Tips for Engaging with the Media
If your nonprofit is looking to increase its reach and awareness for your policy asks, you’ll want to consider engaging with media as part of your overall strategy. To help you effectively engage, we asked our trusted contacts in media for their best tips and now we are sharing them with you to help you get started and feel more confident in reaching out to media.
Advocacy is a Journey, Not a Destination
Consider this: advocacy is a journey, not a destination. An election period may be a great time to reinforce policy advocacy for nonprofits, but advocacy is a long-term commitment that requires persistence and dedication to work towards your desired outcome throughout election cycles. Here are some tips to keep you on track and motivated throughout your advocacy journey.
Developing an Engagement Strategy
If your nonprofit has spent time determining a policy agenda, it’s time to develop an action plan. The development and implementation of an engagement strategy is often when the work becomes publicly visible. Choosing to make your policy priorities visible is a significant step for your nonprofit and should be approached in a coordinated and strategic manner.
Premier's Roundtable for Nonprofits
Last week, Alexa Briggs, CCVO Manager, Policy & Research, was among 25 leaders in the nonprofit sector in Calgary who had the opportunity to meet with Premier Rachel Notley, the Clerk of the Executive Council, Marcia Nelsom, and senior staff from the Government of Alberta. Attendees were asked to reflect on trends in the sector, as well as the relationship with the government.
Setting a Policy Agenda
There are no step-by-step rules or established set of parameters that nonprofits can follow to ensure success when seeking public policy change. What we can do, though, is develop a policy agenda - a set of issues or problems aimed at gaining the attention of policymakers and decision-makers - sometimes known as the “policy ask”.
Rules of Engagement for Nonprofit Advocacy
Before engaging in public policy advocacy, nonprofits should make sure they understand the rules and regulations around what they can and cannot do, so that they can engage with clarity and confidence. Knowing the rules can empower your nonprofit to lead and provoke important discussions about issues, raising much-needed awareness for these issues with politicians, decision-makers, and the public.
CCVO Responds to CRA’s Proposed Guidance Documents on Charities and Public Policy Advocacy
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has shared proposed guidance documents that will help charities interpret the legislation related to public policy advocacy. This follows the recent proposed Income Tax Act (ITA) amendments by the Department of Finance. CCVO sees the proposed ITA amendments and accompanying guidance documents as good overall progress towards better supporting charities.
Navigating the Alberta Government
Not sure which government level does what? With the spring 2019 Provincial Election approaching, we’d like to share a refresher on the different levels of government, how the Alberta Government works, and how your nonprofit can effectively engage.
Policy to the Point: The Alberta Government
Nonprofits are intrinsically linked to the Alberta Government. Due to the pertinent role the government serves, CCVO has provided a refresher on how the Alberta Government works with the aim to elevate your understanding and assist in your engagement with the provincial government.
CCVO Responds to Department of Finance’s Income Tax Act Amendments
In a joint letter with Imagine Canada, CCVO responded to the proposed Income Tax Act amendments from the Department of Finance. While we recognize the significant steps taken to modernize the regulatory regime for registered charities, we note that the changes are only an initial step toward a broader review.
Why Advocacy Matters: The Crucial Role that Nonprofits Play
The nonprofit sector contributes significantly to society, the economy, and democratic participation – as such, the potential political influence of the sector should not be underestimated. Engaging in advocacy is an opportunity for nonprofits to share their priorities with the public, represent communities, advance policies, and promote funding of meaningful objectives.
Policy to the Point: Preparing for Cannabis Legalization
The legalization of cannabis this October will impact nonprofit workplaces and regulations, but also result in a new wave of related services, programs and nonprofit organizations. As Canada becomes among the first international jurisdictions to legalize cannabis, the beginning stages will require all members of the community to learn, adapt and be flexible.
Why Nonprofits Matter: 3 Major Contributions of the Nonprofit Sector
In advance of the upcoming provincial election, it’s important for nonprofits to recognize the potential influence they have, and meaningfully engage in public policy dialogue to capture the attention of political parties and candidates.
Policy to the Point: Influencing Public Policy
Charities are a source of insight and expertise about the communities and the people they serve and sharing this knowledge with all levels of government can lead to more effective public policy.
Alberta Minimum Wage Increase Coming October 1
Alberta's minimum wage will increase to $15.00 an hour, up from $13.60 an hour. This increase will mark the final stage in a series of minimum wage increases enacted by the Alberta Government. In 2015, Alberta was the first province to commit to a $15.00 minimum wage phase-in, and as of October 1st, will be the first province or state in North America to accomplish it.