Candidate Engagement Webinar Materials

Yesterday's webinar, Candidate Engagement: Candidate Forums, Appearances and More, is now available. Many thanks to MassVOTE's Cheryl Crawford for joining us to share her expertise. 

Watch the presentation on YouTube. If you subscribe to our channel, you'll be notified whenever new content is posted. You can also download the PowerPoint presentation and the audio portion of the presentation, or browse all of our nonpartisan resources on candidate engagement. 

In addition to candidate engagement, ballot measure advocacy and education can help your nonprofit engage your community around voting and elections. Register now for our July 25th webinar, Laws on the Ballot: Ballot Measure Advocacy for Nonprofits, featuring Nayantara Mehta from the Alliance for Justice.

Thursday: Candidate Engagement for Nonprofits

There's still time to register for Thursday's webinar:
 
Candidate Engagement: Forums, Appearances and More
Thursday June 27th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern

Candidate engagement is one of the most effective ways your nonprofit can advocate for your community. It draws community members into the political process and also encourages voting and other civic engagement. Join us for details on hosting candidate forums, coordinating candidate appearances, sharing research with candidates, and more.

Featured Presenter: Cheryl Crawford is the Executive Director of MassVOTE and has worked for many years in communities of color advocating for voting and civil rights. At MassVOTE she directs the Democracy for Nonprofits program and the Civic Engagement Fund, which distributes seed money and provides technical support to community nonprofit organizations so that they can to make a significant commitment to voter empowerment. From 2010 to 2012, she also directed MassVOTE's Census and Redistricting Project.

June 27th Webinar: Candidate Engagement

Although nonprofits cannot support or oppose candidates for political office, there are still a number of ways to engage them on a nonpartisan basis. Learn more during our next webinar:
 
Candidate Engagement: Forums, Appearances and More
Thursday June 27th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern

Candidate engagement is one of the most effective ways your nonprofit can advocate for your community. It draws community members into the political process and also encourages voting and other civic engagement. Join us for details on hosting candidate forums, coordinating candidate appearances, sharing research with candidates, and more.

Featured Presenter: Cheryl Crawford is the Executive Director of MassVOTE and has worked for many years in communities of color advocating for voting and civil rights. At MassVOTE she directs the Democracy for Nonprofits program and the Civic Engagement Fund, which distributes seed money and provides technical support to community nonprofit organizations so that they can to make a significant commitment to voter empowerment. From 2010 to 2012, she also directed MassVOTE's Census and Redistricting Project.

Webinar Recap: Voter Registration Modernization

Yesterday's webinar, Voter Registration Modernization, is now available. Many thanks to Myrna Pérez from the Brennan Center for Justice for joining us to share her expertise.

Watch the presentation on YouTube. If you subscribe to our channel, you'll be notified whenever new content is posted. You can also download the PowerPoint presentation and the audio portion of the presentation, or browse all of our nonpartisan resources on voter registration.

In addition to voter registration, candidate engagement is an effective way nonprofits can advocate for and engage their communities. Register now for our June 27th webinar, Candidate Engagement; Forums, Appearances and More, featuring MassVOTE's Cheryl Crawford.

Thursday: 501(c)(3) Guidelines for Voter Engagement

There's still time to register for this week's webinar on how nonprofits can conduct nonpartisan voter engagement work!

Being Nonpartisan: 501(c)(3) Guidelines for Nonprofits Doing Voter Engagement
Thursday March 21st, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern

Unsure what it means to be nonpartisan when engaging voters and connecting to candidates around elections? Join our next training when we'll review what your organization can do on a nonpartisan basis to help your constituents and community vote through voter registration, voter education, and get-out-the-vote efforts. Topics include candidate forums, ballot measures, nonpartisan use of social media, and what nonprofit staff and volunteers can do in personal time. Register now and help raise participation rates in your community!

