Bridging Policy and People: What Nonprofits Can Say When Programs Are in Crisis
This fall’s crisis around SNAP funding made the link between policy and livelihoods painfully clear.
For families, it meant rationing food, skipping meals, and making impossible choices.
For nonprofits, it meant longer lines, tighter budgets, and staff pushed to exhaustion trying to fill the gaps.
And no one felt this more than the already stretched nonprofits on the frontlines of our local communities.
What might seem like distant, abstract decisions in Washington can show up quickly and concretely in local communities. When priorities shift and rules change, it’s nonprofits and the people they serve who feel the shockwaves first and hardest. This is on top of existing funding constraints, burnout amongst staff, and significant challenges.
That’s why it’s so critical to help our communities connect the dots between policy and participation. Participation drives the policy that shapes the lives of people we serve. When nonprofits help people understand that connection, they turn crisis into agency and frustration into civic power.
Talking Points for Nonprofits When Programs Are in Crisis
The current situation can leave many confused, helpless, and angry. When programs are in crisis, reminding people of their civic power is a way to remind them of agency.
Here are some talking points to start helping people channel their fears and frustration into agency and power.
Name the connection out loud and give an opportunity for civic voice
When clients express frustration about program delays or rising costs, link it to policy realities (See some examples in the next section):
Example 1: “The current situation is tied to decisions being made right now in government and your voice matters in shaping them. We want to make sure your struggles are heard and understood. Contact your elected official and make sure they know how this is affecting you (and your family)”
Example 2: “I know it’s frustrating. What you’re dealing with is connected to how programs are funded and run by government. Sharing your story and voting are ways to make sure your voice shapes future decisions.”
Note on tone: Individuals who haven’t voted recently aren’t to blame, and shouldn’t feel it, even if we personally feel like “you didn’t vote, you don’t get to complain!“. Barriers to voting keep our most vulnerable communities away from the ballot box, so when discussing how this came to be, stay away from inadvertently shaming past nonvoters.
Empower staff conversations
Train frontline teams to feel comfortable talking about voting in a nonpartisan, mission-aligned way.
Include easy talking points like:
Example 1: “Elected officials pay attention to who shows up at the polls when they make policies. Make sure to vote in your local, state, and national elections to remind them who they work for.”
Example 2: “When we show up at the polls, it reminds policymakers that our communities are paying attention and expect to be represented in their decisions.”
Participation Shapes Policy: Making the Connection to Daily Life
For both community members and staff, it’s not always obvious how national debates turn into local realities. But nonprofits like you, institutions trusted more than any other institution, can help connect the dots for those whose voices are most impacted by policy.
And SNAP is only one example of thousands.
If your clients or coworkers ask why they should vote or why you’re talking about voting at a nonprofit, here are a few more examples to add to your talking points. Feel free to print these out and save it!
Examples of Policy to Daily Life Impacts
Housing and homelessness services rely on HUD allocations and local housing-trust funds. When those budgets are cut or delayed, clients wait longer for vouchers, shelters reach capacity, and nonprofits shoulder more emergency costs.
Childcare and early learning programs are affected by Head Start and state subsidy funding. If federal appropriations stall, families lose access, and nonprofit staff face layoffs or burnout trying to fill the gaps.
Public health and nutrition programs depend on federal and state grant cycles. A budget impasse or change in eligibility can determine whether a health clinic opens next year or scales back.
Transportation and workforce policies affect clients’ ability to reach programs or jobs. Cuts to transit funding or training programs increase barriers for people to get back on their feet and lower attendance for services or programming
Meeting the Moment
From the grocery line to the housing office to the community clinic, policy is always present. The question is whether the people most affected feel empowered to help shape it.
When nonprofits like you help communities understand and engage, policy becomes something that meets the needs of all of us, not just some.
Start planning for 2026 activations
Use moments like this to help staff and leadership understand that midterm elections have tangible consequences for programs and budgets. Think ahead to your annual planning and incorporate an activation like National Voter Registration Day 2026!
Start integrating civic touchpoints at your organization today!
Post voter-registration info in waiting areas, include local election dates in newsletters, or add reminders in client-facing materials. Share these talking points with a co-worker!
Make sure you’re on our mailing list and check out our Getting Started Sessions for inspiration and starting points.
Every ballot cast, every registration drive, every moment a nonprofit helps someone connect the dots between their lived experience and the systems around them brings us closer to a democracy that reflects everyone.
Have ideas or ways you’re talking about this? We want to hear from you! Send them to: caroline@nonprofitvote.org
