ADVOCACY TOOLS

Status Update on FY25 Funding and Reauthorization

A lot has happened this year on both federal funding for the next fiscal year (FY25) and on the reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). We invite you to share our new Federal Policy Status Update with your board members. There is a lot at stake and we need to spread the word, including asking our board members to advocate for workforce development policy and to support the vital role that workforce boards play in local economic vitality. Read the summary and please share widely.

Resource Comparing Proposed House and Senate Funding

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed a bill that, if enacted, would restore funding for most programs that a House appropriations subcommittee proposed to drastically cut or eliminate. NAWB is pleased to share this new resource to help you compare funding proposals for a wide range of programs that support workforce development.

A Guide to Hosting a Congressional Site Visit

Elected officials make dozens of site visits each year, and they typically welcome the opportunity to learn more about their community. Learn every step of the process, from finding and inviting your elected official to supporting the site visit itself. You are already a workforce development expert. You’ll soon be an expert in hosting site visits, too!

Tell Congress How WIOA Reauthorization Could Affect Your Community

Congress is due to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and are working to produce a bill by the end of this year. NAWB urges you to let Congress know how certain aspects of these proposals would affect your community.

Background: The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 6655, The Stronger Workforce for America Act (ASWA) on April 9. 2024. The U.S. Senate released a discussion draft on June 21, 2024. NAWB worked with several other local WIOA constituency groups to provide detailed legislative feedback on behalf of our membership.

NAWB urges all members to contact Congress TODAY!

Step 1: Visit www.senate.gov and find your two U.S. senators and www.house.gov to find 

your U.S. representative (or perhaps you already have contact info for Congressional aides). You can contact them via email or through their websites – either method is effective.

Step 2: Use our template letter linked below to make the case for how the provisions will affect your community and the clients you serve.

Step 3: Send your messages/letters/emails.

Step 4: Let us know you contacted your senator and send us a copy of your messages at 

nawb@nawb.org.

Workforce Advocacy Toolkit

If you were to ask a median U.S. voter what a Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) is, they likely would not know the answer. Nonetheless, LWDBs change lives and the results they produce benefit every American. So why is a system with an undeniable track record of success going largely unnoticed by the public? 

The National Association of Workforce Boards’ (NAWB) Advocacy Toolkit is designed to help bridge that awareness gap among lawmakers, thought leaders, and the general public. This Toolkit outlines the current political landscape, dives into engaging elected officials, and provides communication tools for you to utilize to make your case for LWDBs and the workforce development efforts they oversee.