WHAT YOU CAN DO TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS

Source: SEAnet www.seanetonline.org

CNS grantees and sub-grantees and non-profit organizations cannot lobby around specific pieces of legislation at the federal, state or local levels. Some grantees are also public charities (i.e., nonprofit groups with an IRS 501(c)(3) designation) and must generally avoid spending any substantial portion of their budgets on lobbying activity unless they have "elected" to file reports under the section 501(h). Non-electing public charities may not express a position to a legislator or legislative staff member on a specific piece of legislation or a decision affecting a specific piece of legislation or propose a specific piece of legislation. 2 Moreover, no portion of their budget received as a donation from a private foundation may be used for lobbying activities. Grantees and non-profits can, however, participate in the regulatory process and can always participate in the judicial process. There are a variety of ways service-learning practitioners can make sure the public has a clear understanding of the impact service-learning has students, schools, and communities.

Share Information with Public Officials and their Staff Leverage the Support of Your State Superintendent or Commissioner of Education Phone Your Legislator's Aide Inviting your legislator to a service-learning event.