Raising Awareness Content Topic Results

Legislative Advocacy for Nonprofit Organizations

berdman — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 18:11:22 +0000

Legislative Advocacy for Nonprofit Organizations berdman Wed, 06/21/2017 - 14:11

Published

July 01, 2017

Author(s)

Breckan Erdman Winters

Rosie Hidalgo

Shaina Goodman

Legislative action has long played an important role in the movement to end gender-based violence, often as a critical component of the grassroots activism of survivors, advocates, and other people committed to mobilizing to end gender-based violence (ICADV 2009). In order to have widespread impact and improve the laws, policies and systems that affect victims of gender-based violence, engaging in advocacy with legislators and policymakers at the local, state, and national level is essential.

Legislators and policy makers rely on hearing from constituents and community members about ways that laws can be improved to better address domestic and sexual violence. Through legislative advocacy and “lobbying,” domestic and sexual violence organizations can work to “improve policies that are responsive to the needs and realities of survivors as well as their children and families” by connecting legislators to the needs and lived experiences of survivors in their communities (National Latin@ Network). Lobbying is recognized as “a key way that nonprofits can advance their mission, amplify the voices of their supporters, educate policymakers, and protect their values" (Bolder Advocacy). As Nayantara Mehta writes, “Getting involved in the legislative process and having a say in policy discussions is not just an appropriate role for nonprofits; it is vital. If nonprofits are not speaking on behalf of their often-vulnerable communities, chances are nobody else is either.” (Mehta 2009).

Nonetheless, domestic and sexual violence organizations may hesitate to participate in legislative advocacy due to concerns about or limited understanding of the restrictions on 501(c)(3) nonprofits’ lobbying activities. While some activities, such as endorsing or opposing particular candidates for public office, are strictly prohibited, Congress specifically created rules that permit nonprofit organizations to engage in lobbying, as long as it does not constitute a “substantial part” of the organization’s activities. Additionally, nonprofits can also participate in other advocacy focused on influencing public policy, described in more detail below.

This collection is designed to provide assistance to nonprofit organizations interested in participating in legislative advocacy. Resources include materials describing the specific federal regulations limiting lobbying activities of 501(c)(3) nonprofits; details on the ways in which these organizations can participate in lobbying activities; specific information on legislative advocacy for domestic and sexual violence organizations; and useful advocacy tools and tips.

Please note that this collection is intended to provide general information on these topics and does not constitute legal advice.

WEBINAR: Domestic Violence 101

berdman — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:22:55 +0000

WEBINAR: Domestic Violence 101 berdman Fri, 09/26/2025 - 12:22

General Material

NRCDV Publications

Training Tools

Published Date

October, 2025

Publisher(s)

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)

Author(s)

Fatima Jayoma

To kick off Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2025, NRCDV offered an introductory webinar describing the dynamics and common tactics that characterize domestic violence. In this session, the presenter provides an overview of its root causes, as well as the scope and impact on individuals and society. Drawing connections to the theme for DVAM 2025, "With Survivors, Always," this session will help new advocates, allied professionals, students, and the general public achieve a basic understanding of this complex issue and how they can be part of the solution.

Associated Links

Recording (English)

Recording (Spanish)

Associated Files

Attachment	Size
Webinar Slides	1.83 MB

Material Categories

Community Organizing / Mobilization / Engagement

Raising Awareness

Core Competencies

Trauma Informed Approach

Domestic Violence

How can I stand with survivors for Domestic Violence Awareness Month and beyond?

berdman — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:54:43 +0000

How can I stand with survivors for Domestic Violence Awareness Month and beyond? berdman Fri, 09/26/2025 - 12:54

General Material

NRCDV Publications

Published Date

September, 2025

Author(s)

Breckan Erdman Winters

Survivors deserve safety. Survivors deserve support. Survivors deserve solidarity. We are with survivors, always. This Technical Assistance Question (TAQ) explores ways to stand with survivors throughout Domestic Violence Awareness Month and beyond.

See more TAQs on the VAWnet News Blog.

Associated Links

TAQ: How can I stand with survivors for Domestic Violence Awareness Month and b…

Material Categories

Community Organizing / Mobilization / Engagement

Media Advocacy / Literacy

Raising Awareness

Domestic Violence

Press Release: NRCDV Responds to Dangerous Comments Minimizing Domestic Violence

berdman — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 17:35:03 +0000

Press Release: NRCDV Responds to Dangerous Comments Minimizing Domestic Violence berdman Tue, 09/09/2025 - 13:35

General Material

NRCDV Publications

Published Date

September, 2025

Publisher(s)

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)

The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) strongly disagrees with recent comments made by President Trump suggesting that “a little fight with the wife” should not be treated as a crime.

