Co-Sponsors: Fund for Housing and Opportunity, North Carolina Network of Grantmakers, and Heading Home Minnesota Funders Collaborative

Thursday, March 27, 2025 | 1:00pm ET, 12:00pm CT, 11:00am MT, 10:00am PT

Philanthropy plays a critical role in advancing housing justice and systemic change—but many funders remain uncertain about how they can legally and effectively engage in advocacy. This training by Alliance for Justice will equip foundation leaders and staff with a clear understanding of how private and public foundations can support advocacy efforts, including what activities foundations can engage in directly and how to fund grantees that advocate and lobby.

As we navigate pressing policy issues under the current administration—including legislation such as H.R. 9495—this session will provide real-world case studies and tailored guidance on how funders can leverage their voices and resources to support meaningful policy change led by community partners and organizers.

Participants will learn:

• Why public and private foundations should support advocacy, particularly in the context of today’s policy landscape.
• What activities constitute advocacy and public policy work.
• How foundations can engage in various advocacy roles while remaining compliant with legal guidelines.
• Key distinctions between advocacy and lobbying under the tax code.
• Exceptions to lobbying restrictions that allow private foundations to participate in certain advocacy activities.
• Guidance on making general support, specific projects, and multi-year grants to nonprofits that lobby.
• Best practices for grant agreement language that enables effective policy work.

This session builds on the insights from the Bolder Advocacy resource "Investing in Change: A Funder’s Guide to Supporting Advocacy" and is designed for foundation staff and trustees who want to maximize their impact in advancing equitable housing solutions.

Registration

Please RSVP for this call using the button below. You will receive your unique Zoom link once a Funders Together staff person has approved your registration.

Please note: Participation in Funders Together programming is limited to foundations, community foundations, grantmaking staff at United Ways, corporate giving programs, individual philanthropists, venture philanthropy and other non-traditional philanthropic giving entities, philanthropy-serving organizations, and members of Funders Together. Government funders and staff at organizations where grantmaking is not the primary function are not eligible to participate. Funders Together reserves the right to deny participation to individuals we believe do not meet participation eligibility criteria. If you have questions about your eligibility, please reach out to Rachelle A. Matthews (RAM), Director of Membership and Programs.

Technology

This training call will take place via Zoom webinar. Registration will be open until the time of the call. If you do not receive your Zoom link or have technical issues logging into this call, please reach out to Rachelle A. Matthews (RAM) at [email protected].

The training will last 1 hour and 30 minutes.