Cross-Sector Movement Building: Event Recap & Results 

Thrive brought together nonprofit, public sector, and corporate leaders for a forum to build on the prior year's organizing activities of our Thrive Action Groups (TAGs). At this forum, we began creating policy and advocacy agendas for each of Thrive's five key issue areas. The overarching goal of the event was to provide roadmaps for key activities for TAGs to undertake to address the most pressing issues that affect local communities and how to coordinate this important work. 

We kicked off the event with a panel of experts discussing how they work cross-sector to create change in the policy arena and beyond. This incredible panel included: 

• Connie Juarez-Diroll, Legislative Officer, County of San Mateo

• Jan Masaoka, CEO, CalNonprofits

• Rebecca Prozan, Head of Public Affairs, California, Google

• Melissa Breach, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of California

A special thank you to our esteemed panelists and speakers for sharing how they engage in policy and advocacy work in their respective roles. We all learned so much and were inspired by their work in the field. We are grateful for all the work they do in the policy arena to improve the quality of life in our communities. 

The second half of the event was led by the policy experts Megan Joseph, Executive Director of Rise Together and William White, Director of Policy and Government Affairs at United Way Bay Area. As part of the Policy Agendas as Roadmaps Workshop, William White presented a step by step guide for developing a policy agenda. A brief summary of the issue analysis is outlined below: 

Problem

• Define the problem in your words

• What about this issue needs fixing?

• Be as specific as possible

Alignment

• How is the issue tied to your mission/programs?

Impact

• Are the people you serve affected? How?

• What are the potential outcomes? Pros and Cons

• What are the benefits/costs of advocacy?

Targets

• What level of government is advocacy needed?

• What partners are needed?

Thanks to each team for crafting policy and advocacy agendas in our five Thrive Action Group breakouts. The results of these conversations and corresponding advocacy goals will be presented next month - stay tuned as these action plans come to life!

Event Gallery