One large private foundation in the Midwest faced a challenge: The leadership there cared deeply about public policy and advocacy, and several program areas of the foundation had key public policy linkages, but as a private foundation they had to avoid direct lobbying. They wanted to influence the conversation but didn’t want to cross the line.

This foundation knew this was right up the alley of the VSA Philanthropy team and what it had been set up to do. They retained us for three consecutive years to organize the annual Congressional fly-in for their grantees. Fly-ins – wherein groups of people with shared interests and policy aims come to Washington, D.C., to meet with Members of Congress – are a timeworn advocacy technique for influencing policy. Private philanthropy, however, has often shied away from this tactic with fears this veers too close to lobbying. But a foundation telling legislators about its grantmaking, the work of their grantees, or how public policy can be improved, however – this is informing and educating, not lobbying. The foundation knew we understood this distinction.