Webinar Series Returns in 2013

For a number of years, we've sought to fill an information void on voting and elections in the nonprofit sector with our webinar series. Webinars are free of charge for 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. They are recorded and made available on-demand online, along with the PowerPoint presentation and audio file.

Our webinar series will return in early 2013 covering a variety of nonprofit voter engagement topics such as:

• Candidate Engagement - Forums, Questionnaires, Appearances, and More
• Staying Nonpartisan - Voter Engagement Guidelines for 501(c)(3)
• Organizations Nonprofit Voter Registration Voter Turnout in the 2012
• Election Ballot Measure Advocacy - How to Take a Stand on the Issues 

A full schedule will be available next month. In the meantime, browse our webinar library and visit our YouTube channel.

Vote 2012: The Nonprofit Difference

The following appeared in the Summer 2012 issue of The Provider, the flagship publication of the Providers' Council.

Many nonprofits see voter outreach as something beyond the scope of the services they provide, leaving their clients to instead rely on the efforts of candidates and party campaigns. As a result, many potential voters receive no assistance at all.

Factors like being nonpartisan, financial and time concerns, and a lack of resources and support further compound the situation.

Nonprofits CAN participate.

However, nonprofits can participate. It's true that 501(c)(3) nonprofits are required to be nonpartisan, but nonpartisan does not mean non-participation. Nonprofits are realizing that voter engagement doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. Many organizations now recognize the value of voter engagement as a key component in their advocacy toolkit and are no longer watching passively from the sidelines on Election Day.

Organizations like the Providers' Council—a long-time partner of Nonprofit VOTE—have led this transition in recent years by bringing voter engagement into the sector mainstream through initiatives like CareVote. The Council is joined by others like CalNonprofits which encourages California nonprofits to "Vote with Your Mission" and the National Association of Community Health Centers with its ongoing Community Health Vote project.

Participation is EASY.

Voter registration, voter education, and get-out-the-vote work is most effective when nonprofits incorporate activities and conversations into ongoing services. There is no need to develop a new voter registration program when organizations can simply ask clients about registering to vote during intake or while updating their information.

Participation is EFFECTIVE.

Perhaps most importantly, the agency-based approach is effective. Research conducted with human service agencies in Detroit during the 2010 midterm election demonstrated that when nonprofits talked to their clients about voting they were not only more likely to vote, but also more likely to talk to their friends and family about voting. This year Nonprofit VOTE has partnered with CareVote to conduct additional research in Massachusetts and ten other states to further explore best practices for nonprofit service providers.

Participation HELPS nonprofits' missions.

The ballot box is critical to nonprofits' larger advocacy and policy efforts.

Elected officials pay attention to which communities and which populations turn out and are generally more responsive to organizations involved in registering voters and encouraging turnout. Voting is good for the people nonprofits serve, as voters are more likely to contact elected officials, talk to their neighbors, and actively engage with their communities.

But ultimately the only way to have representatives and laws that support your work is to vote and to encourage other people to do the same. Voting is an extension of your dedication to providing quality care and services, which is why it's equally important to encourage the people you serve to vote.

JOIN US. (And get stickers!)

As a member of the Providers' Council, your organization is already deeply involved in your community and invested in its future. We want to invite you to take the next step and support voting.

Your community contains distinct voices with specific needs. By conducting nonpartisan voter engagement your organization can help lift these concerns and empower your clients and constituents to participate in 2012.

Join a nationwide nonprofit campaign to support voting November 6 and send a message to your clients, constituents, and community. Plus every organization that signs on will receive a free "Vote November 6" kit and be eligible for weekly raffles for buttons and stickers to help raise awareness in your community.

This year, nonprofits in Massachusetts and across the country are engaging their communities around elections in greater numbers than ever. Nonprofit VOTE and the Providers' Council want to help you do more, both now and after the election. We have materials and resources to help you get buy-in, make a plan, and achieve success. With your added efforts, we can make nonprofit voices heard at the polls like never before.

Learn about Nonprofit Voter Registration!

There's still time to register for Thursday's webinar!

Ready, Set, Register: Nonprofit Voter Registration 
Thursday August 2nd, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern

Registering to vote is the first step to becoming an active and engaged voter. In 2008, nine out of ten registered voters cast a ballot; among those who did not vote, many reported that they encountered problems with their registration. Join us for more on how your nonprofit can ensure that your clients and constituents are registered to vote and able to participate in this year's election! We'll help you create a voter registration plan, develop strategies and tactics for registering community members, ensure you remain nonpartisan, and more.

