Congressional Engagement Best Practices
- oneaidcommunity
- Apr 14
- 3 min read
Thank you for participating in this important advocacy effort. Meeting with a Congressional office is an excellent opportunity to make a meaningful impact and your voice is key – both as a constituent and a development and humanitarian professional. Below are a few tips to help you have effective meetings.
Remember Your Why
Myth: Meeting with a Member of Congress means having the perfect argument that will convince them to support your cause – you just have to convince them. In reality, this is rarely if ever the case. Engaging with a Member of Congress and their staff is a chance to:
Demonstrate Constituent Support: Members of Congress work on behalf of their constituents so it is important that they hear directly from those that they represent on what is important to them. Oftentimes congressional officials will keep tallies of the voices they hear from on different sides of an issue. It is also helpful for them to know that constituents support them on difficult stances.
Share Information & Counter Misinformation: There is a lot of confusion and missing or misinformation about what has and continues to happen to USAID and other international assistance organizations. Your first hand understanding and access to facts is important in setting the record straight, countering misinformation, and positioning our community as a trusted resource.
Gather Insight: Is there a particular community or business that a member needs to hear from? Or another member that is key to moving an agenda forward? Asking questions and positioning yourself as ready to support the office can go a long way towards moving an agenda forward.
Build an Ongoing Relationship Most importantly, meeting with your Congressional office is a good chance to build an ongoing relationship. Ideally you’ll be able to continue to exchange information as it develops so that when needed, you both have an existing relationship to draw on.
Prepare & Follow Up
Research: Before your meeting, research the member and their state or district to understand your audience. This briefer template details the kind of information to gather and where to find it.
Confirm Participants: Invite others to join your meeting that demonstrate important viewpoints and institutions important to the office, based on the research you did in preparation. Aim to keep meeting small and focused and constituent based, especially in state.
Prepare Participants: Meet with everyone ahead of time to share the key asks, goals and talking points so that everyone is on the same page going into the meeting and has a role.
Follow Up: After the meeting, send a quick thank you to the office and follow up with any requested information or next steps.
Key Reminders
Be on Time: Congressional offices run on tight schedules. Arrive at least 10 minutes early to check in. If the meeting is online, login early and make sure your camera and mic are working properly.
Be Polite & Professional: Even if the staff member disagrees with you, remain courteous and focused on the facts. They will remember the interaction as much as the conversation.
Stay on Message: Stick to key points and be concise—most meetings last only 15-30 minutes.
Don't Guess—Follow Up: If you’re asked a question you don’t know the answer to, it’s okay to say, “I’ll follow up with more information.” Be sure to note the question and send a follow-up email.
Share Personal Stories: Former USAID staff and others can illustrate how these programs impact American security and prosperity. Try to coordinate so you demonstrate different aspects of funding and how it helps America. (humanitarian, GH, Food aid, etc)
Helpful Resources