Advocacy and Lobbying
While registered nonprofit organizations in Canada often wish to influence governments to legislate programs that favour their mission, they are constrained by law as to how, and how much, they can do this. These sites cover the ins and outs of successful lobbying within the law.
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See this guideline from the CRA regarding what is allowable in the way of advocacy activities for registered charities. If you don't stay within these guidelines you run the risk of losing your charitable status.Government of Canada Canada Revenue Agency -
For a general introduction to lobbying and advocacy see this site by NP Action, a service offering help in becoming more effective in carrying out advocacy agendas. It is operated by OMB watch, a 20 year old nonprofit organization created to promote government accountability and citizen participation in the U.S. Though the info here is U.S. oriented the general techniques have value for all.NP Action -
This free book is for the U.S. but several parts are relevant for Canada such as the role of a Government Relations Committee at the board level.Independent Sector -
The Community Tool Box is a site created and maintained by the Work Group on Health Promotion and Community Development at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas (U.S.A). It has been on line since 1995, and it continues to grow on a weekly basis. The Tool Box provides over 6,000 pages of practical information to support organizations focused on promoting community health and development but much of its content is equally valuable for all types of nonprofits.University of Kentucky Community Tool Box