Nonprofit Advocacy

Grade Level: 
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Keywords: 
Advocacy
Voice
Advocacy is an important function of most nonprofit organizations and describes a wide range of actions and activities that seek to influence outcomes affecting the lives of the people served by the organizations. Few nonprofit functions are more critical than advocacy, persuasively representing alternative perspectives to public and private decision makers. This paper outlines the historical roots of advocacy, the relevance of advocacy for the mission of charitable organizations, how it is currently defined, and the actual and potential scope of utilization by nonprofit organizations to affect change in their field of interest.