As a former Republican legislator, I sat through hundreds of policy pitches. And I can tell you this: data alone never closed the deal.

Often advocates' intentions are good—but they lose the room. Not because the lawmakers don’t care about the issue, but because the solution feels like exactly what they’ve been elected to resist: a big, expensive, centralized government fix.

If you’re not solving the same problem—or even agreeing on what the problem is—you’re not going to get traction, no matter how strong your proposal is.

Having been on the receiving end of countless advocacy pitches—and now helping others deliver them—I know what works and what doesn’t.

I’ve sat on both sides of the table—as the staffer drafting legislation, the lawmaker making tough budget decisions, and the local official navigating complex community needs.

Last week, Senator Josh Hawley published a column in The New York Times that made more than a few people in the early childhood policy world sit up straighter.

If we want to make real progress—for babies, for moms, for families—we have to stop wishing for a different political landscape and start working within the one we’ve got.

Local government leaders are often overlooked as partners in advocacy. Here's why they shouldn't be—and how organizations can harness their influence to drive meaningful policy change.

Gov. DeWine’s $1,000 per young child tax credit is more than just policy—it’s a statement about who we are and what we stand for.

People often confuse strategy with planning, but the two serve entirely different purposes. Strategy is the foundation—it defines the goal.

As Ohio Medicaid moves forward with implementation, this policy stands to improve health outcomes for children.