Mar 31, 2025
When federal funding is at risk, diversification is a smart long-term strategy. But there's a more immediate response nonprofits can’t afford to ignore — advocacy. In this episode, we break down what advocacy really means, how it works, and why it’s essential for every nonprofit to get involved right now. Join us as we explore how to make your voice heard and protect the funding that fuels your mission.
Want to suggest a topic, guest, or nonprofit organization for an upcoming episode? Send an email with the subject "NPFX suggestion" to contact@ipmadvancement.com.
Additional Resources
Advocacy & Lobbying Resources for Nonprofits
https://patlibby.com
The Nonprofit Alliance's Action Alerts about Federal
Funding
https://tnpa.org/federalfunding/
Alliance for Justice Resource Library
https://afj.org/resource-library/
[NPFX] Can Nonprofits Lobby? How
LGBTQ and Other Organizations Can Influence Lawmakers
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/npfx/can-nonprofits-lobby-how-lgbtq-and-other-organizations-can-influence-lawmakers
Pat Libby is one of the
nation’s leading experts on citizen lobbying campaigns. A long-time
nonprofit leader, consultant, and recovering academic, Pat has made
it her mission to teach nonprofit leaders and everyday people how
to create change through the legislative process.
She is the author of The Empowered Citizens Guide and
The Lobbying Strategy Handbook — funny, relatable books
written for anyone who sees a glaring injustice or community-wide
problem and wants to scream, “There ought to be law!” but doesn’t
know how to make it happen. Pat makes conducting a successful
grassroots lobbying campaign seem relatively painless by sharing
her easy-to-follow formula and pulling the curtain back on things
we think we should know but don’t. The books are illustrated by
real-life examples of people who used her 10-step strategy to pass
laws, and contain detailed information on the rules governing
nonprofit lobbying. Pat created her strategy while leading a
nonprofit organization; since then, it has been used by novice
citizen activists throughout the country to pass new laws,
including many in California where she resides. You can find many
free
resources on her website.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patlibbynonprofitconsulting/
https://patlibby.com
Kendra E. Davenport,
MPL, CFRE, is President and CEO of Easterseals, a leading organization that makes a
lasting difference in the lives of 1.5 million people each year by
providing essential services to children and adults with
disabilities, older adults, veterans, and their families. Kendra
oversees the National Office and a federated network of 70
Affiliates whose markets cover 48 states and Washington, D.C. For
more than three decades, Kendra has been a leader and innovator in
the nonprofit sector, with a consistent focus to facilitating
critical services and interventions with organizations specializing
in health and human services and disability rights, ensuring
everyone can lead full lives. Kendra has extensive management
experience, having managed over 1,000 international staff across
eighteen sub-Saharan countries while working for one of the largest
African American-founded and led nonprofits at the time. She is
highly regarded not only for her extensive work in the nonprofit
sector and for her leadership amid change, but for her commitment
to transparency, accountability, and strong focus on collaboration.
Kendra is a graduate of Georgetown University’s McCourt School of
Public Policy, and serves on boards for organizations that span
health, education, civil rights and social action, and economic
empowerment.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendradavenport/
https://www.easterseals.com/
Shannon McCracken is
the founding CEO of The Nonprofit Alliance and has been named to
The NonProfit Times Power & Influence Top 50 for the last
three years. She spent two years as Charity Navigator’s Chief
Development Officer, facilitating communication with nonprofit
organizations and increasing resources to ensure the successful
implementation of a new strategic plan, and subsequently served on
Charity Navigator’s board of directors. Shannon spent 17 years with
Special Olympics International, most recently as Vice President of
Donor Development. While at Special Olympics, she served as the DMA
Nonprofit Federation Advisory Council Chair and Chair of the Ethics
Committee. Shannon is a Certified Association Executive with a
master’s in Nonprofit and Association Management. She serves on the
Fundraising.AI Advisory Council and the Fundraising Effectiveness
Project Steering Committee as Government Relations Chair.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/smccracken/
https://tnpa.org/
Russ Phaneuf, a
co-founder of IPM Advancement, has a background in higher education
development, with positions at the University of Hartford, Northern
Arizona University, and Thunderbird School of Global Management. As
IPM's managing director & chief strategist, Russ serves as lead
fundraising strategist, award-winning content creator, and program
analyst specializing in applied system dynamics.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/russphaneuf/
Rich Frazier has
worked in the nonprofit sector for over 30 years. In his role as
senior consultant with IPM Advancement, Rich offers extensive
understanding and knowledge in major gifts program management, fund
development, strategic planning, and board of directors
development.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/richfrazier/