The first amendment protects our freedom of speech and associational rights to petition our government.

The Nonprofit Advocacy Project and Foundation Advocacy Initiative are premised on the belief that nonprofit organizations have a unique and necessary role to play in the process of generating and supporting sound, effective, and just public policy.  In the case of issues such as environmental protection, healthcare, immigration, reproductive freedom, civil rights, consumer rights, workers' rights and others, nonprofit organizations are often the only voices standing up for the public interest against well-funded corporate special interests.  In order to fulfill the promise of their missions, nonprofit groups must be active participants in making the laws that impact their constituents and all of our communities. 

The first amendment protects our freedom of speech and associational rights to petition our government.  Of equal importance, the first amendment was designed to inspire average Americans to exercise their rights to participate in our democracy through collective, civil action.  Absent the first amendment, citizens could not mobilize for social change.

Alliance for Justice, through its Nonprofit Advocacy Project and Foundation Advocacy Initiative, works to preserve, protect, and expand the advocacy rights of the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors.  These sectors exist to serve the public interest and we believe their missions can be better accomplished with greater participation in public policy debates and civic engagement projects.