Grassroots advocacy movements and community engagement

Commuity Advocacy Project: The Impact of Others

It is important in the position of advocacy to give consideration to the community impact and to the impact as an individual and this requires that ethical and legal issues be addressed relating to the advocacy plan. Specifically, the participation on some advocacy campaigns may be in appropriate depending upon the individual's position of employment. The focus of this study is to reflect on the legalities of advocacy work and consider any legal and ethical barriers that the employment setting will have on the ability to implement the advocacy plan and reflect on how one might use special interest groups in the community in the efforts to create public health policy change. As well, this study will consider the potential social change implications of the advocacy efforts.

Non-profits and Lobbying

When employed for non-profit organization considerations of advocacy must include the fact that while non-profits are allowed to lobby "no substantial part of the activities of a 501(c)(3) public charity may consist of lobbying." (Vernick, 1999, p.1426) In the event that a public non-profit takes part in too much lobbying then the non-profit will be charged additional taxes and may even lose its tax-exempt status. (Vernick, 1999, paraphrased) Direct lobbying is defined by the IRS as "any attempt to influence legislation through communication with legislators." (Vernick, 1999, p. 1426)

II. Grass-Root Lobbying

Grass-root lobbying is the method that can be utilized by non-profit organizations to attempt to influence legislation. Grass-roots lobbying has specific requirements including: (1) grass-root lobbying must reference specific legislation; (2) grass-root lobbying must reflect some type of view of the legislation at focus; and (3) grass-root lobbying must include some type of "call to action." (Vernick, 1999, p. 1426) Grass-roots lobbying will assist the non-profit organization in building the momentum and support to bring about legislative changes. The work of Blacksher (2008) relates the debate concerning policy on health reform and the disconnects in policy in this area. Grass-root focused advocacy has the potential to inform and assist the process of determining the best methods to use in health reform. Other serious health issues such as Aids and Cancer can benefit from grass-root advocacy. For example grass-roots advocacy assisted ACS CAN in raising funding for cancer research and diagnosis and the Relay for Life events is reported to have raised a great deal of money and to have collected approximately 2,400 petitions for research in cancer as well as enrolling 512 constituents in the text-messaging alert program. Grass-roots advocacy serves to inform the public of the issues that needed to be addressed as well as can be used in gaining public support and this all serves to push the information into the mainstream and into the public discussion reaching the ears of legislators and others who are in a position to bring about legislative and regulatory changes. As related in the work of Albarouki (nd) grass-root advocacy is needed in the area of combating and preventing outbreaks of tuberculosis in developing countries. While progress has been made, Albarouki states specifically "Accomplishment of worldwide tuberculosis control objectives and preservation of these improvements needs peak national health policies and services, with continuing venture into new methods and stratagems. Despite increasing funding in the last three years, a grave underperformance perseveres." (p. 7)