In 2025, our response to a dramatic shift in federal priorities was to reaffirm our commitment to health equity and engage in a number of advocacy initiatives. We created informative content to highlight health care issues in a clear manner. Our blog content and social media posts covered a wide variety of topics—everything from the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s drastic cuts to the safety net. We recorded video testimonials from leaders of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC), who explained how federal cuts would severely weaken the Medicaid program and in turn, their ability to serve the community.

We also took our concerns to Washington, DC during the National Rural Health Association’s 2025 Rural Health Policy Institute. We offered opportunities for our grantee-partners to engage in advocacy as well. In the summer of 2025, we sponsored 15 nonprofit organizations to receive intensive training and do their own advocacy on the Hill.

In February we attended the National Rural Health Association’s 2025 Rural Health Policy Institute, where we met with members of Congress and their staff at their offices on Capitol Hill. It was an energizing opportunity to learn from groups around the country. It was also a way to take our concerns directly to our elected representatives.

Read our reflections on three days at the Rural Health Policy Institute:

In June, we made it possible for 15 nonprofit organizations from western and central New York to travel to DC for two days of training and a day of advocacy on Capitol Hill. The sessions were led by a team from Social Current, which specializes in advocacy training. Collectively, the 15 nonprofits that participated in #AdvocacyAmplified2025 serve 31 counties representing more than 240,000 constituents.

Dina Thompson is the founder and executive director of the Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition (ECRJC), one of the nonprofits selected to travel to DC. ECRJC focuses on restorative justice through conflict resolution and addressing crime. Dina attended Social Current’s intensive training sessions and participated in the Hill visit. The experience taught her how much more powerful an organization can be when joining forces with others. Even if the organizations have different missions, the ultimate goal is the same: to make things better for the community. Dina explains that while ECRJC has no direct connection to Medicaid or SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), the parents and youth she serves depend on a strong safety net. If a family’s basic needs aren’t being met, then ECRJC’s ability to help them is limited.

“We are all trying to create communities where everyone can thrive,” she says. “I don’t think I really realized that until we heard all the voices together. And when you’re advocating for things, you’re not just advocating for the people that you serve, but you’re advocating for a whole community.” After returning to Buffalo, Dina began meeting and sharing ideas with other nonprofit leaders. Almost a year later, she is still in regular contact with her nonprofit peers. (See the story on the nonprofit support group to learn more.)

Advocacy can be intimidating, but with the right knowledge, training, and tools, any nonprofit organization can engage with the issues they care about. We welcome opportunities to support and collaborate with groups that share our advocacy priorities—whether that means co-authoring an op-ed, co-hosting an informational webinar or convening, or co-sponsoring formal advocacy training. When it comes to advocacy, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach—but there is strength in numbers. Why not take the first step to join the collective conversations and work for change?

Check out these organizations: Social Current, Bolder Advocacy, and Partnership for the Public Good. Also, visit our advocacy webpage to learn more about our strategic priorities.