Additional Resources

Communication

Action Media's Defining WE in Environmental Advocacy (PDF download) clarifies the varied uses and implications of "we" and recommends strategies for talking about and advocating for the environment.

The Sustainability Network partnered with IMPACS: the Institute for Media, Policy and Civil Society to produce Getting the Message Out: A Step By Step Communications Guide for Environmentalists. The guide is designed to help environmental groups focus their communication efforts through exercises, worksheets and basic communications theory. Click here for a preview and to purchase the guide.

Nonprofit Advocacy in the U.S.

In the US, nonprofit organizations are restricted in how much political and legislative (lobbying) activities they may conduct. For information, see the Internal Revenue Service's Political and Lobbying Activities. Additional guidance from the IRS is here.

Several organizations also offer resources for nonprofit advocacy:

Nonprofit Advocacy in Canada

In Canada, under the Income Tax Act, a registered charity can be involved in non-partisan political activities as long as it devotes substantially all of its resources to charitable activities. Any political activities have to help accomplish the charity's purposes and remain incidental in scope. A registered charity cannot be involved in partisan political activities. A political activity is considered partisan if it involves direct or indirect support of, or opposition to, a political party or candidate for public office. For more information, see the Canadian Revenue Agency's Summary Policy.

Also, the Canadian Revenue Agency provides a Policy Statement for registered charities about political activities and allowable limits under the Income Tax Act. It provides a framework that explains how to distinguish between political and charitable activities, and clarifies the extent to which charities can usefully contribute to the development of public policy under the existing law.

Disclaimer: Freshwater Future provides links to resources maintained by other organizations for informational purposes only and has no responsibility for the content of any link provided. The content of such linked information may not directly relate to programs of or grants made by the Freshwater Future. By providing a link to another organization's website and/or materials, the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund does not imply or intend approval or endorsement.

Freshwater Future builds effective community-based citizen action to protect and restore the water quality of the Great Lakes basin. We work toward this goal by providing financial assistance, communications and networking assistance and technical assistance to citizens and grassroots watershed groups throughout the Great Lakes basin. Through these efforts we work with over 1,800 grassroots watershed groups and citizens to protect and restore the rivers, lakes and wetlands in their communities. Freshwater Future, Inc. is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

Disclaimer: Freshwater Future provides links to resources maintained by other organizations for informational purposes only and has no responsibility for the content of any link provided. The content of such linked information may not directly relate to programs of or grants made by the Freshwater Future. By providing a link to another organization's website and/or materials, the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund does not imply or intend approval or endorsement.

For more information, please contact:

info@freshwaterfuture.org
P.O. Box 2479, Petoskey, MI 49770
PH (231) 348-8200