Earlier this summer, we examined how organizations can move beyond crisis messaging and shift toward approaches that center community strength and invite genuine participation. We then explored how to create compelling call-to-action campaigns and the concept of boundary spanning to expand supporter pools.

Then, in September, Next Stage’s Helen Hope Kimbrough hosted a powerful discussion with Angela Woods, COO of Crossnore Communities for Children, about embedding advocacy in daily operations.

These are conversations framed against a very real backdrop: the looming disruption caused by federal policy change. The passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) in July 2025 set into motion a series of reductions to social safety-net programs that will ripple out across the country. Medicaid alone will see a $900 billion reduction over the next decade, forcing states to make hard trade-offs. SNAP benefits are being reduced, and new requirements will make it harder for vulnerable families to access food support. 

These sizable funding cuts will force state and local governments to reallocate resources from other core community supports. So even if your workforce development organization or arts institution isn’t directly impacted, the funding you’ve relied on could be realigned.

Unlike the pandemic's overnight transformation, this is a slow-moving crisis. The practical effects may take 18–24 months to reach local communities, but the trajectory is clear. The silver lining? This delay offers something unusual: time to prepare, mobilize, and have honest conversations about advocacy.

To Advocate or Not to Advocate?

Many service providers see themselves as apolitical, leaving advocacy to mission-focused organizations. This creates a real quandary (one that should be added as an agenda item to your next leadership team meeting and/or end-of-year board retreat).

Because organizations are facing competing pressures: preserving relationships with policymakers and some donors by steering clear of politics versus responding to supporters who expect them to be vocal champions for change. And in today's polarized environment, sometimes even stating facts can feel like picking sides.

Facing an Uncomfortable Truth

The nonprofit sector has long been split between service providers delivering programming and advocacy institutions focused on changing systems through coalition-building. 

But here's the uncomfortable truth: the services you provide are often only needed because of upstream policy failures. While you try to remain neutral, you're most affected when policy shifts undercut your work. 

And the reality is, neutrality isn't cost-free. It leaves communities unprepared when cuts hit, alienates passionate supporters, and normalizes policies that damage the most vulnerable.

Because the real question isn't whether advocacy is political — it always is — but whether silence actually serves your mission. Instead of debating whether to advocate, organizational leaders should focus on developing effective strategies to lead decisively in this unprecedented moment.

What Are the Options?

There’s not a single “right” answer. Advocacy exists along a spectrum, and each organization must decide where it feels comfortable. Here are three broad approaches:

• Invite Individual Action. The least controversial form of advocacy is empowering individuals to make change in their personal lives. When you send a fundraising appeal that explains how policy cuts threaten your budget and asks donors to help close the gap, you’re already engaging in advocacy, connecting policy to personal action. The same applies programmatically. At Carolina Raptor Center, where I’ve been serving in an interim leadership role this past year, visitors are encouraged to think about how their daily choices — from recycling to protecting habitats — can improve outcomes for birds of prey. Equipping individuals to act in mission-aligned ways can create a powerful ripple effect.

• Oppose a Damaging Policy. The next level is taking a stand on a specific policy. This doesn’t mean endorsing candidates or parties — it means naming the harm that a particular decision will cause and speaking publicly about it. Consider ourBRIDGE for Kids, which earlier this year lost federally derived after-school funding without warning. The organization didn’t stay quiet. Staff and board members went to the media, explained how the cuts would harm local children, and urged the state Attorney General to intervene. These advocacy efforts ultimately resulted in funding being restored. Without clear public advocacy, those dollars likely would have been lost.

• Galvanize Your Constituency. The boldest approach is to mobilize your base: ask constituents to call legislators, sign petitions, attend rallies, or submit public comments. For many service providers, this feels like unfamiliar territory. But as policy changes mount, it may become necessary. After all, who better to tell your impact story than the people you serve and the supporters who believe in your mission?

Each approach along this spectrum comes with trade-offs. Individual action is safe but limited. Policy opposition is riskier but potentially powerful. And mobilizing constituents can transform systems but requires courage and resources. The key is to decide where your organization will stand.

What Can We Do About It? An Advocacy Toolkit

If your leadership decides the time has come to engage in advocacy, here are four foundational steps to guide the work:

1. Define clear goals. Advocacy without a clear objective becomes noise. Whether you aim to restore funding, change eligibility rules, or build awareness of an issue, having clarity will keep your efforts focused and prevent message drift.
2. Identify your target audience. Focus on those with the power to influence the outcome, whether they’re state legislators, local agency heads, school boards, or corporate partners. But equally prioritize who your messengers will be, recognizing that the most credible advocates are often constituents, volunteers, or community allies rather than staff or board members.
3. Craft your message and call-to-action. Craft your communications with simplicity in mind: focus on one problem, one solution, and one clear action for supporters to take. Avoid jargon and link the issue directly to your mission and the lives of those you serve. Make the call-to-action specific and easy to follow to ensure strong engagement and impact.
4. Implement and monitor. Advocacy requires persistence. It's essential to roll out your campaign methodically, track engagement carefully, evaluate results regularly, and make adjustments as needed. Celebrate small wins along the way to help maintain momentum and keep supporters motivated for the long haul.

These steps may seem basic, but they're effective. Advocacy need not feel overwhelming. It can be seamlessly integrated into your existing communications and aligned with your broader strategy. By weaving advocacy messages into regular outreach channels and coordinating with overall organizational goals, social good institutions can amplify their impact while maintaining consistency and clarity in their messaging.

What Do Your Values Tell You? 

True advocacy transcends tactics and campaigns; it’s a profound commitment to standing alongside those most affected by injustice and amplifying their voices. It challenges organizations to expand their own understanding, confront uncomfortable realities, and embrace the courage that sustained social change demands. 

In this way, advocacy isn’t just a strategy concept but an essential expression of the values and vision at the heart of every social good institution.

If you’d like some help navigating these topics, reach out for a free consultation. We’re here to help.

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