Services & Solutions
Capitol Advocacy’s experienced team of lobbyists know how to fight California’s unfriendly business policies and educate key stakeholders in order to bring about – or block – harmful product-related legislation.
Capitol Advocacy represents clients before the State Legislature, the Governor’s Office, state agencies and departments, and regulatory boards and commissions. In addition to decades of lobbying experience, members of our team have worked as senior staff in the State Assembly, State Senate, and in the Executive Branch. Our experience navigating these arenas is second to none.
We are focused on knowing the policy and the politics. It’s not enough just to show up and advocate, which is why we believe it’s important to develop an intimate understanding of the issues we work on — and we accomplish that across a broad array of policy areas, from healthcare to the environment. We also realize that politics shapes every issue which is why we maintain a keen awareness of the background, the dynamics, and the objectives of each elected official.
Lobbying
Capitol Advocacy represents clients before the State Legislature, the Governor’s Office, state agencies and departments, and regulatory boards and commissions. In addition to decades of lobbying experience, members of our team we have worked as senior staff in the State Assembly, State Senate, and in the Executive Branch. Our experience navigating each of these arenas is second to none.
Our team works year-round to build relationships that are critical to shaping policy in Sacramento. That means we are always positioned to connect with the right people at the right time, no matter the issue or the policymaker.
By mastering the process, understanding the policy and politics, and possessing relationships with key players in Sacramento, the Capitol Advocacy lobbying team helps clients win regardless of circumstances— whether they face a crisis, a high-profile battle, a legislative or regulatory need, or have an interest to protect behind the scenes.
Budget Advocacy
We have spent years working around the intricacies of the budget maze and as such, are widely respected by long-time budget staffers and key decision makers in leadership offices and the administration. The Capitol Advocacy team are experts in the budget process, and know how to best advise our clients to be successful in advancing or opposing a budget deal.
California’s budget process is an ever-changing maze of moving parts. The State suffers from excessive demands on limited resources, institutes complex and cumbersome funding formulas, and mandates sometimes unrealistic and detrimental requirements on its contractors and private partners.
From the announcement of the Governor’s proposed budget in January to the June 15 deadline for the Legislature to pass a budget, the process happens quickly and sometimes very quietly behind closed doors. That’s why there’s no one better to advocate for you than Capitol Advocacy. Whether fighting to secure funding or defending against budget cuts, we work with our clients to manage the state budget process every step of the way, and to find creative solutions to budget challenges. We work with our clients to manage the state budget process every step of the way, finding creative solutions to challenges and meet their needs.
Coalition Building
Whether advocating for legislation or trying to stop a bad bill, building a broad-based coalition helps to increase our client’s success. That’s why at Capitol Advocacy we focus intensely on building the right support network for the most effective lobbying effort.
We work with a broad array of advocates — from business leaders and environmental activists to community groups, labor, trade associations, consumer, patient and provider organizations, grassroots organizers and local elected officials. It is our long-term relationships with these groups that help to bring advocacy partners to form a coalition and make our legislative efforts successful.
In each coalition, we use our understanding of California’s political landscape to assemble an effective team of messengers, give them the tools they need to communicate the right message, and then deploy them to achieve our clients’ goals.
Whether leading or working with a coalition, we understand the importance of identifying the right messenger to deliver the most effective message to a policy maker.
Strategic Planning
It’s always better to prevent a crisis than to be confronted with one. That’s why our lobbyists work with clients to develop strategic plans that anticipate threats and highlight opportunities.
We are constantly gauging the impact of issues that are most likely to be at the forefront of each legislative session. This allows us to protect our clients against potential threats by staying ahead of the game, anticipating change, responding to legislation, and crafting administrative solutions to move their agendas forward.
Cookie-cutter strategies don’t work in California. The state’s political environment requires not only strategic planning, but creative thinking to break through the noise and make sure the message is heard by the relevant decision makers. We believe in a tailored approach for each client and each issue.
In partnership with our client, we establish and exceed strategic objectives and together achieve long-term success.
We view ourselves as an ongoing partner with our clients, sharing their focus on meeting strategic objectives and achieving long-term success.
Political Involvement
California’s political landscape shifts on a near-daily basis. We help our clients effectively navigate the constant change resulting from each election cycle and the dynamics at play between those cycles. Understanding how the political currents are flowing allows us to effectively navigate the landscape.
We believe it’s not enough to simply throw money into the political process. We strive to make our clients’ participation strategic and meaningful. That means using political action to increase our clients’ visibility, make progress toward strategic goals, and build the right relationships for long-term benefit.
In each election, we evaluate the key legislative races and the most critical ballot initiatives, and advise our clients on how and when to participate. We also develop a comprehensive strategy every four years when the voters of California decide on the eight statewide Constitutional offices and four state Board of Equalization offices.
In the most recent election cycle, Capitol Advocacy assisted our clients in thoughtfully deploying several million dollars in political contributions to candidates and statewide ballot measure committees.
Even for clients with no political budget, we provide ongoing updates and strategic advice about the political environment and how it will impact their ultimate goals.
Procurement
The California government spends billions of dollars annually on goods and services, making it a market ripe with opportunity. However, accessing those contracting opportunities is challenging due to complex procurement rules and policies, the state’s ever-changing budget situation, and the nuances of politics in the overall process. Capitol Advocacy’s familiarity with these challenges uniquely positions us as one of the most experienced firms in helping clients successfully contract with California.
We are constantly searching for opportunities for our clients to do business with the state, even before such opportunities are formally announced. We will work with you to develop a comprehensive procurement lobbying strategy tailored to your specific needs. We will craft a bid development and provide guidance on bid protests, if needed. Throughout the process, we work diligently to strengthen your relationships with key state officials.
We have successfully represented companies in areas including: corrections, education, healthcare, information technology, and transportation. By taking a multi-faceted approach, anticipating threats, and capitalizing on opportunities, Capitol Advocacy is well-equipped to accomplish your procurement goals.
