SNYDER STRATEGIES

Think August recess is vacation time for lawmakers? Think again. As a former senior staffer who helped plan five August recess schedules, I can tell you it’s one of the busiest months of the year. Lawmakers and their teams are crisscrossing the state for site visits, fairs, and nonstop constituent meetings. If you want to make the most of this critical time for advocacy, you need strategy, relationships, and timing on your side.

Launching the Iowa Nonprofit Alliance taught me a lot about power, persistence, and the sector’s potential. In this reflection, I share what I learned as INA’s first director—why nonprofits need more than technical assistance, why advocacy isn’t optional, and why funders must get bolder to truly support systems change.

Nonprofit leaders are being asked to do more advocacy than ever—and many are wondering if it’s really making a difference. As a former Senate staffer turned strategist, I’m here to say: yes, advocacy works. It’s not fast or flashy, but it’s powerful. From smoke-free laws to marriage equality, lasting change happens because people keep showing up.