On this episode we’re excited to highlight nonprofit success stories from around the country. While we talk about lobbying on this podcast, legislative wins are one type of advocacy victory. We’ll look at some legislative victories as well as other types of advocacy such as relationship building, corporate advocacy, and funding wins.  For some organizations, legislative victories can bring additional resources to your community. For other organizations, legislative victories can serve as harm reduction in the interim while we build a multi-racial democracy. We’ll also highlight strategies for talking about advocacy success to your donors and community.

 

Lawyers for this episode

Leslie Barnes

Sarah Efthymiou

 

Ballot Measure Victories

·      Ohio Issue 1

o   Double digit victory

o   Intersectional coalition work of grassroots organizations

o   Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom was one coalition of community-led nonprofits ranging from faith-based organizations, to racial justice and transgender rights nonprofits, from labor organizations to trade associations.

·      Other states that led the way on democracy-related measures Ballot measure recap by Victor Rivera Labiosa

California Legislative Victories – “Hot Labor Summer”

·      SB 616, paid sick leave

o   CA Work & Family Coalition, a coalition of community nonprofits

o   Part of the coalition’s strategy involved gathering variety of voices to be heard by collecting stories and bringing those voices to the policy makers.

 

·      SB 525, minimum wage increase to $25/hour for CA’s lowest-paid health care workers

o   SEIU United Healthcare Workers West

 

Organizing Victories – Equitable compensation

·      Black Leadership Action Coalition of Kentucky (BLACK) and Advocacy Based on Lived Experience (ABLE) 2 grassroots organizations

·      Adopted policies that center impacted community members in their work by compensating directly impacted volunteers for contributing their lived experiences and community organizing skills.

·      See guest blog below in shownotes

 

Strategies for talking to funders

·      Follow your funder’s lead

·      Investing in Change for other metrics to measure success

·      Don’t take credit candidate victories

 

Resources

·      Ballot Initiative Strategy Center – Ballot measure hub tracking challenges to direct democracy, past and upcoming ballot measures

·      Democracy in Action: Analyzing November’s Key Ballot Measure Wins

·      Two-part piece on Equitable Compensation Alicia Hurle

o   The Power of Equitable Compensation in Community Organizing Spaces

o   Building Community Empowerment