This article reviews how research on nonprofit organizations has traditionally defined advocacy and its function in the public policy process as rights-based expression and association and suggests the usefulness of an expanded definition. Nonprofits participate in a variety of public decisions at different points in the policy cycle. The authors argue that building social capital, facilitating civic participation, and providing public voice are activities central to an analysis of the interaction of nonprofits and public policy in democratic civil society. The article also analyzes the IRS data sets and National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) classification system available to researchers from the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS) to assess their strengths and weaknesses for measuring advocacy activities. By evaluating the problems in accurately describing, analyzing, and collecting data on nonprofit organizations that facilitate a public role in decision making, this article develops some alternative definitions and models of advocacy.
• This article argues that a foundation's internal culture is critical to achieving large-scale social change, but that efforts to build a change-making culture too often are left out of strategy conversations. • While there is no one culture that suits every foundation, a particular set of characteristics must be present in those that seek large-scale social change: a focus on outcomes, transparency, authenticity, collaboration, racial equity and inclusion, continuous learning, and openness to risk. • This article offers insights into why culture can be challenging for foundations to address and maintain, examines cases of successful culture change at foundations, and offers advice for foundations that aspire to it.
He has 37 years of experience as a pastor, 27 of them with one church on the north side of Indianapolis. His primary research interests include faith-based social entrepreneurship and enterprise.
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