Advocacy Defined

What Is Advocacy?

ad·vo·ca·cy

ˈadvəkəsē/
Noun
Public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy.

Bolder Advocacy

Organization
Promotes active engagement in democratic processes and institutions by giving nonprofits and foundations the confidence to advocate effectively and by protecting their right to do so.

What Is Advocacy?

Advocacy can take many forms.  In simple terms, it means making the case for your cause or mission.  When we talk about advocacy for nonprofits, we usually mean making your case in a way that will change public policy to help your cause. That means reaching audiences in a position to help make those changes. Advocacy could be any one of a number of things from research and public education to lobbying elected officials and voter engagement. These activities are especially important when you want to make sure that underrepresented and vulnerable communities have a voice in decisions that affect them.

Why Advocacy?

Every nonprofit can and should get involved in advocacy to help advance its mission. Advocacy shapes the public debate about issues that affect nonprofits. It’s the number one way nonprofits can focus attention on the issues they care about, and bring about real change for the people they serve. With the right tools and information, you’ll see how you can make advocacy work for your organization and your community.

You have questions - we have answers!

Check out some FAQs and topical questions about advocacy.
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450
Workshops Given by Bolder Advocacy
In 2022
3,000+
Nonprofits & Foundations Assisted
In 2022
1,200
TA Questions Answered
In 2022

A Roadmap for Success

Abby Levine | April 8, 2019
We are excited to release our latest comprehensive guide for nonprofits, Foundation Advocacy Grants: What Grantees Need to Know.
A Roadmap for Success