Just days after we ring in the New Year, state legislative sessions will open in 46 states, initiating a flood of legislation—tens of thousands of bills—on topics ranging from voting rights and pandemic recovery to education and taxes. In an environment where state bills can go from introduction to final passage in a matter of…
Every government relations team is called upon to show its value internally at some point. Yet an ROI discussion with top leadership can be tough. In some organizations, it can feel like you’re speaking another language. Government relations teams don’t always calibrate their worth in revenue, sales, membership and the other standard measures used by…
When you consider the tools available to conduct effective advocacy campaigns, social media may not be at the top of the list. Many organizations consider email and text messaging to be more reliable channels. But industry statistics show that social media—both paid and organic—is one of the most powerful tools available when organizations know how…
From the annual budget to special projects throughout the year, government affairs professionals often have to ask for money. It’s just part of the job. But for people who work in politics and policy, that’s not always an easy thing to do. The reason is simple: they don’t have the same business background as executives…
What percentage of America is rural? It may surprise you to learn that as much as 97% of the United States is green and that only a small percentage of the country is actually paved. More surprising is that more than 80% of the population lives in that tiny urban and suburban sliver. It’s therefore…
It’s a familiar scene at many organizations: an event, occasion or issue that requires an immediate response pops up without warning. It causes a fire drill as everyone scrambles to get something out the door on time. Often, the result is less than satisfactory. While rapid response is part of government affairs, too often these…
It’s a time-honored tradition in August: the action slows on Capitol Hill and lawmakers head back to their districts to connect with constituents and take time off. Smart government affairs teams sometimes follow them home. Advocating in congressional districts can be a high-impact strategy for organizations that want to gain traction on their issues, punch…
Today’s political landscape is filled with uncertainty. Will America recover from the COVID pandemic this year? Will Republicans retake one or both chambers of Congress next year? Will former president Trump run again in 2024? Can the Biden administration advance its agenda? Every one of these questions has massive policy implications across multiple industries, and…
Every government relations professional knows that the 2022 midterm elections will be a hard-fought showdown that could reshape the political landscape. The party that controls Congress will steer the legislative agenda for years and impact the presidential race in 2024. But what about this year’s elections? While 2021 is an off-year, there are still Congressional…
With half the year in our rearview mirror and the summer slowdown just ahead, this is a good time for government relations teams to assess performance and make adjustments. How has your legislative program fared? How will it do between now and the start of the election early next year? If you had to defend…