State Advocacy and Appropriations

State Advocacy

BGR’s bipartisan teams in Washington and Austin maintain extensive and high-level relationships with governors, Lt. governors, attorneys general, secretaries of state, legislative leaders, and mayors throughout the country. Our trusted name, reputation for achieving results, and national network are valued commodities that are consistently relied upon by clients to deliver new business opportunities and policy solutions.

Even before the coronavirus pandemic, state officials were the driving force on economic development, health care delivery, equitable education, disaster response, and infrastructure spending and policies. BGR’s experienced professionals directly engage decision-makers in state capitols across the country to lobby on policy matters. We also work to help private entities effectively compete for opportunities before state and local governments. Many state and local officials have joined the Biden-Harris Administration, including former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm as Energy Secretary; North Carolina Secretary of Environmental Quality Michael Regan as the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg as Transportation Secretary; and former Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, as Commerce Secretary. Enlisting the support of current state and local officials is often a critical differentiator of BGR’s work on behalf of clients’ federal advocacy priorities.

There are, however, increasingly divergent policy directions between states and the federal government on labor, health and education policies. Republicans currently control 61 of the 98 partisan state legislative chambers, including total control in 23 states. In place of working collaboratively with the Trump Administration, many Republican leaders are challenging the new administration’s policies, often led by the 26 GOP attorneys general. With decades of experience navigating complex issues within government entities across the country, BGR’s lobbyists ensure our clients’ messages are appropriately calibrated for the targeted audiences and coordinated to advance business development priorities.

Appropriations

BGR helps its clients ranging from local governments, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, universities, and companies navigate the mechanics of government funding. This ranges from securing funds directly from federal agencies to working though the annual appropriations process and surface transportation reauthorization bills. Our team has a proven record of success managing the complex federal funding process and devising effective approaches on behalf of our clients. Our deep understanding of government agencies and the appropriations process allows us to identify potential funding directly within the federal agencies like loan programs and competitive grants. Additionally, we assist our clients in identifying new funding sources made possible by the CARES Act and American Rescue Plan Act.

BGR has helped clients secure increases in program funding as well as instructive language in appropriations bills and committee reports. In the past, we have also helped our clients receive directed congressional appropriations in the form of earmarks. Today we are preparing for the implementation of a new form of congressionally directed funding known as Community Project Funding. BGR works with clients to ensure the necessary criteria for support are met including local support and defined public benefits.

The BGR team has decades of experience in securing funding across all federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, Army Corps of Engineers, and the departments of Transportation, Defense, Health and Human Services and Energy. We bring a breadth of experience, creativity, and fresh perspective to funding strategies across all levels of government.

Our bipartisan team’s capabilities include, but are not limited to:

• Legislative, executive, and regulatory advocacy through direct engagement with state, local and federal decision-makers.
• Advising, organizing, and implementing multi-state advocacy campaigns, including identifying and managing local consultants.
• Coordinating federal and state affairs advocacy strategies.
• Persuading state and local leaders to support federal priorities.
• Issue intelligence gathering, policy analysis & legislative tracking.
• Helping secure state and federal appropriations for education, infrastructure, health care and technology priorities.
• Crafting business development and procurement strategies before the RFP process begins.
• Improving working relationships with state Medicaid Directors, Medical Directors and Pharmacy Directors on coverage issues.
• Providing strategic political counsel, including maximizing the benefits of membership in state government associations.