As the 118th Congress and Biden administration wrap up their final days, it’s an important time for organizations to identify potential opportunities and challenges in the new leadership structure. Here are five areas where organizations can begin to prepare for change:
Understanding the Policy Landscape. Not surprisingly with a new administration and power shift in the Senate, there will be a change in policy priorities in DC. Advocates will be best positioned going into next year by identifying how their priorities will align with new power players and/or identifying new champions in areas critical to your policy areas. Preparing yourself to develop and grow champions amidst a noisy and changing political landscape will be critical in the new year.
Update Your Policy Agenda. Policy priorities in this administration and Congress will likely need to be adjusted going into next year. By finding a nexus between your priorities focusing on what will be important to committee chairs and agency leads, your organization will be well positioned to adapt and advance impactful policies.
Engage Early with New Leadership. Whether it is meeting the newly elected Members of Congress and their staff, new committee staff, or new agency officials, early next year will be a critical time to educate decisionmakers on your core issues.
Strengthen Coalitions. DC is a noisy ecosystem, and coalitions are an excellent way to break through the noise. Once your priorities are established, finding likeminded organizations will be important. Even better if the coalitions include breaking down issue area siloes and contain a mix of businesses, NGOs, and local governments. The start of a new Congress and administration is the perfect time to build collective advocacy efforts.
Be Ready to Pivot. The political landscape is inherently unpredictable, especially during transitions. To stay agile, we recommend you (1) monitor early actions closely to identify signals of emerging priorities, (2) prepare for gridlock, especially around reconciliation as Republicans determine what can move through their caucus, and (3) continue to focus on educating decision makers on why your issues should be a top priority as they develop their policy agenda.
Transitions in leadership bring both uncertainty and opportunity. Whether it’s building new relationships, shaping emerging policies, or advancing bipartisan legislation, the groundwork laid now will pay dividends over the next few years.
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