Featured Presenter: George Pillsbury is the founder and Executive Director of Nonprofit VOTE. In 2005, he joined with state and national nonprofit partners to launch Nonprofit VOTE as a resource for 501(c)(3) nonprofits wishing to conduct nonpartisan election activities. As its director, he has authored numerous nonpartisan voter engagement toolkits and guides, including Nonprofits, Voting and Elections: A Guide for 501(c)(3)s, A Nonprofit's Guide to Hosting a Candidate Forum, and a series of factsheets on nonprofits and election activity. His work spans four decades in the nonprofit sector working in the fields of philanthropy, social investing, and voter and civic participation.

Four Reasons to Get Involved in Local Elections

Although local elections lack the prominence of presidential races, they are a great platform for nonprofits to begin or to expand their voter engagement efforts. Participation tends to be lower in local races because many voters don't understand the offices, know who the candidates are, or because there is less campaigning. Your nonprofit can fill this void and raise participation rates by focusing on voter education. Here are four reasons to get involved with a local election this year:

1. Knowledge and Power for Your Community. Comprehensive voter education can build both knowledge among and power for your constituents. Empowering your community in local elections can encourage other civic habits in addition to benefiting your organization. 
2. Fewer Voters and Greater Impact. Because fewer voters cast ballots in local elections, your potential to impact the election is enormous. Registering and turning out even a small number of voters can dramatically change the landscape of an election. 
3. Greater Access to Candidates. It's easier in local elections to connect with candidates. It's also a great way to raise the profile of your organization. You can forge relationships that benefit your community now, and that also have the potential to pay off as local candidates are elected to higher office. 
4. The Results Matter. Local races may not be as popular as presidential races, but they nevertheless impact policy, zoning, spending decisions, school organization, and much more. 

The U.S. Conference of Mayors has released its list of 2013 mayoral races. If there is an election in your community this year, don't sit it out. There is an enormous need to increase voter participation in local elections and no matter what your organization does, you can positively impact your community.

New Candidate Appearance Factsheet

If you want to engage candidates but don't have the time to organize a candidate forum, consider inviting candidates to appear at your organization or an event you're hosting.

Our newest factsheet covers how to ensure that candidate appearances at your nonprofit stay nonpartisan and balanced under any circumstances: whether you invite candidates to the same event, to different events, or if a candidate shows up on their own.

Not only do candidate appearances allow your clients and constituents to meet and interact with candidates, but they also expose candidates to your organization's work. This year, the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits has been hosting gubernatorial candidates at their various Capitol Exchange events, giving the nonprofit community a chance to converse with candidates while also bringing visibility to the state's nonprofit sector.

Download the factsheet and start drafting those invitations!

Candidate Forum Webinar Materials

Last week's webinar, Engage Candidates and Build Clout: How to Host a Candidate Forum, is now available! Thank you to our wonderful presenter, Cheryl Crawford of MassVOTE.

You can watch the presentation on YouTube, and if you subscribe to our channel, you'll be notified whenever new content is posted. You can also download the PowerPoint presentation and the audio portion of the presentation, or browse all of our candidate engagement resources.

If you're interested in conducting voter registration, register for our upcoming webinar on June 14th, Ready, Set, Register: Nonprofit Voter Registration. RSVP today!

Learn How to Host a Candidate Forum

Consider hosting a candidate forum to kick off your 2012 voter engagement efforts! It benefits both your organization and your constituents and can take your work to the next level. Register for Thursday's webinar to learn more:

Engage Candidates and Build Clout: How to Host a Candidate Forum 
Thursday May 24th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern

Hosting a nonpartisan candidate forum gives your nonprofit the opportunity to educate candidates on the issues that matter to your organization and the communities you serve. By hosting or co-sponsoring a candidate forum, your organization can build relationships with future elected officials, making it easier to hold them accountable and giving you greater access to them once in office. Join us to learn more about techniques for organizing an effective candidate forum, how to stay nonpartisan throughout the process, and for tools to help you every step of the way.

Featured Presenter: Cheryl Crawford grew up in Boston and has worked for many years in communities of color advocating for both voting and civil rights. She is the Co-Director of MassVOTE and directs their Democracy for Nonprofits program. She also sits on the Executive Board of the NAACP-Boston Branch as second Vice President and is the Chair of the Board of Emerge Massachusetts.

