In this webinar, the Council hosted Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, Christopher Coes and Department of Transportation (DOT) officials responsible for community outreach for a conversation about how foundations can collaborate with community partners to support the implementation of the $1.2 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in November 2021. The cross-government investment can achieve unprecedented outcomes to ensure thriving communities, worker empowerment, and climate change reforms but partnerships between government, philanthropy and industry will be critical. This webinar features best practices, and insights with federal officials to aid their efforts to address historic gaps in public transportation policy and engagement of underserved communities.

U.S. Department of Transportation Speakers

Christopher Coes
Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy

Lynda Tran
Director of Public Engagement and Senior Advisor to the Secretary

Mariia Zimmerman
Strategic Advisor for Technical Assistance and Community Solutions

Funder Perspectives

Naomi Amaha
Director of Policy & Government Affairs
Denver Foundation

Crystal Bridgeman
Senior Director of Workforce Development
Siemens Foundation

Shana Bartley
Policy Officer
W.K.Kellogg Foundation

Registration now open!

The Essentials of Policy Advocacy for Grantmakers course will help foundation staff use their resources effectively to advance public policies that support the greater good. Rather than focusing on what policies foundations should address, this training will focus on how to engage in policy advocacy to advance your goals. This training is designed for private foundations staff with a basic understanding of policy, but it is also applicable for staff at all experience levels whose work touches policy advocacy.

Led by Council on Foundations staff and philanthropic leaders, this training will address policy advocacy strategies that support and effective practices. Participants will gain helpful tools and resources, network with peers developing and implementing their foundation’s advocacy strategy and create a summary action plan to guide their next steps.

Workshop Hours

• Thursday, October 6: 1:00-5:00 p.m. ET
• Friday, October 7: 1:00-5:00 p.m. ET

Participants will explore the following during the course:

The Big Picture

• Why engaging in policy advocacy is essential for foundations to achieve their goals

• A refresher on legal rules governing grantmaker funding and actions

• Inside the Foundation: Understanding staff roles and how to build internal support

Building understanding and support across the foundation for policy advocacy engagement

• How different staff roles across the foundation can support advocacy

• Characteristics of grantmaking that support effective policy advocacy

• Outside the Foundation: Working with others to advance policy

Using all a foundation’s assets to advance policy

• Funding vehicles that support effective policy advocacy

• Building an effective relationship with nonprofit partners and grantees to advance advocacy

• Appropriate evaluations of partner contributions

• Real-life Challenges and Action Planning

Explore current challenges with fellow participants in peer breakout groups

• Discussion of initial action planning and next steps

• Additional support available from the Council on Foundation

Who should take this training?

• Private foundation staff with a basic understanding of policy work.

• Foundation staff of all experience levels that incorporate policy advocacy into their work - such as those in leadership, communications, grants management or strategic planning.

Please note, this course is limited to foundation staff and Board members only.

Register Now!

As organizations committed to strengthening community foundations, CFLeads and the Council on Foundations are partnering to offer a new public policy and advocacy training course for community foundations. This updated training will provide community foundation leaders and staff with the knowledge and resources needed to excel in advocating for the nonprofits and communities doing the hard work of social change. 

Workshop Hours

• Wednesday, February 1: 1:00-5:30 p.m. ET
• Thursday, February 2: 1:00-5:30 p.m. ET

Government policies and programs affect almost every aspect of our lives, from housing, healthcare and the environment to education, transportation, and safety.  For foundations striving to create equitable, inclusive, and widely prosperous communities, it is necessary to focus on strengthening and reimagining policies and systems.

Participation in advocacy is an essential strategy to advance the mission of community foundations. Yet a lack of understanding of the rules of advocacy and lobbying, confusion about the appropriate governance and risk management, as well as a dearth of tools and internal capacity needed to be successful prevents many community foundations from engaging in public policy. 

This learning opportunity is intended for CEOs and senior leadership staff from community foundations of all sizes that are committed to getting more involved in policy and advocacy work.

This training will provide community foundations across geographies and of all sizes with:

• Increased understanding of the importance of public policy to improve outcomes

• Improved policy practice

• Increased advocacy action

In this training, participants will:

• Understand a comprehensive picture of possible community foundation strategies to engage in effective public policy advocacy that advances the greater good

• Understand the complex dynamics around foundation staff’s relationships with policy advocacy organizations and explore the optimal relationship for your foundation

• Learn how to build support for advocacy among your foundation’s staff and board

• Learn how to improve your foundation’s grantmaking to more effectively participate in policy advocacy

Offered in partnership with: