Alliance for Justice and RoadMap Join Forces To Support Civic Engagement Efforts, Launch TIPS Hotline

As we enter this important mid-term election season the Alliance for Justice-Bolder Advocacy and RoadMap’s-Weathering the Storms program are joining forces to make sure you have the information you need to be bold, safe and compliant in your advocacy and civic engagement activities. We will work together to help you get the advice and technical assistance you need from one or both of us. Here are examples of the kinds of information we offer:

Alliance for Justice’s Bolder Advocacy program provides nonprofits and foundations with information, resources, and tools to help you navigate complex advocacy rules and regulations and build capacity for advocacy or community organizing. In addition to our website that contains a library of resources on lobbying vs. advocacy, recordkeeping, operating affiliated (c)(3)s and (c)(4)s, use of foundation funds, state-specific ballot measure rules, and more, we operate a year-round technical assistance hotline. We have an “on call” attorney available every day to help you structure your activities in a (c)(3) (or (c)(4))-permissible way. We can discuss questions such as:

• Can our (c)(3) staff attend a candidate fundraiser?
• How can our (c)(3) structure its voter engagement work when our affiliated (c)(4) is endorsing candidates?
• Can a 501(c)(3) criticize our sitting senator who is up for reelection in November?
• Can (c)(3)s host candidate forums or send briefing materials to candidates?
• How can a (c)(3) live tweet during a candidate debate?
• Can (c)(3)s support a ballot measure or partner with a 501(c)(4) to register voters?
• Should we create an affiliated (c)(4)? Should the (c)(4) create a PAC?

For assistance, you can call us! Or email us or submit a question online.  Email your question to advocacy@afj.org; fill out a simple form online here; or call during standard business hours, 866-NP-LOBBY (866-675-6229).

RoadMap Consulting’s “Weathering the Storms” program provides training and practical tips for 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations to strengthen your readiness and resilience in the face of attacks and threats to your stability and success.

As we enter this important mid-term election season RoadMap has set up a TIPS (Technical Information for Power and Security) hotline. Get immediate practical advice to your pressing civic engagement questions such as:

• How do we train and prepare our door canvassers to stay safe, avoid entrapment attempts and to make sure they don’t engage in prohibited activity?
• How do we keep our lists and data safe?
• How do we hold a strategic planning meeting involving the non-overlapping board members from our (c)(3) and (c)(4) without expecting our busy board members to attend two separate sessions on alternating weekends?
• How do we describe our new (c)(4) organization and its relationship with our pre-existing (c)(3) organization, in order and fend off an accusation that our (c)(3) is now politicking? How do we make sure the media and our allies don’t mix up our organizations?
• Effective and allowable phone scripts,
• Messaging,
• Time tracking, accounting systems, payroll, list building,
• Volunteer management,
• Event safety protocols
• Scenarios for training our staff and volunteers regarding allowable (c)(3) and (c)(4) activities

To Contact the TIPS Line: (727) 900-6722 or email your question: tips@roadmapconsulting.org

Election TIPS Hotline = Technical Information for Power & Security

Both of our organizations also provide in-person training. Contact us for rates and scheduling.