Registration Now Open for New Futures' Policy + Advocacy Conference
Full-day event on November 19 in Concord will help Granite Staters of all experience levels turn their voice into action at the State House
CONCORD, N.H.---Registration is now open for the New Futures Policy + Advocacy Conference, “Speaking Up for What Matters,” taking place Thursday, November 19, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord.
The conference brings together advocates, coalition partners, service providers, and civic-minded community members for a full day dedicated to demystifying New Hampshire’s legislative process and building the skills to take action on the issues they care about. Whether attendees are new to advocacy or have testified at the State House a dozen times, the day is designed to meet them where they are.
The conference opens with a panel of experienced advocates sharing lessons from the field, followed by three rounds of breakout sessions on topics ranging from Advocacy 101 and “So You Want to Write a Bill” to deeper dives on coalition-building, budget literacy, and communications strategy. Sessions this year include:
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Policy 101: So You Want to Write a Bill, walking through the practical steps of turning an idea into legislation
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Advocacy 101: Moving From Interest to Action, an introduction for new and emerging advocates
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Likes, Shares, and Legislation: NH Influencers, a panel of New Hampshire content creators on using social media for civic engagement
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So It's a Budget Year: Understanding NH's Budget Process and Where Advocacy Fits, ahead of the state's Fiscal Years 2028-2029 budget cycle
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Policy 201: Building Successful Coalitions and Advocacy 201: Building Successful Connections, deeper-dive follow-ons to the 101 tracks
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Advocacy vs. Lobbying: How to Use Your Voice Without Breaking the Rules, clarifying what nonprofits, staff, and board members can and can't do
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Effective Communication in Advocacy: How to Motivate and Persuade Others with Your Message, a practical four-step framework for turning complex policy into messages that move people to act
Attendees will also hear a post-election landscape conversation with Jim Monahan of The Dupont Group and Tom DeRosa of Main Street Strategic, connect with exhibitors during networking breaks, and close out the afternoon with policy-focused roundtables on early care and education, children’s behavioral health, substance use, healthy aging, and health and Medicaid.
The day includes a lunch and awards presentation honoring two New Hampshire advocacy leaders: Senator David Rochefort will receive the Legislator of the Year award for his work on prescription affordability and defeating anti-vaccine legislation, and Bobbie Bagley, Director of the Division of Public Health and Community Services in Nashua, will receive the Jennifer Weirwille Norton Advocacy in Action Award for her decades of public health leadership.
The conference is supported by sponsors including Merrimack County Savings Bank, NH Children’s Trust, Delta Dental, the NH Council on Problem Gambling, and Groups.
Scholarship information is available for those for whom the registration fee is a barrier. Interested individuals can email info@new-futures.org.
Registration and full session details are available at conference.new-futures.org.
