Strength in Numbers and Stories: Mobilizing Board Members and Patient Advocates

Community health centers’ pivotal, life-saving leadership during COVID must not be forgotten nor taken for granted. As the community health center funding cliff quickly approaches (December 2023), we must not let advocacy and COVID fatigue continue to suppress health center advocacy. With billions of dollars of federal funding on the line, the Health Center Movement must build capacity and engage advocates now. Over 29 million patients, board members, and staff are already invested in the success of CHCs. Bradford Fitch, President and CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF), will discuss the importance of having board members and patient advocates participating in an organization’s advocacy efforts. Fitch will also share strategies on how best to engage lawmakers based on CMF’s trusted relationships with and surveys of congressional members and staff.