Featured Presenter: Isela Gutiérrez-Gunter is the Nonprofit Outreach Coordinator at Democracy North Carolina. She has previously worked as an advocate for statewide juvenile justice policy reform in Austin, TX, and on local drug policy reform efforts in Seattle, WA. She has a BA in History from Scripps College, and will receive her MSW with an emphasis on Community, Management, and Policy Practice from UNC Chapel Hill in August 2012. 

Keeping Track of Your Nonprofit's Advocacy

Bolder Advocacy (Alliance for Justice) recently released Keeping Track: A Guide to Recordkeeping for Advocacy Charities. The guide is designed to help nonprofit staff and board members track the lobbying activities of their organization and accurately report those activities to the IRS. The guide contains sample forms and multiple options for tracking staff time, overhead expenses, and direct costs.

Remember that if your nonprofit takes a stand on a ballot measure, you are in fact lobbying and your efforts are subject to normal lobbying limits. This guide can help you better understand and comply with federal tax laws by tracking your lobbying activities.

Learn more about nonprofit ballot measure advocacy and download "Keeping Track".

Endorse Voting November 6!

Endorse voting November 6 and get your free poster, buttons, and stickers!

As 501(c)(3) nonprofits we can't endorse candidates, but we can endorse voting.

Join Nonprofit VOTE's 2012 "Vote November 6" campaign by endorsing voting! The nonprofit sector can spread a simple yet effective message: Vote November 6. Together we can ensure our communities make their voices heard in 2012 by registering and voting!

Every organization that signs on will receive a "Vote November 6" kit with a poster, stickers, and buttons to help get-out-the-vote. Visit our online store to grab t-shirts, water bottles, bags, and other "Vote November 6" gear! Buttons and stickers are also available in bulk.

Every organization that endorses voting will automatically be entered into our weekly drawing to win 100 free stickers. We'll be pulling one winner each week, so endorse early and increase your odds!

After you sign on, invite partners and other nonprofits in your network to join you and endorse voting.

Remember to Vote with Your Mission!

It's Election Day in California, where CalNonprofits' Vote with Your Mission campaign is officially underway! Last month, we described their efforts to achieve 100% participation among California's nonprofit staff and volunteers in the 2012 June and November elections.

As of today, more than 100 nonprofits have already signed on! Organizations represent the diversity of California's nonprofit community in terms of geography, size, community served, and type of services offered. They include direct social service providers, arts organizations, advocacy and policy groups, private foundations, and statewide and regional coalitions and associations. More than two dozen organizations have signed up as campaign co-sponsors, agreeing to reach out to at least 15 other nonprofits to encourage them to join the campaign.

Nonprofit VOTE serves as a campaign resource partner, providing nonpartisan voter registration and engagement materials and webinars to participants. We're proud to support this type of leadership effort to bring nonprofit voter engagement into the mainstream. Just remember, you don't have to be a California nonprofit to join the voter engagement movement or to encourage your affiliates to vote with your mission!

Simple Strategies to Increase Turnout

A recent briefing by Todd Rogers--a Harvard professor and former founding executive director of the Analyst Institute--synthesized research and data on effective voter turnout strategies. Many of the findings can be applied to nonprofit voter engagement efforts, helping us strategically nudge voters to the polls on Election Day.

While it's important to raise the profile of the election and make ongoing announcements about dates and deadlines, try to make your one-on-one conversations about the election more personal. Prompt your clients to think through the logistical details of their plans for voting--such as when they intend to head to the polls, how they will get there, and what they will be doing beforehand. This type of conversation is twice as effective (among single-voter households) as simply asking people if they intend to vote. (Rogers suggested that voters who lived with other voters were already more likely to discuss their Election Day plans as part of everyday life.)

Additionally, negative messaging--like lamenting low turnout--can be counterproductive and is unlikely to motivate voters. Instead, emphasize that turnout is expected to be high--this approach particularly impacts infrequent or occasional voters.

We've already reported on the difference between the importance of "being a voter" and the importance of "voting"--so think about how to phrase conversations with clients in a way that frames them as voters, rather than just asking them to vote.

