The 2012 Public Policy Action Institute took place in San Francisco on Saturday, November 10 and Sunday, November 11 – just prior to the Independent Sector Annual Conference.

Here's what people said they liked most about this year's PPAI:

• Diversity of members, access to first-hand knowledge, and the great speakers.
• The ability to meet, network and interact with colleagues.
• Excellent content; relevant to work; fast paced.
• The in-depth knowledge of the experienced speakers.
• Extremely relevant, plenty of interaction.
• Great PPAI! It is already on my calendar for 2013.

This year’s Public Policy Action Institute came at the heels of an incredibly important election, and in the midst of great change for our nation and in turn our sector. The ninth annual Institute focused on the 2012 national and state elections as a spring-board for in-depth conversations on the role of the government and the nonprofit sector in improving communities in America and around the world.

The Institute grounded high-level discussions with tactical strategies and best practices to improve the work and voice of the nonprofit sector. Sessions focused on key elements of nonprofit advocacy success, as examined in IS’s report Beyond the Cause: The Art and Science of Advocacy and offered participants the opportunity to delve into specific strategies through strategy lab sessions and insights from experts.

Experts and participants also discussed how the “fiscal cliff” of sequestration and expiring marginal tax rates, deficit reduction efforts, the 2012 lame-duck session, and comprehensive tax reform may impact the nonprofit sector, developing strategies on how the sector can work together as lawmakers grapple with critical tax policy decisions.

The Institute brought together a diverse group of nonprofit leaders, policy advocates, and communications professionals to discuss and mobilize around the policy issues vital to advancing the work of the nonprofit sector and meeting the needs of our communities.

Thank you to everyone who came and participated and we hope to see you in New York for next year’s Institute!

PPAI 2012 was generously supported by: