Investments in advocacy pay off in Northwest, philanthropy group says

Advocacy is a growing part of the work of philanthropy, and groups in the Northwest have seen a significant return on investment for their efforts, according to the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy.

It's also a unique strength of the region, said Aaron Dorfman, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based organization that measures philanthropy's impact on public needs. Dorfman was in Washington state this week to discuss a study his group has done of 20 community organizations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.