Red Nose is a leading not-for-profit organisation dedicated to saving the lives of babies and children through education on safe sleep practices, and safer pregnancies, and providing vital support to families affected by the loss of a child.
Third Sector News sat down with CEO Keren Ludski who shared her insights on how not-for-profit organisations can strengthen government relationships, stay informed on legislative changes, and build partnerships that enhance their service delivery and impact.
1. What steps should a not-for-profit take to build and maintain strong relationships with key government officials and policymakers?
Engagement with government and policymakers is not something to be feared. While navigating government and departments can seem daunting initially, it requires careful planning and execution. You need to firstly consider why you are engaging:
- Is it to raise the profile of your organisation or your cause?
- It is to seek funding for a program you would like to deliver/roll out?
- Is it to influence changes or legislation before the Parliament?
Depending on why you are engaging, you will then be able to plan accordingly. I regularly say that government engagement is not a set-and-forget process. That is, it requires ongoing work and meetings to ensure that you maintain strong relationships with your stakeholders and so that they are regularly reminded of your organisation. In addition, we also see considerable personnel changes across departments and Minister’s offices. It is critical that these key stakeholders are kept abreast of your organisation.
I take the view that if a government stakeholder does not know about our organisation, and does not know what we do, then how can I expect to pick up the phone and advocate should we not be happy with a government outcome and expect that they will understand us and listen to us. Likewise, if you are receiving grant funding, it is critical that you maintain a strong relationship with the relevant contract holder within the department.
- Keep them updated on your project and how the grant is being delivered.
- Work with them should you encounter problems.
- Departments are not in the business of pulling back funding at the first opportunity – they want to see program funding rolled out successfully, so work closely with them to achieve that goal.
- Should you encounter problems with the program you were funded for during the life of that funding, stay close to the department and work through it with them.
- The department is cognisant that roadblocks occur all the time and are there to help you achieve your goal.
It is critical that organisations map out the level of BAU engagement they would like to undertake over the course of a year and then work to that. Of course, ad hoc matters may come up that require immediate attention and that is why having strong relationships will allow you to advocate effectively for your cause or organisation.
2. How does Red Nose stay informed about legislative changes that could impact its mission, especially those related to safe sleep practices, safer pregnancies, and support for bereaved families?
It is important that there is regular monitoring of Parliamentary processes and legislation, but also speeches that may be delivered in the Parliament in relation to matters of interest to Red Nose.
In addition, the Minister’s office or department officials will normally engage with us when there are matters that arise that impact areas relevant to Red Nose. Again, this goes back to the importance of maintaining close relationships with government/department stakeholders.
3. What factors do you consider when deciding to partner with a government agency?
The most important factor we would consider is whether the agency and the funding being offered is aligned to our strategic goals and broader strategic direction. We would also consider whether the funding is adequate to achieve the desired outcomes and outputs and if not do we have the resources to fill the gaps?
It is imperative to work with Government agencies that are aligned to your mission and remit. We would also look at the expectations of the agency and ensure that we are able to meet those expectations within the scope of the grant being offered.
4. How have your existing partnerships aided in enhancing your bereavement support services?
Our existing partnerships have enabled us to provide 24/7 support to bereaved parents across the country. Red Nose is funded to deliver a range of different bereavement support programs to best meet the needs of parents after the death of a baby or child. Without the support of our Government Grants, Red Nose would not be able to deliver the level of support currently being offered.
5. Is there anything you would like to add or highlight?
It can be really helpful to seek support from an agency that specialises in Government relations. For Red Nose, this has been a much easier process as our Chair is a Partner at the public affairs agency GRACosway. GRACosway is invested in our mission and our causes.
However more broadly, if we didn’t have this option, we would be seeking an agency that knows how to work with not for profits (that is, with normally fewer resources to dedicate to government relations). We would also be seeking for them to understand our organisation and our mission, but in particular, our needs in relation to providing government relations support to us
Under Keren’s leadership, Red Nose has continued to forge meaningful partnerships with government agencies and key policymakers, driving initiatives that align with the organisation’s mission.
Red Nose CEO Keren Ludski is a speaker at this year’s Third Sector Live!