Public Policy Blog.
Empowering AANHPI Civic Engagement and Advocacy
May is Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the contributions of AANHPI individuals to American democracy and public policy. Plural recognizes the importance of this month and the ongoing struggles faced by the AANHPI community.
Grassroots Organizing Tools: Make the Most of Your Legislative Research With Public Tags
Grassroots organizing has become an increasingly powerful force, giving voice to ordinary citizens. However, these organizations face unique challenges. In this blog, we will explore the tools available to grassroots organizers to address these challenges, empowering them to make a meaningful impact in their communities and beyond.
How Does Congress Make Public Policy: 5 Little-Known Tools
For the past decade, Congress has been defined by small majorities and partisan gridlock. As barriers to policy making have taken hold, we have seen Congress become increasingly reliant on little-known tools and procedures that allow them to avoid the Senate’s 60-vote thresholds and legislate with smaller majorities.
Recapping America Votes State Summit 2023: Solutions to Supercharge Voter Engagement
Earlier this month, the Plural team attended the America Votes State Summit, a mainstay event in organizing that unites hundreds of state and national experts to strategize, network and energize for the road ahead. Check out Plural team member Sophia Anwar’s recap of the event and hear her takeaways on strategies to supercharge community-led solutions and empower voter engagement.
Summarizing Bills With Generative AI
So far in 2023, thousands of bills have been introduced in jurisdictions across the country. The sooner people understand them, the sooner they can start advocating for what they care about. Since bills can be long and complex, it’s often helpful to have a summary of the changes the bill is proposing. Given the advancements of Artificial Intelligence in language tasks, we believe Language Models can help us understand bills.
A Case for the Use of AI in Policymaking
Policy shapers use a variety of tools to make decisions about the policy they create, and with the growth of artificial intelligence technology across industries, policy shapers may be considering if they should use it as well.
The Case for Plural Over Spreadsheets
Many policy professionals rely on manual processes to ingest basic bill info into a series of spreadsheets, word documents, calendars, and agendas. This can turn into a time and resource burden during the legislative session, when policy teams are already spread thin. It is, however, becoming increasingly popular to abandon spreadsheets for a more efficient and intuitive software solution.
How to Improve Your Stakeholder Engagement
Advocacy efforts are most powerful and effective when all voices surrounding an issue come together and speak one unified truth. However, finding common ground amongst advocates may not always be possible. In these situations, the best way to discover points of alignment and find a path forward is through stakeholder engagement.
Supporting Diverse Leadership in Public Policy and Advocacy
In honor of Women’s History Month, we asked our clients at Mississippi Votes and Equal Justice USA: Why does diverse leadership and representation matter in public policy and advocacy? Read on to see their responses, as well as learn more about barriers to diverse leadership and ways to support a new generation of leaders.
Recapping Austin Unified Jam 2023: Solutions to Increase Civic Engagement
Over the weekend, the Plural team attended Austin Unified Jam, a celebration of activist culture. Each year, Unified Jam brings together local and national voices to talk about the work they’re doing, learn from each other, and strengthen the organizer community. Read on to learn Plural team member Sophia Anwar’s takeaways from the event.
How to Write a Public Policy Brief
What is a policy brief, and how can you write one that’s effective? Read our most recent blog to learn how to write an effective policy brief to achieve your goals, and download a fully customizable policy brief template!
Proving Your Worth: The Value of Government Relations Teams
Government relations professionals often find themselves having to prove their value to those unfamiliar with their work. In the midst of the political and legislative uncertainty, government relations departments provide unmatched value. What tools and practices can help amplify this impact?
