Fresno COG Legislative Advocacy Trips

One Voice Advocacy trips focus on a core group of regional projects and priorities around which the broadest group within the county can unite. The One Voice delegation advocates for funding programs crucial to regional projects that may collectively seek hundreds of millions of dollars through federal discretionary grant programs. Fresno COG’s One Voice delegation seeks funding sources for projects that appeal to federal decision makers and advocates for congressional and federal agency support during the competitive grant processes. By advocating for policy and regulatory reform, Fresno COG’s One Voice effort is responsible for legislation that today streamlines the way federal and state agencies work together while eliminating unnecessary procedures so government agencies and the business community can work together seamlessly toward job creation for our communities.

Contact Fresno COG Executive Director, Robert Phipps, at rphipps@fresnocog.org or Fresno COG’s Communications & Planning Services Manager, Brenda Thomas, at bthomas@fresnocog.org with any questions. 

Background

Fresno Council of Governments (Fresno COG) began its “One Voice” effort in 2003 to seek federal funding for projects of broad, community benefit to Fresno County. Fresno COG has hosted 17 trips leading a public-private delegation and selected prioritized projects, visiting Congressional and federal departmental representatives in Washington, D.C. to pursue funding and grant opportunities. Congressional representatives and their staff welcome and encourage these face-to-face communications as a means of assisting federal representatives to identify, prioritize and shepherd much-needed projects and programs through the federal budgetary process.