Advocacy for Environmental Justice
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
Release Date: 05/14/2025
Politically Motivated Attacks Revisited
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
ROTG137 Politically Motivated Attacks Revisited Nonprofit advocates face a complex environment in 2025 where political disagreements routinely escalate into targeted attacks—ranging from carefully crafted misinformation to more extreme tactics like organizational funding cuts, subpoenas, and personal targeting. This episode explores the emerging challenges advocates encounter, offering insights into recognizing, preparing for, and navigating these increasingly sophisticated forms of political pushback. Attorneys for this Episode Brittany Hacker Tim Mooney Quyen Tu ...
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Advocacy for Labor and Economic Justice
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
Today we're wrapping up our eight-part series by exploring how labor and economic justice nonprofits can advance their missions through advocacy. We'll cover recent developments and examine both lobbying and non-lobbying strategies that advocates are using to improve economic justice for all. Attorneys for this episode Tim Mooney Susan Finkle Sourlis Sarah Efthymiou Shownotes Current Events / Executive Orders · Trump Administration Directives Impacting Workers o In March, President Trump issued an executive order exempting...
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Advocacy for Health and Disability Rights
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
Today we're diving into the seventh installment of our eight-part, issue-based podcast series, and we will explore how nonprofits that operate in the health and disability rights space can boldly advance their missions through advocacy. Not only will we touch on recent developments in the news, but we’ll also discuss various lobbying and non-lobbying strategies currently being used by nonprofit advocates working to improve healthcare access and disability rights. Attorneys for this episode Natalie Ossenfort Monika Graham Victor Rivera Shownotes Current Events /...
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Advocacy for Democracy and Voting Rights
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
Today we're diving into the sixth of our eight-part series, exploring how nonprofits champion democracy and protect voting rights. We'll unpack the strategies these organizations use to advocate for democratic participation while operating within the law. This conversation feels especially urgent as we see acceleration to challenges to voting rights and democratic institutions in 2025. Attorneys for this episode Tim Mooney Natalie Ossenfort Susan Finkle Sourlis Shownotes Current Events / Executive Orders · Trump Administration...
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Advocacy for Gender & Reproductive Justice
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
On this episode, the fifth installment of our eight-part, issue-specific series, we’ll explore how nonprofits can boldly and safely advocate for gender and reproductive justice. We’ll review recent policy developments and discuss how nonprofits can respond through legislative, executive, and judicial branch advocacy. Join us as we break down the rules and share recent examples of how nonprofits are advancing gender and reproductive justice. Attorneys for this episode Quyen Tu Brittany Hacker Melissa Marichal Zayas ...
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Advocacy for Environmental Justice
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
In today's episode continuing our eight-part series, we examine how nonprofits are effectively advocating for environmental justice. We'll analyze practical strategies for building awareness and securing advocacy funding while navigating the regulatory frameworks that govern nonprofit activism. Join us for a clear-eyed look at how organizations are making meaningful progress in environmental protection and climate action. Attorneys for this episode Tim Mooney Quyen Tu Susan Finkle Sourlis Shownotes Current Events / Executive Orders: ...
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Advocacy for Criminal Legal Reform
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
On this episode of the Rules of the Game podcast (the third in an eight-part, issue-specific podcast series), we’ll discuss recent headlines impacting criminal legal reform advocates and explain how nonprofits can take action with legislative, executive branch, and judicial branch advocacy. From responding to legislative proposals to initiating litigation, nonprofits nationwide are standing up to fight for our rights and critical reforms to our criminal legal system. This episode will highlight their work and provide information about the rules that apply when nonprofits engage in advocacy...
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Advocacy for Racial Justice, Civil Rights & Immigration
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
On this episode of the Rules of the Game podcast, the second installment of our eight-part series focusing on critical issues, we dive into the latest headlines shaping racial justice and immigrant rights. We’ll explore how nonprofits can play a pivotal role in advocating for change through legislative, executive, and judicial channels. From raising awareness to securing funding for advocacy efforts, nonprofits across the nation are stepping up in the fight to protect our rights. This episode not only highlights their impactful work but also provides crucial insights into the rules...
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Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Communities
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
On this episode of the Rules of the Game podcast (the first in an eight-part, issue-specific podcast series), we’ll discuss recent headlines impacting the LGBTQ+ community and explain how nonprofits can take action with legislative, executive branch, and judicial branch advocacy. From responding to executive orders to initiating litigation, nonprofits across the country are standing up to fight for our rights. This episode will highlight their work and provide information about the rules that apply when nonprofits engage in advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community. Attorneys for...
