Who Better than Nonprofits?

Earlier this month, Susan Dreyfus, the president and CEO of the Alliance for Children and Families--one of Nonprofit VOTE's national partners--blogged about the importance of voter engagement in the nonprofit community.

With November speeding toward us, she urged the sector to consider how it will help ensure that all Americans can exercise their right to vote. Dreyfus asked:

• Will this sector provide opportunities for folks to register to vote?
• Will we provide information on how to vote? 
• Will we offer opportunities to learn about the issues and consider the positions of the various candidates?

For Nonprofit VOTE and for the Alliance, the answer is yes. What about your organization? Whether your nonprofit serves 10 families, houses 200 residents, or feeds 5,000 people, you can improve the lives of your clients and constituents by encouraging them to be active in the democratic process.

Our role is not to influence how people vote, but simply to ensure that they do. "Who better than the nonprofit human services sector to embrace participation in the democratic process as a part of how we achieve our missions?"

Up for the challenge? Voterize your nonprofit and get started today!

The Luck o' the Vote!

The first official celebration of St. Patrick's Day in the U.S. occurred in Morristown, New Jersey in 1780 and was authorized by George Washington.

Today it's often celebrated with parades, green clothing, and parties. But before you get your green on tomorrow, use today to think about "The Luck of the Vote" and its benefits. 

Did you know that voting is tied to a host of positive civic, health, and social outcomes? Voters are more likely to volunteer, contact their elected officials, stay informed about local affairs, and contribute to their neighborhood's "social capital". But who votes (and who doesn't) isn't a matter of luck.

Voting isn't an accident, and it doesn't happen by chance. A voter is made when someone offers them the chance to register. A voter turns out because someone reminded or encouraged them to participate on Election Day. When nonprofits talk to their clients about voting, they are not only more likely to vote, but they are also more likely to talk to their friends and family about voting.

Know what else isn't based on luck? Candidate appearances and attention. Candidates spend time and money in areas where turnout is higher and where residents are engaged.

So even though voting might make you feel lucky, you don't actually have to be lucky to reap the benefits! Your nonprofit can positively impact the lives of your clients and constituents simply by encouraging voter participation. Get started today so that your community can bask in "The Luck of the Vote" this November.

Arizona Nonprofits in Action

Many in Arizona's nonprofit community are working diligently to register and educate voters with the goal of increasing voter turnout this November.

This year, the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits is collaborating with several partners to offer tools and assistance to organizations interested in actively engaging their stakeholders. The next event--kicking off their voter registration phase--will be a voter engagement workshop on Friday, March 16, presented by Reclaiming Our Community's Power.

The Alliance has also partnered with the O'Connor House Centennial Voter Initiative, which is creating a broad-based coalition of partners to “stimulate an informed and engaged electorate, create more awareness of the importance of voting, provide easy access to fact-based information, register significant numbers of people regardless of party or views, and to get people to the polls in record numbers.”

And of course, they frequently share Nonprofit VOTE resources with their network. Arizona nonprofits are voterizing! Will you join them?

Partner Spotlight: Coalition on Human Needs

One of our newest national partners, the Coalition on Human Needs (CHN) is an alliance of national organizations working to promote public policies that address the needs of low-income and other vulnerable people. Like many nonprofits involved in advocacy and public policy work, CHN believes that voter engagement complements these efforts.

The Coalition on Human Needs is active in voter engagement and co-hosted a webinar last month on nonprofit do's and don'ts in an election year. Through the webinar, CHN encouraged its network to use voter engagement to think about activities and opportunities to advance the anti-poverty framework they support. Follow CHN's lead and voterize your nonprofit!