November 10, 2012

We are writing to add to the thoughtful debate on Beyond the Cause: The Art and Science of Advocacy, a study of nonprofit advocacy published by Independent Sector, a leadership network of approximately 600 nonprofits and foundations.

Advocacy has long been a central tenet of the charitable sector's work at the local, state, and federal levels. In today’s fiscal and legislative environment, the ability of nonprofit organizations to raise their voice on public policy issues has never been more important. With so much at stake, IS set out two years ago to learn from successful policy advocates and contribute to improving our community’s ability to advocate.

The 19-month study drew from experiences and insights of over 1,000 nonprofit and foundation CEOs, senior public policy professionals, thought leaders, and political advisors familiar with the sector. Input was gathered through three surveys and over 100 interviews; the analysis included seven case studies, a literature review, six issues analyses, and network maps that depicted 528 organizations’ involvement in sector-wide issues. Many study participants expressed a deep interest in improving our sector’s ability to achieve its public policy goals.

The study includes two sections. The first sets forth five specific approaches to advocacy that successful organizations have used consistently to achieve their federal policy goals, and is relevant to a wide range of advocacy efforts. The second section examines the community of organizations engaged in sector-wide public policy issues, such as nonprofit tax exemptions and the charitable tax deduction. This section includes a recommendation based on the finding that the nonprofit sector could improve advocacy on its own behalf by working together to achieve a proactive long-term strategy. The research showed the chances of success are enhanced when a single organization serves as the convener and coordinator for many individual efforts. Whether IS or another organization fills this role is not important to us compared to our belief in the need for a comprehensive effort to achieve shared goals. We welcome other ideas about how to improve our work together.

Our hope with this important study is to generate discussion on all the recommendations so that together we might chart a path toward greater effectiveness on behalf of all those who advocate in our community. Those discussions have begun, and will continue during the IS conference and in various forums that follow. We encourage anyone with thoughts on the study and our sector’s future to speak out. Dialogue is essential so that we can align our efforts toward a just and inclusive society and a healthy democracy of active citizens, effective institutions, and vibrant communities.

Lastly, we thank Celia Roady of Morgan, Lewis and Bockius LLP, and Nan Aron of Alliance for Justice for their contributions to the technical accuracy of legal definitions in the appendices to this report. The correct version is now on the IS website.

With Best Regards,


Kelvin H. Taketa
President, Hawai’i Community Foundation
Chair, Independent Sector



Stephen B. Heintz
President, Rockefeller Brothers Fund
Chair on Leave, Independent Sector



Kyle Caldwell
President, Michigan Nonprofit Association
Board Member and Chair of Public Policy Committee, Independent Sector


John R. Seffrin, PhD
Chief Executive Officer, American Cancer Society
Past Chair, Independent Sector