The Lobbying for Good Movement

• Lobbying can be a powerful tool for social change, but it has been historically avoided by nonprofits due to its negative perception.
• A new understanding of lobbying is emerging that recognises it as a legitimate form of political innovation.
• Lobbying can strengthen the quality of policymaking and public debate, set the policy agenda, and hold decision makers accountable.

• Lobbying is often seen as an exclusive activity, but new civic tech outfits are making it more accessible to everyone.
• These organisations are providing tools and resources that help people find information about their elected officials, track their voting records, and contact them directly.
• They are also using crowdfunding and skill-sharing models to help nonprofits and citizens afford lobbying services.

• Governments are trying to reduce the influence of lobbyists by restricting access to policy makers.
• These restrictions are having unintended consequences, such as increasing corporate influence at the expense of other voices.
• One way to address political inequality is to level up lobbying by facilitating nonprofit and citizens’ access to it.

• Foundations can play a key role in supporting lobbying efforts by providing financial and other resources.
• Foundations can also evaluate the effectiveness of their lobbying support by measuring the quality, feasibility, and execution of their grantees’ advocacy plans.
• This approach is more nuanced than simply measuring the number of meetings and other interactions with policymakers.

• The lobbying-for-good movement is encouraging companies to align their lobbying practices with their sustainability commitments.
• A number of initiatives are working to increase transparency and accountability in corporate lobbying.
• Companies are increasingly being called upon to reassess their lobbying practices and shift toward self-imposed forms of good lobbying.
• The introduction of mandatory ESG reporting standards may accelerate this trend.

To succeed, the movement must change the public narrative about lobbying, enhance the advocacy capacity of the nonprofit sector, and make corporate lobbying more transparent, accountable, self-aware, and responsible.