How To Keep Advocating During a Government Shutdown

When the federal government shuts down, the impacts spread well beyond Washington. For nonprofits and associations, those impacts can quickly turn into major disruptions. Grant payments get delayed, federal partners become unresponsive, and uncertainty dominates the scene.

But a shutdown doesn’t mean your advocacy work stops. In fact, moments of disruption are often when advocacy is most needed. This is your opportunity to make your organization’s voice heard, protect your mission, and show policymakers the real impact of inaction.

Here’s how nonprofits and associations can keep advocating, and what you can still do during a government shutdown.

Why Advocacy Still Matters During a Shutdown

1. Influence is Still Possible

Even if federal offices close or reduce operations, Congress continues working, and they need to hear from you. Lawmakers depend on real-world stories from constituents to understand how a shutdown impacts communities, programs, and individuals.

Tell them what’s at stake. Share examples of delayed reimbursements, stalled projects, or growing community needs. Many advocacy coalitions continue to pressure legislators during shutdowns, urging them to act swiftly to restore funding and stability.

2. You Can Shape the Narrative

During a shutdown, the media is searching for stories, and nonprofits can provide them. Use your platform to highlight how funding or operational interruptions impact your mission and the communities you serve. Framing the human side of the story helps the public and policymakers understand the urgency.

3. Documenting Impacts Builds Future Leverage

The data and stories you gather during a shutdown become powerful advocacy tools later. When Congress revisits funding priorities, you’ll have firsthand evidence to support more substantial budgets and more predictable funding in the future.

4. Relationships Get Stronger in Crisis

Shutdowns reveal vulnerabilities, but they also create opportunities. This is a time to strengthen relationships with local leaders, community coalitions, and private partners who share your concerns. Collective advocacy carries more influence.

What Nonprofits and Associations Can Still Do

Even in a shutdown, you have options. Here are practical, actionable steps to stay visible, engaged, and effective.

Continue Your Advocacy & Messaging

• Use storytelling and data to illustrate your impact.

• Share updates through your website, social channels, and newsletters.

• Mobilize your members and supporters to email or call elected officials using advocacy templates.

• Join coalition efforts. Collective pressure gets attention faster.

• Engage local media with op-eds or letters to the editor that spotlight your mission’s urgency.

Keep Talking to Congress

• Schedule meetings (virtual or in-person) with congressional offices.

• Submit written testimony, letters, or sign-on statements describing your organization’s challenges.

• Track funding proposals and policy discussions related to your sector.

• Encourage your members to share how the shutdown is affecting them at the local level.

Stay in Touch with Federal Program Staff

• Before operations pause, contact your grant or contract officers to confirm invoice timelines and reporting flexibility.

• Document every conversation in writing to maintain a record of commitments or delays.

• Check federal agency contingency plans. Some essential staff continue to perform limited functions even during shutdowns.

Strengthen Financial Readiness

• Review your cash reserves and create contingency budgets.

• Explore short-term bridge financing, credit lines, or donor appeals for emergency support.

• Reallocate discretionary spending and communicate transparently with your board and staff.

• Review contracts for clauses related to suspension, payment delays, or force majeure.

Adapt Your Grant and Fundraising Strategy

• Identify foundation or corporate partners who may provide interim funding.

• Ask funders for flexibility on reporting deadlines or deliverables.

• Monitor federal grant windows—many deadlines are extended after shutdowns.

• Use the shutdown narrative carefully in fundraising appeals to show urgency without sensationalism.

Keep the Public Informed

• Publish updates explaining how the shutdown affects your mission.

• Use visuals (infographics, short videos) to help audiences understand the ripple effects.

• Amplify voices from your community—staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries.

• Position your organization as a trusted source for accurate, on-the-ground insights.

What to Avoid

• Don’t assume payments or approvals will arrive on schedule, plan for delays.

• Avoid overpromising services you may not be able to sustain.

• Stay compliant with lobbying limits for your nonprofit or association type.

• Don’t go silent. Stakeholders, donors, and members need to hear from you.

• Avoid blame-heavy messaging; focus instead on the real impact and need for resolution.

After the Shutdown: Turn Lessons Into Leverage

When the government reopens, your advocacy shouldn’t end. Use what you’ve learned:

• Share your documented impacts with policymakers.

• Participate in budget hearings or post-shutdown reviews.

• Advocate for long-term funding reforms that prevent future crises.

• Strengthen relationships built during the shutdown. They’re invaluable for future advocacy campaigns.

Final Thoughts

Government shutdowns are undeniably stressful for everyone involved, from federal employees to everyday citizens. However, they also serve to highlight the crucial role that nonprofits and associations play in supporting community well-being and ensuring the continuation of public services during challenging times. Your advocacy and efforts during these periods help lawmakers and policymakers understand the real-world impact of these organizations firsthand, reinforcing the importance of their support and sustainability.

So don’t hit pause. Speak up, stay connected, and show why your work matters every single day, shutdown or not.

Always Be Advocacy-Ready

If you’d like to streamline your outreach, mobilize members, and make your advocacy campaigns more resilient, no matter what’s happening in Washington, tools like Muster can help.