Advocating for Today, Designing for Tomorrow

Join workforce leaders from across the country for three fast‑moving days focused on what matters right now in Washington — and what’s coming next. As we advocate for the resources our communities need today, we must also shape the policy framework that will define the future of the public workforce system. This Summit brings together federal officials, national partners, and local leaders to align around the challenges ahead and the opportunities we must seize.

You’ll hear directly from senior agency leaders, policy experts, and national organizations on the issues driving the federal workforce agenda. We’ll cut through the noise, break down what’s happening in real time, and identify where the field must push, align, and lead.

Hands‑on advocacy sessions will sharpen your message and strengthen your strategy so you can walk into Capitol Hill meetings ready to make clear, compelling asks. We’ll also bring states together to compare notes, coordinate approaches, and elevate shared priorities.

The Summit concludes with a full day on Capitol Hill — your opportunity to put preparation into action and ensure lawmakers understand what local boards need to serve workers, employers, and communities. They need to hear your success stories.

If you’re shaping policy, fighting for resources, or driving system change, this is where you need to be.

Preliminary Schedule

Monday, September 28
1:00 PM – Policy conference opens: federal agency roundtables, data, and a political lay of the land
5:00 PM – Optional dinner meet‑ups (on your own)
Tuesday, September 29
8:00 AM – Breakfast
9:00 AM – Policy sessions continue: partner perspectives, federal agency updates, and a legislative briefing (apprenticeships, Workforce Pell, Medicaid work requirements, and more)
12:00 PM – Lunch & keynote speaker
1:30 PM – Capitol Hill panel
2:30 PM – Break
3:00 PM – Effective Advocacy Through Storytelling on Capitol Hill
4:00 PM – State coordination
5:00 PM – Day concludes; dinner on your own
Wednesday, September 30
7:45 AM – Board buses to Capitol Hill
8:00 AM – Buses depart
9:00 AM–5:00 PM – Hill meetings
5:00 PM – Congressional Reception & Presentation of Awards
6:30 PM – Board buses for return to hotel
6:45 PM – Buses depart

Hotel Information

Washington Hilton  1919 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC Conference rate: $259/night
The discounted room block expires August 28, 2026.
Transportation to the Washington Hilton
 
From DCA (Reagan National)
Metro: Blue/Yellow → transfer to Red → Dupont Circle (10‑minute walk)
Taxi/Rideshare: ~20 minutes
From IAD (Dulles)
Metro: Silver Line → transfer to Red → Dupont Circle
Taxi/Rideshare: 40–60 minutes
From BWI (Baltimore-Washington)
Train + Metro: Shuttle → Amtrak/MARC → Union Station → Red Line → Dupont Circle
Taxi/Rideshare: 60–90 minutes

Advocacy Day App

We will once again use the Advocacy Associates app, which will include:

Advocate From Anywhere

Even if you can’t be in Washington, you can still make an impact. Our Advocacy Toolkit will help you:
Advocacy doesn’t require being in DC — it requires being engaged.

Helpful Information

NAWB will supply everything you need for effective advocacy, including:
1. A Success Story
Members of Congress need to hear how your board helps people with the greatest barriers to employment find a path to economic security. Record a video, gather a testimonial, or write a narrative — and share it with us in advance. [Link to upload page]
2. A One‑Pager
Prepare a one‑ or two‑page summary of:
Please bring:
Do not bring:
Visit the Capitol Visitor Center rules for more information.
Note: Visitor Center rules may differ from House/Senate building rules.

For those participating in Workforce Impact Day on Capitol Hill, NAWB is working with Advocacy Associates to group advocates by state or region so no one advocates alone. During registration, you’ll be asked to provide additional addresses/counties/regions to ensure accurate matching based on your service area. Advocacy Associates will use this information to arrange your individual schedule on Capitol Hill.

By Air
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