Advocacy Services and Resources

As the national voice of regional development organizations, NADO maintains an active presence on Capitol Hill and with federal agencies and departments. Most importantly, NADO provides its members with the tools and resources required to be an effective communicator with federal lawmakers and policymakers.

Action Alerts
Association members receive timely, targeted and informative legislative and regulatory alerts when immediate grassroots action is needed on priority issues. Alerts typically include a brief overview of the issue, key talking points and a sample constituency letter. View current alerts.

Congressional Directory
Each year, attendees of NADO's Washington Policy Conference receive an updated directory for members of Congress and key federal officials. The directory also includes key staff contacts and maps of each congressional district and the US Capitol complex.

Grassroots Handbook
The guide features sections on communicating with members of Congress, using the media to influence policy and understanding the different roles of congressional staff. It highlights key points in the legislative process, contains sample advocacy materials and offers links to useful Internet resources. A self-assessment tool is also included to help advocates evaluate their congressional relationships and knowledge of the federal legislative process. Learn more about grassroots advocacy.

NADO News
This timely and informative newsletter is delivered directly to your desktop each week. It features the latest news on legislative, regulatory and funding notices on a variety of federal domestic programs. Members may access the current issue and archives.

Professional Legislative Staff
NADO's legislative team walks the halls of Congress and the corridors of federal agencies every day on behalf of regional development organizations. The legislative staff is available to association members for issue updates, assistance with congressional outreach and research on pending issues. NADO staff also regularly participates in state association meetings and conference calls.

Vote Scorecard
NADO maintains a database of how each member of Congress votes on important regional development issues. The Vote Scorecard explains the outcome of a vote and details how each member of Congress voted, making it easy for members to monitor congressional voting and action.

Washington Policy Conference
Participants of this annual spring conference benefit from interactive discussions with federal policymakers, valuable issue updates and networking opportunities. The conference also provides training on how to make your voice heard on national policies. Find out more about the 2010 Washington Policy Conference.