This article was written by Marie Ellis, MCN senior public policy advisor, and originally published in the Summer 2025 issue of Nonprofit News: Special Nonprofit Advocacy Issue. Read the full issue.
Top takeaway: Every nonprofit has a voice in influencing policies that shape your work and communities. Here’s how to get started.
Step 1: Identify issues and scope
Identify the issues that matter most to your mission and communities you support. What systems or policies make it harder for your community to thrive or for your organization to do its work? What roadblocks come up over and over again? What data can you gather or stories can you share that illustrate your concerns?
You don’t need to take on every policy issue that touches your field. Consider how your nonprofit’s experience and opinions can add value to the conversation. Knowing your scope will help you set priorities, stay focused, and avoid overwhelm.
Step 2: Bring your team along
Advocacy is one of the most critical tools nonprofits have to advance their mission and create lasting change. Many nonprofits are not aware that they can, and should, engage in this work AND that advocacy is well within the legal boundaries of their 501(c) status.
Start by educating your staff and board about why advocacy matters, and how laws and public policies directly impact your nonprofit and community.
Board members may, at times, discourage engagement in public policy. At worst, boards may be risk adverse to being “too” political and controversial, or at best may want to protect your time from additional work. However, avoiding advocacy can lead to greater harm, especially when policies threaten your mission or the people you serve. It is important to distinguish that while 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofits must remain nonpartisan (they cannot endorse or oppose political parties or candidates for public office), they can absolutely engage in many other forms of advocacy! We have a constitutional right to speak up against harmful policies that impact our communities and our ability to do our work effectively.
Educate lawmakers about the impact of your work, especially in the communities they represent. This is not considered “lobbying”—there are no limits on educating lawmakers! Share with your board resources like Suzanne’s article, Advocacy doesn’t require perfection – it requires heart, and MCN’s Nonprofit Advocate e-newsletter. Work with your board to explicitly carve out advocacy as a core function of your executive’s job description. Encourage your staff and board members to speak out independently as individuals—as voters, constituents, and community members.
You and your community are experts, and your voices matters. You have a responsibility to shape the systems that determine what is possible for your nonprofit and communities you serve.
Step 3: Create a Public Policy Agenda
A public policy agenda is simply a list of the issues your organization cares about and wants to influence. It doesn’t have to be long—it can start as one or two sentences that set your key priorities. Here are a few examples:
A nonprofit that provides elder healthcare:
“We advocate for increased reimbursement rates for home- and community-based services, caregiver wage supports, and transportation funding for rural seniors.”
A nonprofit that provides low-cost childcare:
“We support policies that expand access to SNAP and school meals.”
A domestic violence nonprofit:
“Our policy priorities include increased funding for emergency shelter and legal advocacy, strengthened privacy protections for survivors, and housing-first models that prioritize survivor choice and safety.”
MCN and the Minnesota Budget Project just announced our 2026 Public Policy Agenda.
Step 4: Find coalitions
You don’t have to do it alone. Chances are, there’s already a coalition or working group in your region or sector working on the issues you care about. These groups can be a great entry point—they offer a chance to learn, build relationships, and get involved at your own pace. MCN keeps a list of nonprofit coalitions.
Email us with your issue areas and we’ll let you know if we’re aware of a coalition in that space!
Step 5: Dip a toe into the waters
Many nonprofits begin their advocacy journey by taking small but meaningful steps: signing a letter to lawmakers, sending an action alert to supporters, posting information on social media, or attending MCN’s Advocacy 101 training (next offered April 8, virtual).
Over time, you might build toward something bigger—like adding public policy advocacy responsibilities to an existing role, hiring staff dedicated to advocacy, or developing deeper relationships with your elected officials.
As Suzanne says, “Advocacy doesn’t require perfection—it requires heart.” No step is too small when rooted in purpose.