Advocacy, Lobbying, and Public Policy
CAN's advocacy work aims to ensure that the policies, laws and regulations governing California nonprofits are fair and reasonable and do not hinder the work of the nonprofit sector.
- To see CAN's 2007 Public Policy Agenda, please click here.
- To subscribe to the CAN Policy Update e-newsletter or view the archives, click here.
- For additional information, please click on Mission, Goals, and Activities.
Who Does the Work
CAN is advised by the CAN Policy Council (CPC), a diverse group of 30 nonprofit leaders who set policy priorities for the sector, review and take stands on pending legislation, educate and negotiate with lawmakers on proposed bills, and fight for nonprofits in the halls of power.
In addition, CAN works closely with the CAN Regional Partners Network to influence local policy, and with national partners to raise nonprofit voices at the federal level.
CAN's Sacramento presence includes a full-time Public Policy Director, Ken Larsen, and a legislative advocate, Kathy Lynch of Lynch & Associates. For more details, please click CAN’s Public Policy Structure.
What We've Accomplished
In the decade-plus that it has engaged in advocacy work, CAN has saved California nonprofits millions of dollars and countless hours of administrative paperwork. It has increased awareness of nonprofit concerns among lawmakers and generated dialogue in Sacramento about the potential impacts of various proposals on nonprofit organizations. And it has trained thousands of nonprofit leaders in advocacy and lobbying skills -- increasing the skills of sector professionals in influencing legislation.
For more about our policy accomplishments, click on CAN’s Policy Accomplishments or CAN Regional Partner Accomplishments.
In addition, CAN publishes plenty of policy-related resources for California nonprofits! Check out Current Issues and Activities for information on what's currently brewing in the Capitol. Visit our Staff Room for Advocates for articles, studies, and books you might like, as well as a listserv for policy discussions.
And don't forget to sign up for the CAN Policy Update now to stay apprised of the latest policy developments impacting California nonprofits!