“Domestic violence is not a ‘little fight.’ It is a crime in every state,” said Pamela Jacobs, CEO of NRCDV. “Language that downplays abuse puts lives at risk. Domestic violence is a serious issue that affects 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men in their lifetimes. It’s the leading cause of death for pregnant and postpartum women. When leaders minimize violence in the home, it sends a message that survivors don’t matter and that those who use violence won’t be held accountable. That message is incredibly dangerous.”

Full press release available here.

Associated Files

Attachment	Size
Press Release: NRCDV Responds to Dangerous Comments (English)	245.54 KB
Press Release: NRCDV Responds to Dangerous Comments (Spanish)	446.28 KB

Material Categories

Raising Awareness

Attitudes / Perception / Awareness

Domestic Violence

Sexual Violence

Building a Community Coordinated Response to the Criminalization of Survivors: A Toolkit

berdman — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 13:42:04 +0000

Building a Community Coordinated Response to the Criminalization of Survivors: A Toolkit berdman Tue, 10/28/2025 - 09:42

General Material

Published Date

September, 2025

Publisher(s)

Battered Women's Justice Project (BWJP)

Author(s)

Sue Osthoff

Jane Sadusky

This toolkit from the Battered Women's Justice Project provides ideas, strategies, and techniques for addressing the need and challenges related to making survivors charged with crimes visible and central in a community’s response to domestic and sexual violence, with a particular emphasis on victims of battering charged with crimes.

Associated Links

Building a Community Coordinated Response to the Criminalization of Survivors: …

Material Categories

Community Organizing / Mobilization / Engagement

Coordinated Community Response

Storytelling Institute

ckeene — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 14:55:35 +0000

Storytelling Institute ckeene Mon, 08/11/2025 - 10:55

General Material

NRCDV Publications

Training Tools

Published Date

August, 2025

Publisher(s)

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)

Author(s)

Mothyna James-Brightful

Can you remember a time when you were impacted by the power of a captivating story? Facts and numbers are easily dismissible and often disregarded, but compelling stories evoke emotions and propel listeners or readers to act! Stories honor various backgrounds and lived experiences. They bring us back to the foundation of the domestic violence movement. The roots. The voices of survivors.

The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence's Storytelling Institute is a recorded virtual training for individuals who seek to move their target audiences from facts and numbers to taking action, utilizing storytelling as a tool for engagement. This interactive training provides participants with a digital companion guide, along with strategies and frameworks to identify storytelling goals, build a story bank, develop storytellers within your organization and nurture a sustainable culture of powerful storytelling.

The Institute is led by Mothyna James-Brightful. Affectionately known as Sister Mothyna, during her 16-year professional speaking career she has logged over 40,000 hours on stage. She has been described as “energetic, passionate and inspirational” by audiences. With four publications under her belt, she is the author of the Amazon Bestseller Engage Inspire Prevent: Strategies for Educating Teens on Sexual Violence.

By the end of this training, you will learn how to:

Identify how to find stories to tell and build a story bank
Build rapport and make emotional connections through effective storytelling
Identify and develop internal storytellers in your organization to maximize their role as change agents
Apply industry best practices and vetted frameworks to craft compelling stories
Nurture a sustainable culture of powerful storytelling in your organization

Associated Links

Day 1 Recording (English)

Day 1 Recording (Spanish)

Day 2 Recording (English)

Day 2 Recording (Spanish)

Associated Files

Attachment	Size
Digital Participant Workbook	15.48 MB
Presentation Slides - Day 1	37.76 MB
Presentation Slides - Day 2	50.25 MB

Material Categories

Movement Building

Raising Awareness

Leadership Development

Nonprofit Management

Proposal Writing

Language & Literacy

WEBINAR: Navigating the Media Spotlight

ckeene — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 18:06:14 +0000

WEBINAR: Navigating the Media Spotlight ckeene Tue, 04/08/2025 - 14:06

General Material

NRCDV Publications

Training Tools

Published Date

May, 2025

Publisher(s)

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)

Author(s)

Renée Williams

Kim Goldman

Nela Kalpic

For better or worse, media coverage of crime is here to stay. Crime survivors and victim advocates know the media glare can be unwelcome and intrusive. There are also times it can be useful, such as renewing investigators’ attention on unsolved crimes or raising awareness of victims’ issues and resources for survivors. The National Center for Victims of Crime has published a guide to help victims and advocates navigate media coverage. Learn how to use this guide and get tips about how to protect survivors, including those of domestic violence, from unwanted attention, how to leverage coverage for positive results, and more. Join this panel of advocates who helped create the guide for an informative discussion.

