The Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed is made up 170+ organizations throughout New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware that work tirelessly to protect and restore many facets of the watershed. Unfortunately, due to a lack of available resources and common misconceptions, many 501(c)(3) organizations don’t know how to continue advocating for clean water during election cycles without the fear of losing their 501(c)(3) status. Though there are many restrictions 501(c)(3)s face related to political elections, there are still many activities these organizations can take part in to encourage their members to get out on election day and vote.
Civic Engagement Toolkit
In collaboration with the Choose Clean Water Coalition, we have create a Civic Engagement Toolkit for the 2022 election year. The toolkit includes information on voter registration, voting methods, voting deadlines, social media posts, graphics, email templates, blogs, and a variety of valuable civic engagement resources. The toolkit also includes an upcoming events section (located at the bottom of the toolkit) which highlights important civic engagement dates for your organization to keep in mind. This toolkit is continuously being updated, so make sure to check it often for any additional information being added. You can access the toolkit here.
State Resources
The toolkit includes specific information for states located within the Delaware River and Chesapeake Bay Watersheds: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Information includes each state’s voter registration deadlines, deadlines for mail-in and absentee ballots, early voting periods, locations of secure ballot drop boxes, and information on signing up to be a poll worker. The toolkit also provides information and resources on voter suppression laws, voter registration purges, and absentee voting restrictions. We have also provided links for each state’s ballot tracking services that you can provide to members.
Social Media Posts and Graphics
Social media posts have been drafted for your organization to implement into your civic engagement campaigns as well. Posts target topics such as how to register to vote, voter registration deadlines, mail-in voting, what’s on the ballot education, and GOTV (“Get Out The Vote”). Posts include hashtags and call-to-actions intended to motivate your members to participate in the November elections. Social media graphics have been crafted and a photo bank is also available. Photo bank images include pictures taken throughout the Delaware River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds courtesy of the Chesapeake Bay Program. The toolkit also includes outreach emails that were successfully used in the past by reputable environmental organizations, such as National Wildlife Federation and Oceana, which your organization can use as templates.
“Will our 501(c)(3) lose its status if we encourage people to vote?”
While there are many rules that 501(c)(3)s must follow while encouraging civic engagement during election cycles, all the resources provides within the toolkit are all safe and appropriate for your organization to use and share. For a deeper dive on how your organization can support clean water during elections, we recommend watching this webinar:
still want to learn more?
Consider joining our Vote for Clean Water Cohort! As a member of the Cohort, you will have access to additional civic engagement resources specially designed for 501(c)(3)s. Resources include monthly virtual meetings where we will discuss civic engagement topics and upcoming events, and customized support to fit your organization’s needs. To sign up, please fill out this interest form.
Let’s Dispel the Belief that 501(c)(3)s Can’t Discuss Voting
Year after year each of our members play a vital role in keeping the Delaware River Watershed healthy, so why not continue advocating for clean water during election years by encouraging your members to vote? We highly encourage your organization to utilize the resources included in the 2022 Civic Engagement Toolkit leading up to Election Day on November 8, 2022 and to join our Vote for Clean Water Cohort for customized support. Again, please check the toolkit regularly for new information and upcoming events.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to reach out to Meagan Schaefer (CDRW Outreach and Communications Manager) at meagan.schaefer@njaudubon.org or Shelby Coulton (CDRW Communications Intern) at shelby.coulton@njaudubon.org.