A Crucial Service Advocacy should not be confused with lobbying. Lobbying, as defined by the IRS, involves attempts to influence legislation at the local, state, or federal level. Advocacy covers a range of activities broad enough to include just about everyone, in just about any kind of setting.
Advocacy means to speak up, to plead the case of another, or to champion a cause.
For nonprofit organizations, this means speaking out on behalf of the people they serve, and asking people to help in carrying out the organization's mission. Advocacy and training people to be advocates is a central part of what many nonprofit organizations do. Lobbying always involves advocacy. But advocacy doesn't always involve lobbying.