" "Loud and Clear in an Election Year: Amplifying the Voices of Community Advocates."

The book, says the Project, "answers legal questions and provides tips and tools for groups who want to ensure their voices are heard this election year.....We want nonprofits to be both lawful and courageous about putting their priorities on the table. This toolkit will help 501(c)3 organizations understand clearly what communications tools they can and can not use to educate voters." Chapters address e-advocacy, op-eds, scorecards, and media events such as town halls and candidate forums. Short case studies and checklists provide easy reference and quick inspiration.

The book is $15 and can be ordered at http://www.spinproject.org/loudandclear

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