Dear ACH Members,

Last week, you identified the congressional candidates running in your district. This week, it's time to take the next step in building a lasting relationship. 

Welcome to Week 2 of How to Build a Health Center Champion Before They're Elected.

Invite Them to See Your Mission in Action

There is no substitute for seeing a community health center firsthand. A tour gives candidates the opportunity to meet the people behind the mission, from providers and care teams to patients whose lives have been changed because they had access to affordable, comprehensive care. It's also your chance to show what makes community health centers different.

Rather than talking about your impact, let candidates experience it.

Whether they spend 30 minutes or an hour with your team, they'll leave with a better understanding of the vital role community health centers play in keeping communities healthy.

What Makes a Great Visit?

Consider highlighting:

• Your integrated model of care, including medical, behavioral health, dental, and pharmacy services.
• How your health center addresses social drivers of health through services like transportation assistance, language access, nutrition support, and care coordination.
• The patients and communities you serve.
• The dedicated staff who make your mission possible.
• Innovative programs or partnerships unique to your organization.

Keep It Nonpartisan

As a nonprofit organization, your health center can educate candidates about your mission and the communities you serve, but it's important to do so in a nonpartisan manner.

Allowed

• Invite candidates to tour your health center.
• Educate candidates about health centers and the policy issues affecting patient care.
• Facilitate conversations with staff, board members, and patients (with appropriate consent).

Not Allowed

• Endorse or oppose candidates.
• Coordinate activities with political campaigns.
• Provide preferential treatment to one candidate over another.

Best Practice
Invite all congressional candidates for the same office using the same process and offer each an equal opportunity to visit. Your goal is to educate future policymakers, not advocate for a political campaign.

Resources

To help you get started, ACH's NHCW Grassroots Advocacy Toolkit includes:

• Tour Invitation Template

• Sample Visit Agenda

• Media Outreach Tips

• Congressional Engagement Resources

This Week's Action

Invite every congressional candidate in your district to visit your health center.

Even if a candidate can't attend before Election Day, the invitation itself begins a relationship that can continue after the election. A future Member of Congress is far more likely to remember your organization if they've walked your halls, met your staff, and seen your mission in action.

Next week, we'll focus on making your message memorable by telling stories that connect your health center's impact to the issues candidates care about.

Thank you for helping educate tomorrow's leaders about the essential role community health centers play in improving the health of our nation's communities.

Sincerely,

Molly Grady

Director of Policy & Government Affairs