Communications Affinity Group Online Learning Workshop Series | Workshop 1: Government Relations Training

In democracies, elected officials from all orders of government depend on information from civil society to help them make good public policy. Similarly, Canada’s media relies on information from the public and a range of experts from across society to ensure accurate, interesting, and comprehensive reporting.  

Canada’s non-profit and charitable sector operates for the public interest and common good, and more than any other sector, understands the evolving needs and issues of the most vulnerable. Without our sector’s active engagement, our government, the media, and the communities they serve are poorer for it. 

What’s more, as funders look to advance the issues they care about, and to find creative ways to proactively assist the work of their grantees beyond donations, participating in government and media relations is an obvious way to contribute.      

Our sector has enormous insight and perspective to offer in ensuring that public policies, resources and public awareness are align with the needs of sector and the communities we serve. We require the knowledge and confidence to be able to engage with government and the media strategically and effectively.

This two-part training workshop, as part of PFC’s Communications Affinity Group 2023 programming, represents a modest, but practical intervention designed to increase capacity.  

• Workshop 1 – Government Relations: October 19, 2023 – 1-3pm ET
• Workshop 2 – Media Relations: November 16, 2023 – 1-3pm ET

1. Government Relations Training: Facilitator and content

At this special two-hour online workshop delivered by Pamela Uppal, the Director of Policy at the Ontario Nonprofit Network, participants will learn more about government relations, and how as non-profits, charities and funders, we can best participate in the political process.   

The session will particularly focus on Government Relations (GR) as an advocacy tactic that participants can use to amplify the needs of the sector and communities we serve. Topics that will be covered during the session include:

• Myth-busting advocacy rules for nonprofits and charities
• Insights into GR strategies, tips, tricks, and tools
• Identifying who in government (municipal, provincial, federal) you need to talk to on which issues, and how to meet with elected officials
• Ways funders can support non-profit and charitable sector advocacy

You will have the opportunity to ask questions, and slides as well as relevant resources will be shared post-event.

Registration

The registration link (also below) is the same as for all regular Communications Affinity Group sessions, except that both October 19 and November 16 workshops will last two hours rather than one. If you already registered, we suggest registering again so that you will receive another calendar file reflecting the new two-hour timing.

Gratitude

We are grateful to PFC member the Weston Family Foundation for their generous support of this sector learning initiative.