Advocacy Days
2022 Advocacy Days
The mission of our annual Advocacy Days is to provide land trust leaders with advocacy training and facilitate their relationships with key legislators to help build the political influence of the land trust community. The Land Trust Alliance advises Congress on important land trust issues in a way that no one land trust could do by itself — but to truly motivate elected officials, we need them to hear your stories about conserving our nation’s land and waters. Your participation is as important as it is truly valuable.
Members of Congress must receive a clear message that our community is a powerful coalition — and land conservation is an important national and local issue.
Join us for Land Trust Alliance Advocacy Days, May 9-12! We invite the staff, board members and volunteers of Alliance member land trusts to participate in our annual advocacy event to make a significant difference in land conservation.
As part of Advocacy Days, you'll have the opportunity to:
- take part in our annual issue briefing and first timers' advocacy training;
- visit our debrief room to get answers to your questions, share information about your meetings and network with your peers;
- hear remarks from key Capitol Hill figures; and
- participate in meetings with your members of Congress.
Agenda
All times are Eastern:
Wednesday, April 27
Based on feedback from Alliance members, we are convening this year’s issue briefing and first timers training in advance of Advocacy Days. This will allow for greater participation amongst our community, as well as allowing us to spend more time digging into the issues while providing more formal practice for any first-time participants.
1:30 – 3 p.m. | Issue briefing (Virtual)
Join us before Advocacy Days for an overview of the Land Trust Alliance’s current policy priorities, including a review of our 2023 Farm Bill recommendations, an update on halting abusive conservation easement tax shelters and an overview of several other policy issues.
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | Advocacy for first-timers training (Virtual)
Curious how land trusts can best interact with members of Congress and their staff? Even more curious how to influence Capitol Hill during a time of uncertainty? Join the Alliance team for an informative introductory discussion that will touch on how one can advocate for a conservation agenda and pursue communication channels to leverage your impact.
Monday, May 9
5 – 6:30 p.m. | Informal happy hour | Wunder Garten
Tuesday, May 10
8 – 9:45 a.m. | Hot breakfast and issue briefing office hours | Hilton Garden Inn
Join us for an informal follow-up discussion on the Land Trust Alliance’s current policy priorities. Alliance staff will be on hand to answer questions about specific policies, as well as to review team meeting schedules and talking points.
10:15 – 11:15 a.m. | General office hours | Hilton Garden Inn
New and returning advocates can meet with Alliance staff to discuss policy issues, roleplay potential meeting scenarios, discuss how to leverage social media or otherwise prepare for meetings with elected officials.
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Lunch | Hilton Garden Inn
1 – 5 p.m. | Congressional meetings
Join your state delegation for meetings with your members of Congress and their staff.
6:00 p.m. | Reception | Hilton Garden Inn
Wednesday, May 11
7:00 – 8:00 a.m. | Hot breakfast | Hilton Garden Inn
9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Congressional meetings
Join your state delegation for meetings with your members of Congress and their staff.
Thursday, May 12
Back by popular demand! Meetings with key agency staff have always been a part of Advocacy Days, but we are once again making it easier for people to participate by avoiding conflicts with elected official meetings. Join us for meetings with key agency officials.
8:30 – 9:15 a.m | Meeting with U.S. Forest Service
1 – 2 p.m. | Meeting with Regional Conservation Partnership Program and the Easement Program Division
2:30 – 3 p.m. | Meeting with U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Production and Conservation
Lodging
The deadline to book discounted rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn has passed. Please contact us at training@lta.org if you need any assistance with nearby recommendations.
Stipends
Some limited travel stipends are available, with a focus on key districts and first time participants. Click here to apply.
COVID-19 Policies and Protocols
The Land Trust Alliance is committed to your safety during its in-person events and we want you to be aware of the protocols and requirements for Alliance-hosted in-person events. COVID-19 vaccination will be required for all attendees and guests. The Alliance recently updated its masking requirement. In concert with this policy change and in accordance with the local and federal guidelines, mask wearing at Land Trust Alliance Advocacy Days is strongly recommended but is not required. Those that are immunocompromised should wear a mask, and people with symptoms, a positive test or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should not attend the conference.
All participants must review and sign our Self-Certification and Acknowledgement Form.
Closer to the event start date, you will be asked to complete screening questions via a legally compliant health management platform. Also, you will be asked to upload your proof of vaccination. To be “fully vaccinated” in this context means that by the event start date, it will have been at least two weeks since you received either (1) the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or (2) the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. At this time, boosters are recommended but not required.
Information on current District of Columbia guidelines >>
Contact Us
General questions? Please contact Robert Schwartz at rschwartz@lta.org or call 202-800-2227.
Questions about registration? Please contact Regan Grimmett at rgrimmett@lta.org or call 202-800-2225.