U.S. charities may spend some of their time and money on lobbying, as long as those organizations don’t primarily exist to influence federal legislation. This rule applies to all charitable nonprofits, which run the gamut from hospitals to social service providers, museums and environmental organizations.
Charities can lobby by directly contacting lawmakers or other public officials to propose, support or oppose legislation. They may also engage in indirect – or grassroots – lobbying by encouraging their supporters and other people to contact public officials for the purpose of influencing legislation.
