Exploring Challenges to Nonprofit Engagement in Advocacy

Abstract

Existing literature on nonprofit advocacy focuses on which environmental or organizational factors influence whether nonprofits engage in advocacy, as well as whether their advocacy influences change. This paper explores research on the dynamics between nonprofits, the government, and the policy making process. A thorough examination of nonprofit advocacy research, theoretical frameworks, and identified challenges is crucial in understanding the future of the nonprofit sector's capacity to advocate for the communities they serve. The research questions guiding my analysis of nonprofit advocacy are: 1. Based on theoretical frameworks and empirical findings, what are the greatest challenges to nonprofit engagement in advocacy? 2. How does nonprofit collaboration (coalitions, alliances) address challenges to nonprofit advocacy illuminated in research question 1? [From Introduction]