During February, United Way of King County staff rallied with coalitions, organizations, and various groups to lobby at the State Capitol. United Way is committed to ensuring that families and individuals have a safe place to call home, access to quality education, enough to eat, and financial resources, and we want to make sure our lawmakers are committed to those things, too. Lobby days allow individuals from across the state to come together, build community, and put a voice and face to the issues legislators are discussing.; they give citizens the chance to actually sit down with their representatives and have a 10-20 minute conversation.

Here’s a snapshot of what Lobby Day at the Capitol looked like for United Way of King County in January and February:

What happens during a lobby day?

While the exact agenda for a lobby day may vary across groups, a typical day includes training on how Lobby Days work (an introduction to the priorities for the day and an explanation of the schedule), a march to the capitol building, a rally on the steps, and then small group meetings with legislators. After lobbying with representatives, everyone gathers to have a reflection and close the day. Lobby days can provide community members with an introduction to advocacy and make the difference in how legislators view proposed policies.

Lobby Day Highlights

Jan. 20, 2025, Communities for our Colleges (C4C): More than 130 people joined C4C in Olympia to advocate for improving access to college for all students. Students, parents, and community members from across the state (including some who woke at 3 a.m. to drive out from eastern Washington!) came together to share why free and affordable college is important to them.

Jan. 30, 2025, Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN): In the face of anti-immigrant rhetoric at the federal level, more than 200 people joined WAISN at the state Capitol in a show of solidarity. The community members rallied at the steps and met with legislators to advocate for improved worker protections, access to healthcare, and economic justice.

Feb. 4, 2025, United Ways of Washington: Staff from United Ways across the state came together in Olympia to meet with legislators and discuss their legislative agenda and individual needs for their local communities. Lobby Day participants advocated for a range of specific programs based on community needs, such as the Imagination Library, early learning, and additional investment in housing.

Feb. 5, 2025, Postsecondary Basic Needs Coalition (PSBN): PSBN coalition members, students, UWKC staff, and community members braved the cold and snow to show support for Postsecondary Basic Needs. To begin the day, lobby day participants heard from Representative Mari Leavitt of the 28^th Legislative District on the importance of the work. They then spoke with legislators across the state to advocate for continued funding of basic needs navigators, priority registration for students with dependents, and expanding support for students experiencing homelessness. Read more about PSBN Lobby Days in this post and hear from United Way of King County’s Public Policy Coordinator Nancy Lu and Representative Mari Leavitt in the “Lobby Days” episode of United Way’s podcast, Hourglass.

Feb. 17, 2025, Communities for our Colleges (Part 2): C4C advocates gathered on President’s Day for another day of advocacy. Specifically, they spoke with lawmakers to emphasize the importance of pay equity for part-time faculty, employment opportunities for undocumented students, and a fully funded benefits hub. They also advocated to make the first two years of college free for all students.

Feb. 18, 2025, Nonprofit Association of Washington’s Nonprofit Action Day: The Nonprofit Association of Washington (NAWA) convenes a powerful network of nonprofit organizations across Washington State to learn, advocate, and collaborate so that nonprofits can achieve their missions.

Feb. 24, 2025, The Anti-Hunger and Nutrition Coalition’s Hunger Action Day: Hunger Free Washington , a campaign funded by United Way of King County and No Kid Hungry, advocated for policy that helps kids and families have access to food through SNAP, food banks, and other resources.

Interested in supporting Lobby Days? Join us on March 14 to support Washington Low Income Housing Alliances Housing & Homelessness Advocacy Days.