Guest post by Judy Barrett Miller, Public Policy Consultant, YMCA of the USA

"What's Catching Fire at the State Level," caught my attention at Independent Sector's 2012 Public Policy Action Institute in San Francisco. Interesting perspectives were shared through the lens of what state legislatures are looking at, the regulators view of what's taking place and what needs further scrutiny, and the trends and impact seen from a national nonprofit organization. 

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Guest post by Lisa Jaguzny, Executive Director, Campion Foundation

This afternoon at the Public Policy Action Institute, attendees got a detailed briefing from Diana Aviv, on Independent Sector’s latest report: Beyond The Cause – The Art and Science of Advocacy.  After the morning's download on the current state of affairs in Washington, D.C. and state legislatures, this session was well-timed. Whether you're a representative of a foundation or a non-profit, you are undoubtedly focused on making the most of the next four years, and tuning up your understanding of advocacy "practices" is likely at the top of your list.

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Guest post by Benjamin Kershaw, Assistant Director for Congressional Relations, American Alliance of Museums

The Public Policy Action Institute's first panel, The Pulse of the Nation: What the 2012 Elections Mean for Our Sector, kicked off with a conversation between Joe Garofoli and Carla Marinucci, political reporters for the San Francisco Chronicle. They emphasized the key role that President Obama’s strong performance among key demographics like voters under 30, Latinos, and women played in his re-election. Along with moderator Kyle Caldwell of the Michigan Nonprofit Association, they discussed how this electoral performance could influence upcoming legislative action on immigration, tax reform, and the federal budget.

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The million dollar question in 2013 is: What is going to happen in tax reform? On Sunday at the Public Policy Ation Institute, we will focus on this question, as well as how tax reform will affect the nonprofit and philanthropic sector, and the communities we serve.

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We have an advocacy-packed afternoon in store for Saturday PPAI! We will be focused on how to do effective advocacy: the essentials, the strategies, and the inside scoop from experts and new research.

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