Civic Engagement Toolkit: Nonpartisan Resources

Throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed, our more than 270 member organizations play an invaluable role in protecting and restoring clean water, earning the respect and support of their respective communities. But when it comes to voting and elections, many nonprofit organizations run for the hills in fear of losing their 501(c)(3) status. While there are certainly topics and activities 501(c)(3)s cannot engage, there are many things 501(c)(3)s can do to encourage supporters to participate in the political process, regardless of their personal ideologies. Given the respected status many nonprofit organizations enjoy, and the importance of the democratic process in reaching our clean water goals, it is critical nonprofit organizations encourage their members to vote.

Civic Engagement Toolkit

In cooperation with the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, the Choose Clean Water Coalition is excited to share the contents of our 2022 Civic Engagement Toolkit. This resource includes information on everything from voter registration and deadlines, to social media graphics and state-specific ballot tracking links. This toolkit can help assist your 501(c)(3) organization in communication efforts surrounding elections-focused civic engagement, providing practical tools and resources to raise its voice to vote for clean water. Let’s take a closer look at what’s offered in this toolkit.

State Resources

Individualized resources are tailored to each state in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watershed: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Information consists of state-specific resources like voting deadlines to request and deliver mail in ballots, along with early voting dates. Other resources include voter suppression law breakdown by state, additional information like voter registration purges, absentee voting restrictions and hurdles. Ballot tracking links are also provided in the tools section for every state in the watershed to provide voters with a comprehensive way to interact with the electoral system.

Images and Posts

Social media posts are targeted towards voting, including topics on voter registration and suppression, mail-in voting, what’s on the ballot, and GOTV (Get out The Vote). Hashtags and calls to action are included to motivate potential voters to complete the given ask, whether it’s registering to vote, mailing in their ballot, or showing up at the polls. Successful emails from past elections are also provided as templates for future outreach, sourced from reputable environmental organizations such as the Virginia Conservation Network, National Wildlife Federation, Oceana, and many more. Social media graphics are also available, along with a photo bank. Provided by the Chesapeake Bay Program, the photo bank features scenic images of wildlife and water in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds.

But Wait!

You might ask, “Won’t my organization lose its 501 (c)(3) status if it encourages people to vote?” While there are rules on what 501 (c)(3) organizations can and can’t do surrounding elections, everything in this toolkit is safe to share. For a deeper dive, watch this webinar which provides more context surrounding various elections-related activities: 

Now that you have this information, you can begin your work and join our Vote for Clean Water Cohort to receive custom support and outreach to help your organization with its elections-focused civic engagement efforts.

Get Out the Vote

Collectively, these resources provide almost anything that a 501(c)(3) member organization could need to get out the vote for clean water. This is incredibly important work because not only does it encourage Coalition members to communicate with their constituents about environmental issues, but it also dispels the belief that non-profits cannot talk about voting. We will continually update the toolkit as the general election draws closer with more resources including upcoming events. If you have any suggestions for content or resources, please contact Rosey Pasco at pascor@nwf.org. We are thankful to include anything that you think would make this a better tool for involving the clean water community in the electoral process.