Understanding Lobbying: A Practical Guide to Lobbying Compliance
December 15 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am CST
Virtual Workshop – Live/Online
Fee: Free
Advocacy and lobbying are essential tools for nonprofits working to create change, and the rules for registering and reporting lobbying activity shouldn’t stand in the way of that work.
This practical, nuts-and-bolts training will help nonprofit staff understand what they need to know to comply with both IRS lobbying rules (federal) and Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board (state) requirements. We’ll walk through how to register as a lobbyist, track lobbying activity and expenses, and report lobbying to both the IRS and the Campaign Finance Board.
We’ll also cover other important rules and practical considerations for Minnesota lobbyists, including the state’s gift ban, getting a lobbyist badge for the Capitol, and what lobbyists and need to know about making contributions to candidates and 501(c)(4) organizations.
Whether you’re new to lobbying or have been doing it for years, this training will help you navigate Minnesota’s lobbying requirements with greater confidence.
This training is for lobbyists employed by nonprofits (sometimes called “in-house” lobbyists), nonprofits looking to expand their lobbying activities, and other staff responsible for or involved in compliance, including those who oversee the organization’s IRS Form 990 filing.
This event is part of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofit’s Advocacy Academy, which seeks to support nonprofit advocates and those who want to become nonprofit advocates!
Event Details
This virtual event will take place on the Zoom platform.
This session will be recorded and shared with registrants following the event.
Captioning is provided automatically through Zoom. For information on requesting CART, ASL, or another accommodation, please visit our Registration Policies page.
To learn more about events, registration, and payment, visit our Event & Registration FAQ page.
Speaker Information
Halla Henderson | Public Policy and Research Director | Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
Halla serves as the Director of Public Policy and Research, where she advances the mission and vision of MCN through the development of state, local, and federal level policies. She brings a background in civic engagement, youth advocacy, and governance, with experience spanning public policy advocacy to youth engagement and development, and elected office on the local level. Halla is deeply invested in equity and systems change work and is excited to apply what she’s learned to strengthen nonprofits, expand their infrastructure and ensure they have the tools to thrive in service to their communities.
Bailey Sutter | Public Policy Manager | Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
Bailey serves as MCN’s Public Policy Manager, focusing on policy, federal advocacy, and communications to support MCN’s partners across Minnesota. She is passionate about creating relationships and systems that focus on civil rights, systems-level change, inclusion, and belonging. In her past professional life, Bailey worked at the intersection of youth advocacy, education equity, program development, anti-racist policy, and accessible communications while at various nonprofits and levels of government. Bailey has a bachelors in Community Development (she highly recommends creating your own major) from University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, a Masters in Human Rights Policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and is an AmeriCorps alum.
