Put simply, advocacy is about supporting good causes at the local, state and national level. Our advocacy team works to build lawmakers’ support for policy shifts and new investments that advance the community’s vision and allow all people to thrive regardless of income, race or place.
Our policy and strategic direction, including the Policy and Advocacy Agenda, is set by a volunteer board of directors. You can learn more about our board members.
You can learn more about our current policy and advocacy priorities by reading through our 2024 Policy and Advocacy Agenda.
We strive to create a community where all thrive regardless of income, race or place. To do this, we work with partners to change inequitable housing, food, education and employment systems so they’re available to everyone.
Learn about our impact areas.
Greater Twin Cities United Way depends on the feedback and perspective of our nonprofit partners to identify the most pressing challenges in our communities. As we work to develop our advocacy agenda, we collaborate closely with the community through multiple rounds of consultation and feedback -- at all times, keeping our focus on the perspectives of those who are most impacted by the issues. The result of this process, our policy and advocacy agenda, is then approved by our board of directors.
2023 was a hugely consequential year -- and we were pleased to see unprecedented investments and policy shifts around many of our priority issues. Read more about our advocacy impact in 2023.
Advocacy before policymakers and lawmakers is a key part of Greater Twin Cities United Way's approach to creating change. Our advocacy team includes registered lobbyists, and we also work with external lobbyists during the legislative session to engage lawmakers and advance key policy priorities.
Greater Twin Cities United Way partners with a number of organizations who share our vision and our priorities for change. Organizations we’ve partnered with recently include Ignite Afterschool, the Minnesota Association for the Education of Young Children, the Minnesota Education Equity Partnership, Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood, The Link, and the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless.
