GlobalGiving seeks to accelerate community-led change by fostering a space where organizations, donors, and corporate partners around the world can connect, support one another, and, ultimately, make our world a better place. We understand that our nonprofit partners are in the thick of it, engaging with social issues, addressing systemic injustices, and advocating for specific causes.
As a 501(c)(3), GlobalGiving is required to follow IRS lobbying laws, which states “no organization may qualify for section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation (commonly known as lobbying).” For this reason, GlobalGiving allows projects that involve themselves in advocacy, but not direct lobbying.
The IRS defines lobbying as “attempting to influence legislation if it contacts, or urges the public to contact, members or employees of a legislative body for the purpose of proposing, supporting, or opposing legislation, or if the organization advocates the adoption or rejection of legislation.”
As a result, GlobalGiving reserves the right to reject any project, report, or appeal that:
Lobbying efforts aside, GlobalGiving welcomes nonprofits to advocate for their particular cause without the attempt to influence legislation or to participate in a political campaign on behalf of a candidate. This can include, but is not limited to, educating the public about a specific issue and identifying solutions to achieve social change that are not directly related to influencing legislation.
If you have questions or concerns regarding our Advocacy & Lobbying Community Standards, please contact us at projecthelp@globalgiving.org. For more information related to advocacy and lobbying activities apart from GlobalGiving, check out articles about nonprofit advocacy and lobbying published on our Learn Library.
