The Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy is implementing this multi-year project to examine the role, regulation, practice, and impact of the advocacy activities of nonprofit organizations in the United States. Designed as a broad collaborative effort, it involves practitioners, researchers and policy makers in creating and discussing research. The Nonprofit Advocacy Initiative investigates advocacy from two democratic perspectives: the role nonprofit advocacy organizations play as representatives of interests and values in the policymaking process, and the role they play as organized networks of active citizens who come together to influence social and political decisions in civil society. The Nonprofit Advocacy Initiative is currently investigating nonprofit advocacy under two areas: Legal and regulatory policy affecting nonprofit advocacy Project: Nonprofit Advocacy and the Policy Process: A Seminar Series Comparisons of nonprofit advocacy by policy area Project: Child Advocacy Studies Future research areas of study include projects in the following three areas: Advocacy coalitions and networks Comparing advocacy of nonprofits and business, and Analysis of advocacy by new or underrepresented constituencies. The Nonprofit Advocacy Initiative is partially funded by The Ford Foundation. Comments and questions may be sent via email to advocacyresearch@ui.urban.org.