Fired up: Nonprofit Advocacy in 2026

Written By Zane Slacum
By Laura McGarry

Over the course of my career in the public sector, I’ve been particularly interested in the ways in which average people can fight against injustice and make big changes in their communities. I suppose my path was set when I climbed out a window in my middle school classroom to join a school walkout against the Gulf War. With this long-standing passion and an eye to the mid-term elections this year, I volunteered to write a blog about the ways that nonprofits can legally engage in policy and advocacy work. But as early 2026 arrived, and my deadline for writing this blog loomed, I found myself asking: How in the world can I write something that ultimately points out that nonprofits can or should do more? Do more after 2025 dealt the nonprofit sector, individual nonprofits, the people who work for them, and the people they serve some of the biggest blows that I’ve seen across my 20+ tenure in the sector?! Given this reality, the ask felt unfair and a little tone deaf.

But, as is often the case, I had a change of perspective after reading a blog by the inimitable Vu Le. In his February 17 blog—Year of the Fire Horse, and what it means for our sector, Vu reflects on the symbolism of the Lunar New Year that started on February 17. It’s a year that, according to Chinese Zodiac tradition, combines the horse—a symbol of movement, action, and victory— with the element of fire—a symbol of courage and effectiveness. He notes that this combination could set us up for a year that includes bold action and big wins. He also noted that last year (Lunar New Year of the Wood Snake) was about shedding old ways that no longer serve us (think: capitalism, white supremacy, patriarchy, racism) and reminded us that this work is painful, arduous, and…not pretty. 

So, as I metabolized this reframe, I started to feel better about the ask—both of myself and of the nonprofit sector—knowing that we are always stronger when we work together and that a sector that includes 262,000 jobs and creates a $62 billion impact in Colorado each year[1] is mighty and fiery and ready to keep shedding—while continuing to do the daily hard work that it takes to build the reality we are seeking. In support of this, I pulled together the following list of tools and resources that could be useful for nonprofits looking to engage in more, different, or better advocacy in 2026.

Nonprofit Advocacy Resources:

  1. Want more clarity about what a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legally can and can’t do in the advocacy space? The Advocacy Playbook Series from the Alliance for Justice has you covered.

  2. Thinking about the mid-terms too? Learn about how nonprofits can incorporate voter engagement into their current work with the Nonprofit Voter Engagement Toolkit from Nonprofit VOTE.

  3. Check out the National Council of Nonprofits, Take Action page and pick an option for engaging with the national nonprofit advocacy movement. This page has a wealth of resources around nonprofit advocacy and a list of key actions that anyone can engage in to support the nonprofit sector as a whole, including committees to join and direct links for calls to action for congress members.

  4. If you’re already engaged in advocacy and want to increase your efforts within the legal confines for advocacy as a 501(c)(3) organization, complete the Advocacy Check-Up: Nonprofit Self-Assessment from the Alliance for Justice.

  5. Interested in lobbying? Yes, 501(c)(3) organizations can engage in lobbying if they follow the legal guidance from the IRS and from their state. The National Council of Nonprofits has a good information page about this, and you can get Colorado specific information with Practical Guidance: What Nonprofits Need to Know About Lobbying in Colorado.

We know that you—our nonprofit partners—are doing so much already, but we’re hoping that this information will help you find opportunities to leverage your current work to have more impact in the advocacy space this year. We’re asking the same thing of ourselves—what more can we do to collaborate, advocate, and push for real change this year?  In solidarity, and with all the good-trouble-kind-of-angst of a 13-year-old at her first public protest, let us advocate well and warrior on in 2026.

Zane Slacum
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