Although this information can help inform your voter engagement work, don't be afraid to try new strategies and figure out what works best for your nonprofit. And if you have a tactic that's particularly effective, share it!

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Access Yesterday's Ballot Measure Webinar Materials

Yesterday's webinar, Taking a Stand: Ballot Measure Advocacy for Nonprofits, is now available! Thank you to our wonderful presenters, Nayantara Mehta, Senior Counsel at the Alliance for Justice, West Coast and Cathy Johnston, Advocacy Director at the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, for joining us!

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 resources on nonprofits and ballot measures.

If you're interested in dipping your toes into candidate engagement, register for our upcoming webinar on May 24th, Engage Candidates and Build Clout: How to Host a Candidate Forum. RSVP today!

Tied Down by Tuesday?

Next week voters in Indiana, North Carolina, and West Virginia will head to the polls to vote on federal and state offices in addition to a number of ballot questions. (Visit Ballotpedia for more on what's on the ballot in every state this year.)

But before Tuesday rolls around, Why Tuesday uses a new infographic to examine the impact of voting on Tuesday.

It suggests that having Election Day on a Tuesday may be stifling U.S. voter turnout, noting that our national turnout rates trail those of countries that have Election Day on either a weekend or designate it as a holiday. It also notes that in every U.S. election since 1996, the number one reason voters gave for not casting a ballot was "too busy/couldn’t get time off to vote" and that in 2010 27% of voters gave this answer.

Increasing turnout probably won't require that we drop Tuesday altogether, but we should be seeking ways to expand access to the ballot through early in-person voting opportunities (including weekends) and simplified vote-by-mail options. Of course there's a role for nonprofits as well: we can help increase turnout by reminding our clients of the upcoming election, answering questions, and offering to help locate their polling place.

If your jurisdiction has an election next week, ask your constituents to think about their plans for voting, or suggest that they take their kids along to see what elections are all about. Whether or not we vote on Tuesday, we can still help ensure everyone has the opportunity to participate!

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Georgia to Comply with the NVRA

Georgia recently settled a lawsuit brought by a coalition of voting rights groups to force compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and ensure that anyone applying for state public assistance or disability support is offered the opportunity to register to vote.

In Georgia, it's clear there's plenty of room for improvement. A recent report by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission found that between 2009 and 2010, Georgia had an estimated 6.7 million eligible voters, of which 5.7 million (86%) were registered. Of those registrations, 279 were done at state public assistance agencies, 19 at disability service agencies, and 569 at other state agencies.

We've written about similar victories and the enormous impact they've had in driving up the number or registrations. Registrations from Missouri public assistance agencies rose from fewer than 8,000 a year to an average of 115,000 per year after a 2008 settlement, and more than 380,000 low-income Ohioans have filled out registration forms since a suit was settled in 2009.

The results of these cases show that when people are offered the chance to register or re-register to vote, they take it! Let's make sure the nonprofit sector does our part to ensure that all eligible Americans are registered to vote this year! Visit our voter registration resources section, or sign up to be part of National Voter Registration Day on September 25, 2012 to learn how. 

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National Voter Registration Day: Sept. 25

Nonprofit VOTE is part of National Voter Registration Day, a nationwide initiative to register all eligible voters on September 25, 2012!

In 2008, 6 million people failed to cast a ballot either because they didn't know how to register to vote or they missed the deadline. But in 2012, we want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to vote.

On September 25th, our coalition will lead a nationwide field effort to register voters at nonprofits, on campus, at work, in the community, and online. Together, we can ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to register and participate in this year's election!

Learn more about National Voter Registration Day, sign up for updates, and learn how you can get involved!

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?

February Webinar Materials

Missed yesterday's webinar, States Move to Restrict Voting: What Your Nonprofit Can Do to Defend the Right to Vote? No problem!

Watch the webinar on our YouTube channel. 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 learn more about voting in your state and voter suppression litigation.

Registration is now open for our March webinar, Nonpartisan Voter Participation Basics for Nonprofits. RSVP today!

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!

NAACP Reports on "Block the Vote" Efforts

The NAACP recently produced a report, "Defending Democracy: Confronting Modern Barriers to Voting Rights in America," that contextualizes the emergence of recent "block the vote" measures and explains their potential effects.

