Community Engagement Resources
Tools to Engage: Resources for Nonprofits
CRC partner, Building Movement Project, has officially launched their new resource database Tools to Engage: Resources for Nonprofits! Loosely based on the structure of the popular NICE Guide, this website is an interactive, multi-level search portal that connects users to the best tools, research, and resources from across the social sector about how – and why – organizations can meaningfully engage their constituents and community.
This selection of over 100 carefully curated resources will help integrate and nurture the voice and power of the constituents you work with and serve.
Tools to Engage also features a variety of community building and peer-to-peer exchanges. Sign up as a member (free!) and you can:
- Comment on each tool, contributing to shared learning;
- Discuss challenges, success, and best-practices in the forum ;
Submit your own tools for inclusion in the site as we work towards building a collective practice around service and social change.
Nonprofit Voter Engagement Resources: Nonprofit VOTE
NonprofitVOTE
helps nonprofits integrate voter engagement into their ongoing activities and services. CRC partners with Nonprofit VOTE for the Colorado Participation Project. We encourage our partners to use their robust Resource Library to find research reports, fact sheets, webinars, planning tools, and other free resources specifically created for nonprofit organization use. Nonprofit VOTE also provides a helpful nonpartisan guide for permissible voter engagement activities for 501(c)(3) organizations.
Click the link below to view their Resource Library and access free materials and research on topics like remaining nonpartisan, engaging your organization’s staff in civic engagement, and why nonprofits should participate in voter engagement efforts.
Tax Credit Outreach
We are proud to be partnering with Get Ahead Colorado to support nonprofits across the state through trainings, resources, and focused in-person support to increase awareness and uptake of tax credits. Tax credits are a proven way to help lift people out of poverty and research shows that claiming tax credits has a positive impact on intergenerational health and wellbeing. CRC is excited to be supporting over 10 direct service nonprofits in 2025 to increase awareness of tax credits and provide support to community members with accessing free, tax-filing assistance. Our program prioritizes organizations serving low-income communities, refugee, immigrant and newcomer communities, rural communities, non-English speakers, and communities of color.
Get Ahead Colorado | Outreach Resources for Nonprofits and Individuals
Whether it’s tax credits that put more money in your pocket, free online tax filing services, or free in-person tax help – Get Ahead Colorado can help you get the most out of your taxes.
For nonprofits, there is also a bilingual digital outreach toolkit with downloadable posters and flyer, online communication content for e-newsletters, social media graphics, and information in over 10 languages on how to file your taxes.
Other Tax Resources:
Tax Help Colorado: Here you can find the location and contact information for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites across the state. These sites are volunteer run and free to use as long as you meet their income eligibility.
GetYourRefund: This is a free, virtual service supported by the IRS, U.S. Department of Treasury, and the White House that helps low-income households across America receive high quality tax services from the convenience of your home.
ITIN Information: Here you will find the IRS list of sites that will assist you in getting an Individual Taxpayer Identification number. Don’t know what an ITIN is? Watch this short video to learn if you need one to file your taxes.
AARP tax sites: Here you can find free tax filing assistance sites using your zip code.
211 Colorado: 211 Colorado has information about filing, tax credits, and ITIN renewal. You can call or text 2-1-1 and speak to someone in real time about resources and options you have to file your taxes this year.
Meaningfully Connecting with Communities in Advocacy and Policy Work Report
The Fund for Shared Insight released their 2019 Landscape Scan: Meaningfully Connecting with Communities in Advocacy and Policy Work Report. This research evaluated how US funders and nonprofits focused on advocacy and policy seek to meaningfully connect with the people and communities their work is intended to benefit. This is an amazing resource for nonprofits who focus their work in advocacy, policy and civic engagement.
Click the link below to find out what it means to be meaningfully connecting as an organization, what the impact of this work is and where there is room for growth in our sector.
Bolder Advocacy is a program of Alliance for Justice- a national association of 120 organizations that are united by a commitment to a fair, just, and free America where everyone has equal access to justice and can fully participate in our democracy. Bolder Advocacy provides tools, resources, and expertise
to help nonprofits courageously and safely advocate for their communities. The Bolder Advocacy podcast, Rules of the Game, helps 501c3’s and 501c4’s by demystifying laws and providing examples of how nonprofits can meaningfully engage with different advocacy tactics. Bolder Advocacy also has a free technical assistance hotline, where you can receive advice from experts on lobbying and other advocacy related activities. Click below to utilize all Bolder Advocacy has to offer in their resource library.
For more information, please contact:
Monica DeWitt, Civic Engagement Program Manager
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