BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Social Current - ECPv6.15.18//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.social-current.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Social Current REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20250309T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20251102T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20270314T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20271107T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260409T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260409T140000 DTSTAMP:20260410T133122 CREATED:20260312T171230Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260316T201854Z UID:10000596-1775739600-1775743200@www.social-current.org SUMMARY:The Essentials of Advocacy and Lobbying DESCRIPTION:Register \n \n Advocacy is one of the social sector’s most powerful tools for advancing community well-being and strengthening our missions\, but lobbying restrictions and persistent misconceptions often create uncertainty about when and how nonprofit organizations can engage. \nThis webinar is designed to support human services organizations in engaging in responsive\, strategic advocacy by clarifying the legal responsibilities and opportunities available to 501(c)(3) organizations. Participants will examine the distinctions between advocacy and lobbying through practical case studies\, and gain clarity on what activities are permitted\, restricted\, or reportable. The session will also introduce the 501(h) election and key considerations for organizations deciding whether to file. \nTakeaways\n\nHow to distinguish advocacy\, lobbying\, and permissible nonprofit activities\nKey federal and state advocacy pathways to support responsive\, strategic advocacy\nInternal roles in advocacy (staff\, leadership\, board)\n\nWho Should Attend\n\nExecutive Directors and Senior Management: Leaders responsible for setting organizational strategy and engaging with policymakers and stakeholders\nAdvocacy and Policy Directors: Individuals who develop and implement advocacy strategies and engage in policy analysis and outreach\nCommunications and Public Relations Managers: Professionals focused on crafting and disseminating the organization’s message to the public and media\nProgram Managers and Coordinators: Staff who oversee program implementation and need to align program goals with advocacy efforts\nMembers of the Social Current Grassroots Advocacy Network: Join online\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Blair Abelle-Kiser\, PhD\n \n Senior Director of Government Affairs\nSocial Current \n \n Biography\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Blair Abelle-Kiser\, PhD\n Senior Director of Government Affairs\nSocial Current \n \n Blair Kiser\, Ph.D.\, joined Social Current in 2022 after working in health policy on Capitol Hill\, the non-profit sector\, and as a biomedical researcher. Most recently\, Blair served as Director of Government Relations & Advocacy for NephCure Kidney International. \nDuring their time in public service\, they served as a Professional Staff Member of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis. They led a corporate investigation regarding insider trading and financial improprieties\, conflicts of interest associated with Operation Warp Speed’s leadership\, and scientific information politicization. Prior to joining the Select Subcommittee\, they worked for Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH)\, where they served as a Health Policy Fellow. In Senator Brown’s office\, they led a range of legislative and oversight efforts involving public health and healthcare. During the COVID-19 pandemic\, they worked with several community hospice advocacy organizations and a Republican office to help craft the bipartisan COVID-19 Hospice Respite Care Relief Act of 2020. \nPrior to public service\, Blair spent several years as a medical research scientist on several industry and NIH-funded projects. Their work focused on developing research projects and clinical trials to improve the lives of African Americans with Sickle Cell Disease. They earned a doctorate in Biomedical Science from Morehouse School of Medicine in 2017 and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Kentucky in 2011. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Abigail Levine\, MSW\n \n Field Mobilization and Policy Manager\nSocial Current \n \n Biography\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Abigail Levine\, MSW\n Field Mobilization and Policy Manager\nSocial Current \n \n Abigail Levine\, MSW\, joined Social Current in 2024 as its field mobilization and policy manager. Abigail has worked closely at the state and local levels to implement robust trauma-informed programming\, increase children’s access to positive childhood experiences\, and promote safer experiences within schools for children with disabilities. In her previous role as a policy analyst\, Abigail worked closely with multiple stakeholders\, including parents\, educators\, and law enforcement\, to develop\, advocate for\, and implement legislation representative of their community’s unique needs. URL:https://www.social-current.org/event/the-essentials-of-advocacy-and-lobbying/ CATEGORIES:Policy ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.social-current.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Policy-Advocacy_1.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR