News

Our ability to communicate openly and honestly with the Members of Congress that represent us is a hallmark of American democracy. However, the current system of engagement is stunted. What was once a well-traveled highway, designed to make two-way trips faster and more convenient, has become a dilapidated, congested thoroughfare that can no longer support the amount of drivers on the road.

Repairs and alternative routes are needed.

Last week, CMF and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) held a webinar for congressional staff on the topic of workplace flexibility ("workflex") and discussed how it IS possible to have these types of arrangements in Congress. Not to worry if you missed the webinar — we recorded it and also offer you a downloadable guide ("The Workflex Toolkit for Congress") that walks you through the various types of workflex (hint: it's more than telecommuting), addresses common concerns, and provides assessments and templates for you to implement workflex in your office.

This webinar, hosted by CMF and SHRM as part of the "Life in Congress project," will feature the "Workflex Toolkit for Congress," a practical guide with worksheets, assessments, and tips for how to make flexible working options a reality in your office. Join us September 27 for this online briefing that also will feature congressional managers who have implemented family-friendly or more flexible policies in their office.

Every year, the Congressional Management Foundation trains thousands of citizen-advocates to effectively engage with their Members of Congress both in Washington and back home. Through these efforts, CMF has had opportunities to work with groups who have advanced advocacy programs – the kind designed to cultivate sophisticated advocates, targeted strategies, yielding significant results in the public policy arena.

These programs run the gamut from anti-hunger nonprofits to industry associations. Because CMF works with many of these advanced-advocate programs, we've been able to identify common characteristics nearly all of them possess. For grassroots professionals working for nonprofits, associations, and companies looking to build their programs, these are some traits you should aim to develop.

By Seth Turner and Chip Felkel

Last week, The Congressional Management Foundation and the RAP Index joined forces on a webinar, Citizen Engagement: What Works and What Doesn't, which raised questions as to whether the most common grassroots advocacy tactic – identical mass email campaigns to Congress – actually are a good return on investment.

The boss’ time is THE most precious resource in every congressional office and it is the Schedulers who make the critical decisions about how to best use that valuable (and limited!) resource. This webinar session will provide an overview of the updated, Scheduler-focused content on CMF’s Office Toolkit, with a focus on applying routine criteria to the onslaught of scheduling requests.

How can your office navigate the tricky waters that are the many tributaries of the federal agency bureaucracy? CMF is delighted to welcome TWO former House Chiefs of Staff who have both also worked within the Executive Branch. On July 30 they will discuss what they've learned in their various roles and share their insights with senior House managers.