Strengthening Civic Impact: An Evaluation of Nonprofit Public Policy Trainings

Last Updated (Thursday, 10 December 2009 16:09) Written by Administrator Thursday, 10 December 2009 15:51

Dear CLPI Colleagues:

Given the social and economic crisis facing underserved Americans and civil society, effective public policy involvement by the nation’s almost 1 million charities is as important as ever. To meet this need with limited resources, funders and charities alike are looking at practical ways to evaluate strategies for increasing nonprofit policy capacity and impact.

For more than 10 years, the Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest (CLPI) has trained and supported – through a network of experienced state-based policy practitioners and educators – thousands of charities as well as their staffs and boards. Now, we are pleased to provide an in-depth evaluation of our trainings for a wide range of charities and their leaders from trainings conducted between 2004 and 2008. 

Titled Strengthening Civic Impact: An Evaluation of Nonprofit Public Policy Trainings, the enclosed report provides quantitative and qualitative insights into two broad questions. First, did charities that received advocacy training – many new to public policy – take action to pursue policy engagement as an internal and external strategy, and what effect did it have on capacity and mission? Second, what do these charitable leaders report as the major barriers and success stories related to policy involvement, and how can CLPI and others best support effective nonprofit policy involvement in the future?

We would like to thank the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Northwest Area Foundation for their generous support of this report. These foundations have created a replicable model for strengthening civic impact by funding public policy training and support for their grantees and partners within their targeted communities.   

We believe you will be encouraged and better prepared to support nonprofit policy engagement after reading this report. We welcome your feedback and partnership for the future.
 
Sincerely,

Diane M. Canova, Esq.                    Lawrence S. Ottinger
Chair                                             President

Click here for the Full Report or the Executive Summary