Many organizations have missions that prescribe an advocacy role as a membership service or a strategic imperative. Organizations that are proactive and initiate action to impact the legislative and regulatory process deliver high value to their membership and considerable reward. On the other hand, those associations that are not focused on government relations risk missing opportunities and are often left behind by policy makers and more active stakeholders. SmithBucklin client organizations benefit from integrated, strategically focused and association-savvy government relations services when they are needed, without requiring retainers or minimums. Having maintained government relations offices in Washington, D.C. since 1967, SmithBucklin professionals have an established presence in the public policy arena.
We take a tailored approach to strategically positioning the business of government relations for our client organizations, ensuring that each program leverages the advocacy assets and drives all advocacy activities toward tangible outcomes. Client organizations have the benefit of working with professionals who are particularly skilled at developing and managing grassroots advocacy efforts, engaging the volunteer capabilities of the client membership and providing the necessary tools to create active participation. We also possess strong relationships with the White House, major government departments, agencies and commissions, as well as the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.
We regularly conduct business before the major congressional committees, including the appropriations, tax-writing, commerce, health, environment and education committees. Our tailored approach to client needs and expected outcomes draws upon the experience and passion of our principal team of Government Relations professionals and the following core service areas in building an effective government relations program:
Each government relations program we help our client organizations to develop is designed and managed to support their overall goals and strategies. Because we are sensitive to the integral role that government relations can play for associations, we work with each client to prioritize its objectives, assess existing resources and capabilities and allocate personnel and resources to best maximize outcomes. We do this within any budget requirements or contraints. We also establish a communications program for each client to allow for regular and timely reporting of key issues or actions, and use action alerts and other as-needed updates. Our programs leverage our client organizations' potential and effectively employ our experience and competencies with the subject matter expertise of our client organizations' memberships.
We take a team approach in support of each client organization, based on the skill sets and knowledge base required to successfully achieve their goals. This ensures we are able to assign the right professional for each functional service required. As an example, assigning research and monitoring to a legislative assistant allows more senior staff to focus on helping our client organizations to assess risks and opportunities, and develop and implement strategies. This also enables us to offer our client organizations an “always on, always available” team, regardless of our other commitments.
From a budgetary perspective, this also offers our client organizations the flexibility to alter the scope or focus of a legislative program if required by unusual or unforeseen developments or opportunities. Additionally, for any scope of service agreed to, we are always responsive to additional or heightened levels as needs arise.
We invite you to to learn more about SmithBucklin’s Public Policy Practices.