Four Reasons to Host a Candidate Forum

Although it is a valuable piece of nonprofit voter engagement, candidate engagement if often overlooked. But whether your organization is well-versed in voter participation or is just getting started, engaging candidates can benefit both your organization and your constituents.

Hosting a candidate forum can take your efforts to the next level by:

1. Making your issue a campaign issue. Hosting a candidate forum puts a spotlight on your organization and your issues.
2. Raising the profile of your voters. The community you serve is worth noticing--make sure candidates know who they are! 
3. Building partnerships and cultivating collaborations. Candidate forums are a great way to team up with other organizations and build fruitful relationships.
4. Encouraging civic habits. A forum mobilizes and educates your constituents by connecting them with the candidates; it can also encourage other types of participation!

Get started by targeting your race, finding partners, and building interest! For more, download our Guide to Hosting a Candidate forum or register for our May 24th webinar. Don't want to organize a candidate forum but still want to engage candidates? Browse all of our resources on candidate engagement for other ideas on how to get involved this election cycle!

Don't Be Shy, Engage the Candidates!

Our next webinar is a great opportunity to learn about one of the ways nonprofits can engage candidates on a nonpartisan basis!

Engage Candidates and Build Clout: How to Host a Candidate Forum
Thursday May 24th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern

Hosting a nonpartisan candidate forum gives your nonprofit the opportunity to educate candidates on the issues that matter to your organization and the communities you serve. By hosting or co-sponsoring a candidate forum, your organization can build relationships with future elected officials, making it easier to hold them accountable and giving you greater access to them once in office. Join us to learn more about techniques for organizing an effective candidate forum, how to stay nonpartisan throughout the process, and for tools to help you every step of the way.

Featured Presenter: Cheryl Crawford grew up in Boston and has worked for many years in communities of color advocating for both voting and civil rights. She is the Co-Director of MassVOTE and directs their Democracy for Nonprofits program. She also sits on the Executive Board of the NAACP-Boston Branch as second Vice President and is the Chair of the Board of Emerge Massachusetts.

Candidates Talk Back with Candidate Questionnaires!

While nonprofits cannot support or oppose a candidate for office, there are a number of ways to engage candidates on a nonpartisan basis.

Consider creating a candidate questionnaire: not only will it allow you to communicate with candidates, but it will also let your clients (and the public) know what the candidates think about a variety of issues impacting your community.

Draft the questions carefully.

• Pose questions in a neutral manor so that they do not favor (or seem to favor) a particular candidate.
• Don't use the questionnaire to demonstrate whether a candidate agrees or disagrees with your organization's views.
• Keep it fairly short--you want candidates to respond and you want people to read their responses.
• Use open-ended questions and avoid yes/no or support/oppose formats.
• Do not include pledges (e.g. "If elected I agree to support all _____ issues.").

Distribute the questionnaire to all candidates.

• Be sure to send the questions to EVERY candidate in the race.
• Provide a word limit for responses--this helps avoid the impression of favoring one candidate over another.
• Set a deadline for replies, but leave a reasonable amount of time.
• Don't be afraid to follow up if you don't hear back.

Share their responses!

• Publish all responses in full (another reason for imposing a word limit). Do not paraphrase, summarize, or edit responses.
• All responses should be displayed in the same font, the same print size, and in an impartial way.
• Remember, do not compare the candidates' responses to your organization's views.
• Let the public know this information is available! Post it on your website, broadcast it in your communications, and make hard copies available at your nonprofit.

For further guidelines (like what to do if some candidates don't respond) review the Alliance for Justice's Candidate Questionnaire factsheet.

Ahead of their May 8th state primary, the N.C. Center for Nonprofits sent a list of 10 questions about key policy issues for the nonprofit sector to each gubernatorial candidate. They ranged from inquiries about personal experience with the nonprofit sector to questions about incentives for charitable giving, and plans to collaborate with and support nonprofits in North Carolina. A number of candidates participated, so check out their responses!

