Results of the survey were presented to many community nonprofit workers last Thursday.
It’s hard not to see the growing need of nonprofit organizations in Milwaukee. With nearly 300 nonprofits working in and around Milwaukee, their impact is evident and noteworthy. However, a new survey found that nearly 60% of nonprofits surveyed in Milwaukee are not participating in lobbying or voter registration efforts across the community.
The survey, conducted by Ashlie Benson and Kyle Hagge, both Trinity Fellows from Marquette University, also found that several organizations believed they were unable to participate in these activities because of their 501 (C) 3 status—a federal status used to define charitable organizations.The research was presented to more than 50 nonprofit organizers last Thursday morning. A total of 78 nonprofit organizations participated in the survey. The results were not shocking to Hagge.
“We were anticipating nonprofits facing a lot of potential barriers to lobbying and voter registration,” said Hagge. “We hope they (nonprofits) see that they can be political, it’s just that they cannot be partisan.”The results were also not shocking to Ruth Weill, a community organizer who does work with the Riverwest Business Association.
“Unfortunately, not-for-profits have been under the assumption that they cannot advocate for the folks they work with,” she said.One of the main solutions to this issue proposed by the survey conductors is to participate in the 501 (H) election, an election that nonprofits can take that gives clearer guidelines for a nonprofit's ability to lobby.
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“Besides making things much clearer and definitions more precise, it also grants nonprofits more legal protection, increased capacity to lobby, and, in some cases, simplified record keeping,” said Hagge about the 501 (H) election.
Other solutions discussed included ensuring nonprofit leaders are aware that they are able to participate in these activities under the protection of the law, and ensuring organizations have adequate resources.
“Many organizations feel like they need to compete for funding, and therefore do not collaborate,” said Weill. “This is mostly because there isn't enough to go around, and many organizations are doing the same thing.”
Hagge and Benson are hopeful that the research will spark change across Milwaukee. “We do see the survey as a confirmation that there is a lot of opportunity for nonprofits in Milwaukee to start finding ways to incorporate lobbying and voter registration efforts into their daily activities,” he said. “We also see the survey and presentation as a way to facilitate nonprofits to connect with resources that can help them use these tools powerfully and effectively.”
Benson is also pushing for nation-wide reforms that will help aid nonprofits across the country. “In the long-run, we want to see a state-wide council that provides nonprofits with the information regarding the law and their role within the political landscape of our city, state and nation,” she said. “Such a council and institution would be able to support nonprofits on a variety of issues, and it is important to press toward structures that will enable sustainable efforts to be made.”
