The Public Policy Institute's mission is to help nonprofit organizations working for social and economic justice interpret the current political scene, successfully promote positive policy change, and build their organizational power - all at the same time.

The goal of every PPI program and activity is empower boards, staff and volunteers to influence the public policy making process through advanced policy analysis and skill-building sessions focused on messaging, campaign planning, organizing grassroots constituencies, building nontraditional coalitions and using earned and paid media strategies.

The PPI programs and activities are all built around this simple principle of Real Clout: learn how to combine the standard smart savvy tactics of informed insiders with a district based network of trained and informed affected constituents, and you can win.

Participants in PPI programs learn the basic "rules and tools" needed to figure out how public policy is made in state, county and local governments and how to shape it in partnership with key stakeholders in any public policy arena. They will learn how to promote their "great idea" as a solution to a pressing public problem, assess and mobilize internal and external resources, identify and assess potential policy opportunities, identify and recruit potential policy partners, design and implement community education efforts with affected constituents and promote a specific positive policy change in ways that are consistent IRS restrictions of lobbying. They learn about the role of short term compromises and coalitions; how the personalities, ego and un-informed opinion of all the players, (including themselves), affect public policy decisions; what public policy makers in the administrative and legislative branches respond to (and don't respond to) and they will learn how to appreciate the critical importance of involving affected constituents in community based public education efforts.

Organizing a comprehensive campaign, involving members and volunteers, and monitoring the changing climate of the State House can be frustrating and challenging.

The Public Policy Institute offers experience, perspective, and support to nonprofit organizations, professionals, and coalitions... so while they may wonder what they're doing in a place like this, they never wonder what they're doing.