Consider writing your own questionnaire, and learn more about candidate engagement! Have you created a candidate questionnaire? Tell us about it!

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April Webinar: Stay Nonpartisan

Want to give voter engagement a try, but aren't completely sure what it means to be nonpartisan? Register for our April webinar and find out!

Being Nonpartisan: 501(c)(3) Guidelines for Voter Engagement Work
Thursday April 26th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern

Learn what it means to be nonpartisan and how it impacts the voter engagement efforts of nonprofits. We'll describe what your organization can do within nonpartisan limits to help your clients and community members register to vote and access information about the voting process, candidates, and issues. We'll even tell you how to engage candidates on a nonpartisan basis! Register now and help raise participation rates in your community this year!

Featured Presenter: George Pillsbury is the founder and Executive Director of Nonprofit VOTE, as well as the author of "Nonprofits, Voting, and Elections: A Guide to Nonpartisan Voter Engagement for 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organizations". He also founded and directed MassVOTE and started several foundations dedicated to community uplift. His work in the fields of philanthropy, social investing, and voter and civic participation spans three decades.

Engage Candidates in 2012

Take advantage of the 2012 election coverage and engage the candidates! A presidential election piques interest in both local and national politics, so many candidates are eager to participate in a variety of events. Connect with them by hosting a candidate forum, inviting them to an event, or giving them research and information about the issues you advocate for.

Your nonprofit might not have access to a presidential candidate, but there are plenty of opportunities to engage candidates in other races. In California, the Center for Nonprofit Management and Southern California Grantmakers have partnered to host a Los Angeles Mayoral Candidate Forum on February 28.

Cara Underwood, Southern California Grantmakers' Public Policy Manager, cited Nonprofit VOTE's webinar, "Nonpartisan Candidate Forums: Building Political Clout for Your Nonprofit" as a helpful planning resource. Check out our other resources on candidate engagement and get started today!

• "Working with Candidates" Factsheet
• "Hosting a Candidate Forum" Online Training
• "A Nonprofit's Guide to Hosting a Candidate Forum"

Speed Dating for Votes

Last month, candidates in Vancouver's municipal elections campaigned a little differently—they dated voters.

Of course, these were strictly platonic "dates" and were part of a candidate speed dating event organized by Get Your Vote On—a nonpartisan group who encourages youth participation. For many attendees, the format made perfect sense because "you're going to be in a three-year relationship" with whoever is elected.

The quick rounds of face time give voters a chance to ask questions and interact with candidates on a more personal level. The evening had something for everyone, including a formal candidate debate after the speed dating concluded.

Luckily you don't have to go to Canada to date your candidates. Similar speed dating events have been held across the country, in places like Portland, Oregon and Juneau, Alaska. Speed dating seems like an effective and fun way to engage candidates, so why not organize an event in your community? Learn more about candidate engagement and then start dating!

New Hampshire Primary Project Returns

The New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits, in partnership with the National Council of Nonprofits, is once again sponsoring the 2012 Primary Project, a presidential candidate education initiative. The Project empowers members of the nonprofit and civic sector to engage candidates campaigning in New Hampshire, while also raising candidate and public awareness of the impact and importance of the nonprofit sector. See what they did in 2008.

At its official September kickoff, the Center brought in two seasoned party activists--one who served as a traveling adviser for McCain's 2008 campaign and the other who worked for Obama's New Hampshire team. Although they disagreed on politics, both guests expressed a desire to see greater nonprofit and community involvement in the political process.

This month the Center will be holding two trainings for nonprofits and community members interested in participating. They'll address what nonprofits can do, how to stay nonpartisan, and tactical advice for shining a spotlight on the nonprofit sector.

The Project will continue through the primary season and transition into more general voter engagement in the lead up to November's general election. This nonpartisan initiative does an incredible job of utilizing New Hampshire's political relevance to champion nonprofit voter engagement, and can hopefully inspire similar projects in other states.