5 Steps to Accelerate Your Advocacy After NLC’s 2025 Congressional City Conference

By:

  • Jeremy Grossman
March 14, 2025 - (4 min read)

We just wrapped another incredible Congressional City Conference (CCC)! Held at the Marriott Marquis Washington, D.C. from March 10-12, CCC welcomed more than 2,800 attendees to engage on policy, learn from experts and make connections.

Additionally, more than 1,100 advocates visited Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress to speak to the issues that matter to local governments, from municipal bonds to infrastructure and reliable federal funding. 

Notably, Vice President JD Vance made his first remarks to local officials at CCC. 

“Please consider our administration one with an open door,” said Vice President Vance. “Please come to us when you have issues, even if you don’t like what we’re doing on the policy – you guys have got to be able to come and talk to us.” 

Whether you joined us for CCC this year or missed it, read below to learn more about how you can continue to advocate and make your voice heard.

1. Get Informed

  • Explore our 2025 Federal Action Agenda, a biannual agenda mapped to the Congressional cycle to guide local advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill and with the Administration. 
  • Members Only: Watch our 2025 Federal Action Agenda Webinar where we discuss how to advance key legislative and regulatory priorities of local governments and how the recent Presidential Actions could impact municipal governance. 

2. Get Support

  • Save the date! CCC 2026 will once again be held at the Marriott Marquis Washington D.C., March 16-18, 2026. 

3. Refine Your Message

  • Determine which NLC priorities align most with the needs and interests of your community, and what it means to your community for the federal government to be a reliable partner. 
  • Gather data and talking points about current projects that depend on federal support. 
  • Consider reaching out to other leaders in your NLC network with similar challenges to determine how they are approaching the problem. 

4. Take Action

  • Take the Pulse Survey (closes March 21, 2025) to share with us what your community needs from the administration and Members of Congress. 
  • If your community has received federal grant funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) or from another program, submit your project to NLC’s Federal Grants Exchange form

5. Continue the Conversation

  • Follow up or reach out to members of Congress and their teams. 
  • Register now for NLC’s City Summit 2025, Nov. 20-22 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and continue to connect with local leaders, engage with experts and take your leadership to new heights. 

“We have to show them that we are ready and resilient.”

–NLC President Mayor Steve Patterson of Athens, Ohio in the opening general session of CCC 2025

We must work together to advocate for our cities, let our voices be heard and build a stronger economy. Thank you all for your support and being part of the NLC community!

Browse Photos from CCC 2025

See all the photos from CCC 2025, from our pre-conference events through Hill Day. Attendees will have received a password in your email to download the photos.

About the Author

Jeremy Grossman

About the Author

Jeremy Grossman is the Digital Content Manager on the Digital Engagement, Marketing, & Communications team.