Learning outcomes:

Learn how to access and use NCVC’s media guides
Hear from experts with lived experience about dealing with media pressure, encouraging victim-centered storytelling, and protecting survivors’ privacy and rights
Get a basic understanding of common media terms and learn how to use NCVC’s media survival tip sheets

Associated Links

NCVC’s media guides: Media Ethics and 'True Crime'

Webinar Recording - English

Webinar Recording - Spanish

Associated Files

Attachment	Size
Webinar Slides	14.55 MB

Material Categories

Media Advocacy / Literacy

Raising Awareness

Staff Development

Privacy & Confidentiality

Attitudes / Perception / Awareness

Trauma Impacts All of Us: Introducing the #TriumphOverTrauma Campaign

ckeene — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:04:00 +0000

Trauma Impacts All of Us: Introducing the #TriumphOverTrauma Campaign ckeene Tue, 04/01/2025 - 10:04

General Material

NRCDV Publications

Training Tools

Published Date

May, 2025

Publisher(s)

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)

NRCDV’s Youth Advisory Board is excited to introduce the Triumph Over Trauma Campaign in observance of Mental Health Awareness Month 2025.

This youth-led campaign invites us to normalize and destigmatize experiences of trauma and adversity, and explore the ways we grow from these experiences towards resilience and healing.

Associated Links

Campaign Page

Awareness Highlights Blog Post

Launch Party Registration - May 1, 2025

Associated Files

Attachment	Size
English #TriumphOverTrauma Campaign Flyer	976.39 KB
Español #TriunfarSobreElTrauma Folleto de campaña	985.08 KB

Material Categories

Movement Building

Raising Awareness

Prevention Programming

Self Care / Vicarious Trauma

Trauma Informed Approach

Mental Health

Young People

WEBINAR: #TriumphOverTrauma Launch Party

ckeene — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 17:39:42 +0000

WEBINAR: #TriumphOverTrauma Launch Party ckeene Tue, 04/08/2025 - 13:39

General Material

NRCDV Publications

Training Tools

Published Date

May, 2025

Publisher(s)

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)

NRCDV’s Youth Advisory Board is excited to introduce the Triumph Over Trauma Campaign in observance of Mental Health Awareness Month 2025. This youth-led campaign invites us to normalize and destigmatize experiences of trauma and adversity, and explore the ways we grow from these experiences towards resilience and healing. The launch party will center the voices of youth leaders who will share their experiences and reflections in celebration of survivorship. Join us to learn more about the #TriumphOverTrauma campaign and how you and your community can be part of it!

Associated Links

Campaign Page

Launch Party Registration

Campaign Flyer - English & Spanish

Awareness Highlights Blog Post

Launch Party Recording - English

Launch Party Recording - Spanish

Xaimara - Affirmations

Zofia - How did it change the way you see or move in the world?

Reid - Who do you lean on?

Rai-Elle - What did you learn about yourself?

Leyla - Who do you lean on?

Kiera - What are some of your coping strategies?

Katja - What are some of your coping strategies?

Julia - How did it change the way you see or move in the world?

Dee - What would you say to others who struggle to see their own strength in th…

Clementina - How did it change you?

Chenaya - What motivates you to move forward?

Cassie - What motivates you to move forward?

Xaimara - Why this campaign matters to me

Associated Files

Attachment	Size
Speaker Profiles	13.3 MB
Launch Party Slides	3.65 MB

Material Categories

Raising Awareness

Self Care / Vicarious Trauma

Trauma Informed Approach

Attitudes / Perception / Awareness

Mental Health

Young People

How can I center healing justice for survivors in my DVAM efforts?

berdman — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 17:41:02 +0000

How can I center healing justice for survivors in my DVAM efforts? berdman Mon, 03/17/2025 - 13:41

General Material

NRCDV Publications

Published Date

September, 2024

Publisher(s)

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)

Author(s)

Breckan Erdman Winters

This Technical Assistance Question explores the theme for Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2024: Heal, Hold & Center. This theme is all about building connection to foster healing and racial justice for survivors. As beloved ancestor bell hooks reminds us, “Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.”

See more TAQs on the VAWnet News Blog.

Associated Links

How can I center healing justice for survivors in my DVAM efforts?

Material Categories

Community Organizing / Mobilization / Engagement