The report examines a slew of legislative proposals, ballot initiatives, and voting laws that have been enacted or proposed: 14 states have passed 25 measures designed to restrict or limit ballot access, including new and enhanced voter identification requirements, provisions that curtail access to voter registration, limits on registration drives, and reduced voting periods.

Unfortunately, many of these restrictions will disproportionately affect the populations that nonprofits serve, particularly minorities, low-income voters, the elderly, and young people.

But most importantly, the report offers ideas for how to counter these efforts and expand access to our democracy by:

1. Informing yourself about voting laws and how they affect you.
2. Equipping your community with the information needed to ensure that all eligible voters are able to successfully cast a ballot.
3. Practicing “Each One, Bring One” by bringing an eligible first-time voter, or returning voter who otherwise might not vote, with you when you vote on Election Day.
4. Volunteering to serve as a poll worker, monitor, or translator who assists voters on Election Day.
5. Taking action to urge your elected officials to fight these restrictive election laws.

Read the report, and join our February webinar "States Move to Restrict Voting: How Nonprofits Can Defend the Right to Vote" to learn more.

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2012 Webinar Series Schedule

The general election will be here before you know it, so to help you prepare we're hosting a webinar every month until November. We'll cover a variety of voter engagement topics to ensure you know how to conduct registration drives, educate voters, and get out the vote--all while staying nonpartisan! Remember, our webinars are free for 501(c)(3) organizations and will be available on our YouTube channel.

See the full webinar lineup for 2012.

Partner Spotlight: National Council of Nonprofits

The National Council of Nonprofits (NCN) supports nonprofit voter engagement efforts and believes that all nonprofits "have a right and a duty to be part of the electoral process"--particularly this year.

NCN seeks to advance the role, capacity, and voice of nonprofit organizations through state and national networks, which is one of the reasons NCN partners with Nonprofit VOTE. Together, we and our partners can utilize our networks to effectively coordinate efforts and disseminate information about best practices.

NCN--the largest network of nonprofits in the United States--encourages its partners and affiliates to learn about 501(c)(3) nonpartisan requirements and to engage their communities. This can be done by educating candidates or helping the people you serve register and vote. After all, the people we elect will decide significant policies that can either help or harm the communities our nonprofits serve. Follow NCN's lead and voterize your nonprofit!

Increasing Voter Participation One Nonprofit at a Time

Most of your New Year's Resolutions are already set (and maybe even broken), but we have one more that can't wait until next year.

In 2012 we'll elect the president, 33 U.S. senators, every member of the House of Representatives, and countless others in state and local races. 220 million Americans will be eligible to vote--including over 25 million young people and new citizens eligible for the first time. But who will turnout?

Voter turnout will be the key, not just to who wins, but to what voters and which communities are heard after Election Day. In 2010, six of ten eligible voters stayed home, and a disproportionate number were younger and lower income individuals.

Nonprofits can change that. Our sector is a powerful civic force whose status as trusted messengers and daily contact with millions of Americans has the potential to reach and engage large underrepresented populations. We are more than one million nonprofits strong and with your help the sector can close participation gaps and encourage everyone to become a voter in 2012.

So when your organization sets its 2012 priorities, make sure that voter engagement is one of them. Although your nonprofit might struggle with shrinking budgets and increased demand for services, you must still resolve to voterize your organization. Whatever challenges your nonprofit faces, voting is part of the solution. Start planning today.

Voter engagement can take a variety of forms: you can register voters, educate your clients and constituents about the voting process, or take a stand on a ballot measure. Voter engagement doesn't have to be complicated. But you have to do something.

In 2012, we will leave no nonprofit and no voter behind. Let's give nonprofits and our communities a seat at the table of democracy this November and beyond.

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Upcoming Webinar: Making a Plan for 2012

Our final webinar of 2011 will start you thinking about next year's general election and how your nonprofit can maximize your impact with the resources you already have.

Plan Ahead: Building a Voter Engagement Timeline for 2012
Thursday December 1st, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern

The 2012 presidential election will be here soon, and it's time to start thinking about your nonprofit's plan for registering, educating, and engaging voters. This webinar will cover when, where, and how to incorporate voter engagement activities into your work. We'll also help you develop and tailor a 2012 voter engagement timeline for your organization. Don't miss this opportunity to start building a voter engagement plan for 2012 now!