National Human Services Assembly Launches PolicySource to Build Collaborative Advocacy Around Federal Legislation
July 2, 2019A New Public Tool for Advocates in the Human Service Sector
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, D.C., JULY 2, 2019 –Today, the National Human Services Assembly (National Assembly) launched PolicySource, an innovative tool to inform the human service sector, and general public, about federal legislation impacting youth, families, people with disabilities, and older adults. The new site, developed through funding from The Kresge Foundation, has been curated to highlight the most relevant bills as they make their way through Congress, foster collaborative advocacy, increase communications to Members of Congress, and promote effective coalition building.
President and CEO Lee Sherman remarked that, “The National Assembly tracks a diverse range of public policy issues. In doing so, we recognize the need for a common, public resource to collect, track, and communicate information about salient policy issues so human service organizations can collaborate and more effectively engage with policymakers. Our goal is to make PolicySource a key resource for organizations interested in quickly learning about a variety of federal policy initiatives and getting connected with the organizations or coalitions that are currently leading the related advocacy campaigns.”
Curated Legislative Tracking
PolicySource organizes federal legislation in five overarching categories—youth, families, people with disabilities, older adults, and sector-wide issues. Within these categories, individual bills are further organized into one, or more, of 80 sub-issues covering more than 300 individual bills. For example, legislation impacting “families” includes the sub-issue “financial stability” which includes, among others, bills introduced that would change the federal policy for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), unemployment insurance, federal tax income tax credits, and other legislation aimed at reducing poverty.
For each bill, PolicySource compiles basic bill information, such as date of introduction, current status, committee assignment, and all bill sponsors. PolicySource also includes tailored descriptions that highlight the impact the bill would have on the sector if enacted, talking points to promote advocacy communications, the National Assembly’s official position on the bill, and its priority to the organization. Most importantly, PolicySource provides the name and contact information for organizations that may be leading an advocacy coalition around the issue or are prioritizing the issue in the organization’s federal policy agenda.
Grassroots Advocacy Platform
From each bill page, PolicySource allows visitors a way to contact their local Representative and Senators. With access to custom bill summaries, talking points, and the National Assembly’s position and priority, users can effectively communicate the importance of passing legislation that reflects the policy goals of the National Assembly and human service sector as a whole to create, support, and enhance human service systems that are (1) easily accessible by the community; (2) rooted in evidence-informed research; (3) multifaceted, integrated, and equitable; (4) focused on leveraging public and private funding sources; and (5) incorporate the perspectives of constituent communities.
PolicySource, powered by the Quorum Analytics platform, aims to become the primary resource used in federal human services advocacy, providing concise summaries of legislation while connecting advocates for more effective coalition building. To engage with the issues that the National Assembly is advancing, visit www.policysource.org.
About the National Assembly
National Human Services Assembly is a Washington, D.C.-based association comprised of some of the largest national nonprofit human service organizations. In aggregate, members and their affiliates collectively touch, or are touched by, nearly every household in America — as consumers, donors or volunteers. National Assembly’s mission is to strengthen human services in the United States through the active involvement and leadership of its members, envisioning a nation that seriously and effectively addresses the human service needs of its citizens. Leading work of the National Assembly is in the public policy and advocacy arena, the National Reframing Human Services Initiative, and its group purchasing program for nonprofits, PurchasingPoint®.
# # #
Media Contact
Michelle Sims
Director of Marketing
202-347-2080 ext. 23