NEBRASKA CIVIC ENGAGEMENT TABLE

THROUGH PROGRAMS SUCH AS ORGANIZER SCHOOL; CAPACITY, DATA, AND RESOURCES TO HELP OUR MEMBERS ENGAGE COMMUNITIES IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND NONPARTISAN ELECTION EDUCATION; POLICY TRAINING PROGRAM CALLED LOBBY SCHOOL; AND MANAGEMENT/FACILITATION OF SEVERAL COALITIONS AND WORKING GROUPS. ORGANIZER SCHOOL IS A COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM. WE HAVE A STAFF MEMBER PLACED WITH TWO UNIQURE MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS TO INCREASE CAPACITY AND ENSURE SUSTAINABLE ORGANIZING PRESENCE IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT GREATER NEBRASKA. IN 2024, THE PROGRAM EVOLVED FROM NOT ONLY HIRING ORGANIZERS TO BE PLACED WITH MEMBERS, TO ALSO INCLUDE TRAINING MODULES TO ENHANCE SKILLS OF ORGANIZERS EMPLOYED WITHIN THE NETWORK. PARTICIPANTS OF THIS PROGRAM SUPPORT COMMUNITY BUILDING, ELECTION EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, AND RESPONSIVENESS TO LOCAL AND STATE POLICY ISSUES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION. THE PROGRAM ALSO AIMS TO DEVELOP AND GROW THE LEADERSHIP PIPELINE IN THESE GEOGRAPHIES.LOBBY SCHOOL TAKES A 360-APPROACH TO MOVEMENT BUILDING BY CONNECTING ELECTIONS AND GRASSROOTS EFFORTS TO POLICY WORK. IT IS DESIGNED TO EXPAND THE EXISTING ADVOCACY INFRASTRUCTURE AND BUILD POWER WITHIN NEBRASKA'S NON-PROFIT ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WE ARE BUILDING THE BENCH OF POLICY EXPERTS THAT CAN ADVOCATE FOR A TRULY REPRESENTATIVE AND INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY. WE HAVE A STAFF MEMBER PLACED WITH FIVE UNIQUE MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD TO INCREASE CAPACITY AND ENSURE CONSISTENT POLICY AND ADVOCACY PRESENCE FOR ORGANIZATIONS WHILE ALSO DEVELOPING A LEADERSHIP PIPELINE.PARTICIPANTS GAIN ESSENTIAL SKILLS TO PARTICIPATE IN LOBBYING EFFORTS TO FIGHT FOR COMMUNITY INTERESTS THAT ARE NOT OFTEN REPRESENTED BY THE TRADITIONAL ROSTER OF PROFESSIONAL LOBBYISTS INCLUDING THOSE OF RURAL AND BIPOC NEBRASKANS. TRAINING IS FACILITATED BY POLICY EXPERTS WHO SHARE LEARNING FROM YEARS OF HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AND IS STRENGTHENED THROUGH MENTORSHIP PAIRS BASED ON ISSUE AREAS. MENTORS PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IN STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT AND AS GUIDES THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. IN ADDITION TO GUIDANCE FROM EXPERTS, PARTICIPANTS ENGAGE IN A COLLABORATIVE SPACE WHERE THEY CAN BUILD CONNECTIONS AMONG PEERS IN THEIR INDUSTRY. IN 2024, WE GRADUATED 13 PARTICIPANTS AND ACCEPTED 11 NEW PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS.ANOTHER KEY FOCUS OF WORK IS COALITION MANAGEMENT AND FACILITATION. IN 2024, WE CO-LED A POLICY COALITION OF OVER 70 ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS WEEKLY DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WERE ACTIVE IN SEVERAL GEOGRAPHIC BASED VOTER EDUCATION COALITIONS, AND HELD KEY ROLES IN NUMEROUS DIRECT DEMOCRACY CAMPAIGNS. WE PROVIDED EDUCATION, RESOURCES, AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE TO SUPPORT MEMBERS DESIGNING NONPARTISAN VOTER OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PLANS, LEVERAGING DATA, A SHARED COMMUNICATIONS NARRATIVE, AND PEOPLE POWER TO ENGAGE COMMUNITIES IN THE 2024 ELECTIONS