Ask an Advisor Answers

I’m sure a lot of organizations will be interested in your question, thanks for asking. 

Advocacy (i.e., influencing policy, systems change, public-decision-making) is often central to Community Psychology/Community Development work — not only when it comes to service delivery but also for changing underlying structures. The Community Tool Box defines legislative advocacy as one key way for groups to push system-level change. Community Tool Box

But many funders and traditional program grants focus on direct service delivery rather than advocacy or infrastructure (such as staff time for policy work). Without dedicated staff time, advocacy tends to be ad hoc or layered on top of service work, which could contribute to burnout and undermine the sustained impact of the organization.

Funding Strategies for Staff Time in Advocacy

Here are some strategies Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) use for funding staff time for advocacy:

• General operating/unrestricted funding: securing funding that covers salary/benefits (or a portion) for staff whose role includes advocacy (policy, systems change). This strategy helps avoid the “project only” trap. Chapter 46, Section 4 of the Community Tool Box emphasises sustaining positions through core funding. You’ll need to articulate the role, the time allocation, and the expected outcomes of the advocacy work.

• Program grants with an advocacy component: traditional program grants that include a portion of staff time for advocacy/ policy work. For example, a grant might say: “X hours/week on policy/legislative work”.  Chapter 25, Section 5 of the Community Tool Box notes that organizations have to be clear about what counts as advocacy vs. service, tracking time, and ensuring alignment with funder terms.

• Coalition or multi-organization funding/backbone support CBOs partner with others and share or pool staff time (e.g., a coalition lawyer, a community organizer). Chapter 46, Section 6 of the Community Tool Box addresses sharing staff or time across organizations, which can be useful for smaller organizations that cannot fund full-time advocacy staff alone.

• Hybrid or earned-revenue models:some organizations develop fee-for-service, social enterprise or contract components to free up advocacy staff time. Research on “creative financing” in human service organizations notes using innovative funding strategies to support infrastructure, including staffing (Jaramillo et al., 2019).

• Dedicated advocacy or policy grants/foundations: some foundations explicitly support advocacy staffing (though fewer than service grants). See Potential Funding Sources below. 

• Government contracts/public funding for advocacy-adjacent work: In some cases, public agencies fund CBOs for policy-related roles (e.g., community engagement, systems change). The National Council of Nonprofits highlights possibilities for nonprofits to be eligible for, e.g., fiscal-recovery funds if they define projects that government decision-makers will recognize. 

Challenges & Strategies for Addressing Them

Some of the challenges you could face include: 

Challenge: Funders restrict advocacy/lobbying or are uncomfortable funding policy work.

Mitigation: Clarify distinction between “educating policy-makers” and “lobbying for/against specific legislation”, and ensure compliance. Chapter 33, Section 10 of the Community Tool Box provides guidance on what counts as lobbying.

 

Challenge: Staff burnout if advocacy is layered on top of heavy service loads.

Mitigation: Protect dedicated time for advocacy in job descriptions, monitor workload, build partnerships to share advocacy commitments.

 

Challenge: Advocacy outcomes can take longer than service outcomes, making it harder to demonstrate immediate deliverables.

Mitigation: Set short-term indicators (meetings, policy drafts, coalition formation) and frame them as steps toward longer change. Using an evaluation dashboard can help track the indicators.

 

Challenge: Sustaining funding for advocacy staff across funding cycles.

Mitigation: Build diversified funding streams, showcase impact, and foster relationships with funders who value systems change.

 

There are some practical steps you can take when you are building a plan to fund staff time for advocacy.

Clarify the advocacy role and time allocation

• Define what “advocacy” means for your organization (policy briefs? community mobilization? systems-change partnerships?). See Chapter 33 , Section 10 of the Community Tool Box for definitions and checklists.
• Estimate time required for advocacy activities and build this into job descriptions/budgets. See Chapter 25, Section 5 of the Community Tool Box
• Build a logical link between staff time and outcomes (e.g., policy change, increased funding, shifting decision-maker behaviour).
  
   

Budget advocacy time explicitly in grants/contracts

 

• When drafting program budgets, include a line item for “Advocacy staff: X % FTE” or “Policy & systems change coordinator, X hrs/week” and attach outcomes.
• In proposals, make the case for why advocacy is core to your mission, not a side activity. See Chapter 25, Section 5 of the Community Tool Box for language about “changing policies” as part of your strategy.
• For multi-year funding, make sure the advocacy role is sustainable, not just a one-off.
  
   

Seek flexible/unrestricted funding for infrastructure

 

• Apply for general-operating or core-funding grants that allow staff time for advocacy. Although these can be harder to secure, they are critical for sustainability. 
• Develop relationships with funders (or community foundations) who have expressed interest in policy change/systems change work.
  
   

Collaborate and share advocacy roles

 

• Partner with other CBOs and share advocacy staff time or coalition positions (e.g., one full-time coordinator serving several smaller orgs). Chapter 46, Section 6 of the Community Tool Box for a guide.
• This spreads cost, increases reach, and may make funders more willing to support.
  
   

Track and report advocacy time and outcomes

 

• Set up systems to track hours devoted to advocacy. Use surveys, timesheets, staff logs.
• Report outcomes: e.g., number of meetings with policy-makers, changes achieved, decision-maker commitments, community mobilization results. See Chapter 25, Section 5 of the Community Tool Box for information about planning measurable goals. 

Make the case to funders

 

• Use evidence that advocacy produces change: e.g., “nonprofits that engage in policy work can achieve systems-level change as well as program-level outcomes” See Candid.
• Highlight how advocacy staff time is not an add-on but integral to mission and long-term sustainability.

Funders Supporting Advocacy, Systems Change & Staff Infrastructure

I asked ChatGPT for a list of U.S - based funders that support advocacy, policy change, systems change, capacity-building or staff infrastructure in nonprofit/community-based settings, and here is the list it generated:

Ben & Jerry’s Foundation: Offers unrestricted operating grants for grassroots organizing (typically budgets under US $350K). Designed for community-based groups doing advocacy and systems-change work.

Campbell Foundation: Provides capacity-building and operational support that can include staffing, infrastructure, and professional development for advocacy.

Carnegie Corporation of New York: Funds work advancing education, democracy, and civic engagement — including policy and advocacy initiatives.

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: Offers capacity-building grants (US $100K–$250K) for nonprofit organizational development, which can include staff time for advocacy.

Ford Foundation: One of the largest social-justice funders globally; supports advocacy, equity, and systems-change work through general operating and multi-year grants.

Foundation for Systemic Change: Dedicated to supporting organizations promoting deep, structural social change — flexible funding that can cover advocacy staffing.

Meyer Foundation: Focuses on organizations using advocacy, organizing, and base-building to challenge inequitable systems. Provides flexible, general-operating support.

Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF):  Provides financing and consulting to strengthen nonprofit infrastructure — helping organizations sustain staff time and operations for advocacy work.

Open Society Foundations (OSF): Global leader in funding advocacy, governance, human rights, and justice work; supports NGOs engaging in policy and systems reform.

Public Welfare Foundation:  Supports justice, worker rights, and systems-change advocacy; funds organizing, policy development, and leadership roles.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF): Major national health-equity funder supporting policy and systems-change initiatives that improve community well-being.

Smith Richardson Foundation: Funds public-policy research and advocacy aimed at strengthening democracy and effective governance.

William & Flora Hewlett Foundation: Supports civic engagement, education, and environmental advocacy; offers flexible funding for policy and systems-change work.

William T. Grant Foundation: Funds capacity-building and policy research focused on youth and systems improvement — often includes staffing and evaluation roles.