Not a single citizen attended the biggest spring environmental event, which occurred the same year as the oldest Macedonian environmental organization's 10 th anniversary. This example illustrates the need to change the picture that citizens have, and to modify public opinion about nonprofits. Underdeveloped advocacy skills . Advocacy based on personal rather than organizational or institutional relationships . By using advocacy and lobbying, nonprofits can directly communicate with public officials at both the national and local level.
Many Ministries now have an official nonprofit contact person.
Yet, very often these communications are led by a powerful personality and personal relationships rather than by the nonprofit as an organization and its developed advocacy strategy. As a result, the effectiveness of such communication varies widely based on the nature of the nonprofit and the particular governmental official. Today, NGOs are using more sophisticated techniques and methods. The scope of activities has been enlarged and nonprofits are using more tactics to reach their objectives. More and more nonprofits find themselves compelled to engage in advocacy campaigns, both on the regional and national levels.