After the Midterms: Building Relationships and Finding Common Ground

By Laura Walling, Vice President of Government Affairs, Goodwill Industries International, Inc.

Election Day marks an important transition, but for Goodwill® advocates, it is also a beginning.

Across the country, newly elected leaders will soon take office at the local, state and federal levels. These new policymakers bring fresh perspectives and priorities, creating an important opportunity for Goodwill organizations to introduce our mission, demonstrate our impact and build relationships that can last well beyond a single election cycle.

Many of the issues at the heart of Goodwill’s public policy agenda transcend party lines. Workforce development, skills training, economic mobility, digital opportunity and removing barriers to employment matter in red, blue and purple communities alike. Employers need skilled workers, people need pathways to good jobs, and communities need strong partners that can help translate public policy into real opportunity.

Finding solutions will require policymakers to work across the aisle, and Goodwill can help provide common ground.

The role of states may also become increasingly important. As policy debates and implementation decisions shift among federal, state and local governments, Goodwill organizations should continue strengthening relationships with governors, state legislators, workforce agencies, mayors and other local leaders, alongside our engagement with Congress and the Administration.

Our advocacy work does not end on Election Day. It begins again. Now is the time to welcome newly elected officials, share Goodwill’s story and demonstrate how our network can partner with leaders of both parties to strengthen the workforce and expand economic opportunity.

Reach out to newly elected officials in your community. Congratulate them. Invite them to visit your Goodwill. Introduce them to the people you serve and the employers you partner with. And most importantly, begin building the relationships that will help advance Goodwill’s public policy priorities in the months and years ahead.