The American Governance Institute and the Foundation for American Innovation have released “Lobbying on Congressional Appropriations: A Playbook for Nonprofit Advocates” that demystifies this important process. Co-authored by AGI’s Daniel Schuman and FAI’s Soren Dayton, it gives a detailed overview of this annual rite and actionable advice for successfully engaging members and staff at different points along the way. Inclusive Abundance sponsored the production of the guide.
The playbook’s goal is to encourage more nonprofits to engage in the appropriations process because it is an underutilized route to steady, incremental progress on public policy issues. The common perception of issue advocacy on the Hill is working a freestanding bill through the legislative process in both chambers before being signed into law. That process, we know from civics class, depends on finding the right moment in a complex political environment which may not come at all. Spending bills, however, are something Congress must pass annually. They involve a small number of decision-makers and are drafted through a routinized process. Through the guidance in this playbook, we hope more organizations will engage with this high-leverage opportunity. This type of engagement is manageable even for small nonprofits, as this playbook draws directly from our experiences.
Schuman and Dayton explain the different stages of the appropriations process, the congressional actors involved, and the actions nonprofits can take to benefit their causes. They walk through the calendar month-by-month to lay out when Congress will take up different parts of the process. They discuss who is – and is not – important to engage and emphasize relationship building. The end goal isn’t just to score wins, but for organizations to become trusted resources from whom appropriations staff seek guidance. They lay out the different actions advocates can take as bills progress, which are not limited to specific funding requests, and how to navigate the political dynamics with the players at work. Finally, they frame this kind of advocacy as an iterative process through which advocates can layer on success upon success over the years.
As with this newsletter, this guide is part of the American Governance Institute’s goal of improving the people’s relationship with Congress by explaining how the legislative branch works in practice. Congress as a representative body reflects the interactions it receives from the public. Broadening and improving the quality of those interactions improves policy outcomes. Therefore, it shouldn’t only be industry lobbyists and large issue advocacy groups that understand and engage in the appropriations process. This playbook attempts to level the playing field.
Leave a Reply