How to get your charity’s voice heard in the run up to a general election

We know that some charities are concerned about the potential risks of political campaigning. There are both legal and reputational risks when taking a prominent role in what can be divisive and politicised debates.

That’s why it’s important to operate in line with the Charity Commission’s rules on political activity and campaigning.

When it comes to elections, the guiding principle of charity law is that charities must be, and must be seen to be, independent from party politics.

You can engage in politics as a means to advance your charitable cause, but cannot exist as a charity solely to be political. Everything you do must be in the best interests of your charity.

Adeela Warley, CEO of CharityComms (the membership organisation for charity communications professionals) explains it well:

“The election period offers charities an opportunity to speak about their causes and the communities they serve. Charities have a legitimate right to campaign and should do so proudly and boldly, considering guidance and laws that come into play to avoid any issues.”

And there are lots of charities out there doing just what Adeela Warley says – speaking up about their causes and the communities they serve.

Most charities have research that underlines the issue(s) they campaign on. Now is a great time to use that research to really highlight the extent of the problem you seek to solve. Take this example from Action for Children. They’ve presented their data in a way that is meaningful and relevant to politicians – using their language - and included a clear ask of all parties – keeping it impartial (and in line with the Charity Commission’s rules).

The run up to a general election is also a great time to mobilise your supporters and ask them to take a specific action to help raise awareness of and further your cause with all political parties.

Shelter were ahead of the pack on this. Even before the election was announced they were inviting their supporters to use their new online tool to identify how many people in their area are homeless and email this information to their Parliamentary candidates - amplifying their voice and pushing their cause up the political agenda from the ground up.

Refuge is also taking action by asking their supporters to sign an open letter to the next Prime Minister (whomever they may be) to help make sure they prioritise tackling violence against women and girls.

Refuge have also published a manifesto calling for a comprehensive approach to support survivors of domestic abuse and tackle violence against women and girls - centred around three key principles.

Being clear about what you need from policymakers is an excellent way of making it easier for them to support your cause.

The Trussell Trust have taken a similar approach – setting out a series of actions the government must take to help eradicate food poverty in the UK.

You can see their full manifesto here.

Shelter believe that a lack of social homes is driving the housing emergency. So ahead of this general election they’ve launched a campaign #MadeInSocialHousing to galvanise support for the need for more social homes by sharing personal stories and celebrating people who’ve lived in social housing.

The strategy behind the campaign is to use well known members of the social housing community to mobilise others in that community to share their own stories – amplifying their voice and creating a groundswell of support for their cause.

Their Head of Marketing has written an interesting article about the campaign.

You may choose to try and mobilise the political community by asking politicians to sign a pledge related to your cause e.g. to support a climate initiative. This is a useful approach for grassroots charities advocating to spur change at local, national or international levels.

Other charities are taking the opportunity to reflect on what’s important to their supporters, so they can position themselves for success in the next Parliament.

Samaritans are using this time to survey their supporters to understand what policy issues are most important to them and what motivates them to support the charity. The findings from this research will inform their campaigning efforts after the election.

There is lots of guidance around to help you manage your communications effectively in the run up to a general election.

This government guidance contains advice to help charities:

• retain the essential quality of independence; and
• use their voice effectively at election times.
  
  

And CharityComms have pulled together some resources to help charities navigate communications during the pre-election period.

This is a critical moment to speak up for the cause you serve.

We’re currently working with charities to help them do just this.

If you’d like any help with getting your voice heard, please do get in touch.