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Advocacy & Fiscal Sponsorship
Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast
For regular listeners of the pod, you may recall that we’ve discussed fiscal sponsorship in past episodes. Fiscal sponsorship is a great way for a new charitable organization to work with an existing 501(c)(3) to get up and running (including engaging in important advocacy) whether waiting to receive its own IRS tax-exempt status or not. Today, we’re going to look at this topic form a different point of view – that is, from the fiscal sponsor’s perspective. On this episode, we’ll chat about considerations fiscal sponsors should keep in mind when engaging in, and when...
info_outlineIn today's episode continuing our eight-part series, we examine how nonprofits are effectively advocating for environmental justice. We'll analyze practical strategies for building awareness and securing advocacy funding while navigating the regulatory frameworks that govern nonprofit activism. Join us for a clear-eyed look at how organizations are making meaningful progress in environmental protection and climate action.
Attorneys for this episode
Tim Mooney
Quyen Tu
Susan Finkle Sourlis
Shownotes
Current Events / Executive Orders:
• Trump Administration Environmental Rollbacks
• Rescinded EPA’s Environmental Justice Screening Tool (EJSCREEN)
• Repealed Biden-era executive orders on Justice40, climate equity, and cumulative impacts assessments
• Reinstated NEPA rules from 2019, reducing environmental review for pipelines, highways, and factories
• Revoked protections for sacred Indigenous lands (e.g., Bears Ears downsizing, drilling leases on Chaco Canyon perimeter)
• Impacts on Vulnerable Communities:
• Halted all EPA funding for community air monitoring programs in EJ-designated census tracts
• Suspended grants to community-based climate resilience projects
• Cut FEMA’s BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities) equity prioritization language
• Reopened refineries and power plants previously closed for Clean Air Act violations, especially in Black and Latino neighborhoods
• EPA DEI cuts:
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced plans to cancel nearly 800 environmental justice grants, totaling over $1.5 billion, which were intended to support projects mitigating climate change impacts in vulnerable communities .
• Additionally, the EPA is undergoing a reduction in force, affecting employees in its Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, as part of a broader effort to realign the agency’s mission
· Non-Lobbying Advocacy
o Nonpartisan Advocacy 101: 501(c)(3)s cannot support or oppose candidates for public office, but they can…
o Educate the public about issues of importance to your organization.
§ Waterkeeper Alliance is holding EPA Admin Lee Zeldin accountable for cuts to PFAS research.
o Hold a rally
§ Memphis Community Against Pollution rallied to celebrate a victory for clean water, while turning its attention to a clean air fight against an Elon Musk-owned company’s proposed data center.
o Initiate or participate in litigation
§ AFJ member Earthjustice has sued the Trump administration’s improper withholding of IRA grant funds for projects that included Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants to install solar panels on small farms.
o Fund Advocacy
§ Meyer Memorial Trust funded 41 organizations with EJ awards totaling $6.9 million in 2024 with a focus on frontline and indigenous communities
· Lobbying
o 501(c)(3) public charities are also allowed to use unrestricted funds to engage in some lobbying activities.
o Tax Code Lobbying 101: Public charities can lobby, but they are limited in how much lobbying they may engage in.
§ Insubstantial part test vs. 501(h) expenditure test.
§ Under either test, lobbying includes attempts to influence legislation at any level of government.
§ Track your local, state, and federal lobbying, and stay within your lobbying limits.
o State/local level lobbyist registration and reporting requirements may also apply when engaging in legislative and executive branch advocacy.
o Ballot measure advocacy (direct lobbying) could also implicate state / local campaign finance and election laws.
o Lobbying wins
§ Hawaii just passed a first-of-its-kind climate tax on short-term accommodations to fund defenses against climate change fueled disasters. Sierra Club of Hawaii has been actively lobbying on climate change legislation for years.
§ Ballot measure wins (h/t The Nature Conservancy)
· California: $10 billion climate bond that funds climate resilience, protecting clean drinking water and preventing catastrophic wildfires.
· Washington: An effort to roll back the state's Climate Commitment Act was defeated. The CCA provides millions for conservation, climate and wildfire funding, including funding for Tribal nations and at-risk communities.
· Minnesota: Renewal of the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund for another 25 years. The fund will provide $2 billion ($80 million per year from state lottery proceeds) to protect water, land and wildlife across the state.
Resources –
· Earth & Equity: The Advocacy Playbook for Environmental Justice
· Public Charities Can Lobby (Factsheet)
· Practical Guidance: what your nonprofit needs to know about lobbying in your state
· Investing in Change: A Funder’s Guide to Supporting Advocacy