Introduction to the League: PROGRAM
by the Administrative Vice President
The term "program" has a specific meaning for the League and is a perfect example of how confusing League jargon can be. Instead of referring to an event - such as the program for a general meeting - it has a broader meaning for League members. "Program...shall consist of those governmental issues chosen for concerted study and action." Program categories are defined as those "governmental issues chosen for sustained attention and concerted action" on which "the League may continue to act."
Overview of Program. Program is the League's reason for being and is the basis for both advocacy and education efforts. League advocacy is based on member study and agreement on selected issues and involves concerted efforts to achieve public policies consistent with League positions. League lobbying promotes or opposes specific pieces of legislation. The LWVUS, LWVC, and LWVMP positions adopted at the most recent national or state Convention or at our annual meeting are our official public policy statements for each program area.
The League's citizen education activities provide information about public issues, including those on which we have a position. Voter services activities are designed to provide citizens with unbiased, factual information that they can use as a basis for reaching their own decisions.
Advocacy vs. Lobbying. Lobbying activities and voter services activities are kept completely separate, and voters' guides and other voter services materials and publications must not contain statements of League positions. Consequently, when we present a Pros and Cons forum to the public, no mention is made of League positions.
Advocacy is a broader concept than lobbying. While lobbying can be part of an advocacy strategy, advocacy does not necessarily include lobbying. Lobbying is defined as an attempt to influence specific legislation, both legislation that has already been introduced in a legislative body and specific legislative proposals that the League or others may either oppose or support. Lobbying includes action that transmits a point of view on a specific piece of legislation to elected officials or their staffs, as well as action urging the public to contact their legislators about a specific piece of legislation. Lobbying activities must be funded through general operating funds (501(c)4).
Advocacy activities, on the other hand, can sometimes be funded with tax-deductible monies. This is the case even when only one side of an issue is presented, as long as no call to action on a particular piece of legislation is issued. Such activities can include: (1) developing public policy briefs that analyze issues and provide detailed information and recommendations for addressing them through specific reforms and (2) providing forums for discussing issues and educating policymakers and the public.
The source for the above was In League.
