This week, we learned that the Supreme Court is poised to strip millions of the right to access abortion care. Everyone, including nonprofits, have a right to respond.
“We must expand the Court to put a check on this increasingly lawless and hyper-partisan conservative majority. We must fill every judicial vacancy by the end of this year. Progressives must focus our attention on state courts, which will now be a critical frontline in the fight to protect abortion rights. There are paths to restoring our rights, but we must recognize that they cannot be accomplished through business as usual. Conservatives spent decades laying the groundwork for this outcome, and our response must be commensurate to meet this moment.”
Alliance for Justice President, Rakim H.D. Brooks
Nonprofits can and should hold government accountable.
To do so, public charities must act to further their charitable mission and remain nonpartisan. Within those rules, there are many opportunities to respond to this moment.
Abortion is a human rights issue that intersects with nearly every nonprofit.
Abortion access is a racial justice, economic justice, and disability justice issue. The intersection of this decision with these issues parallels between this decision and these issues gives those nonprofits the right and responsibility to speak out and fight back.
Below is a list of activities 501(c)(3) public charities can engage in today:
- Nonprofits can educate communities about the Justices responsible for this draft decision and the senators that confirmed them.
- Nonprofits can advocate for fair-minded judges committed to equal justice and reproductive healthcare.
- Nonprofits can lobby for federal legislation codifying Roe, lobby at the state level to oppose abortion bans or trigger laws, or lobby to expend abortion protections in your state. (Ex. Share a post on social for public to call legislators to oppose abortion ban legislation).
- Nonprofits can encourage members of the public to turn out at rallies and events as part of their accountability advocacy.
While 501(c)(3) organizations may continue to engage in education and advocacy to promote their issues during an election season, they are strictly prohibited from supporting or opposing candidates for public office. However, 501(c)(4) organizations can do everything c3s can do, plus target Senators for defeat who confirmed the Justices or supported abortion restrictions. Private foundations can even support c3 and c4 organizations that engage in advocacy.
Alliance for Justice provides a free hotline to nonprofits with questions on advocacy. Call or email us at 866-NP-LOBBY or advocacy@afj.org.
Download the “Five Ways Nonprofits Can Respond” one-pager here