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'Public Policy Peer Community' overlaid on plaid of different shades of blue

Public Policy Peer Community

An extension of the Forum's District to D.C. Advocacy Network, the Public Policy Peer Community offers regular programming dedicated to advocacy and public policy, providing learning opportunities for PSO members. Additionally, it houses the Public Policy Listserv for members to exchange ideas.

Peer Community Features

The Public Policy Peer Community strengthens our public policy work by creating opportunities to take advantage of the Forum’s policy resources and learn together with our peers.

The Forum’s Public Policy Peer Community offers the following opportunities for peer-learning:

  • Webinars featuring guest policy experts, in-depth policy discussions.
  • In-person meeting at the Forum’s annual conference
  • Public policy town hall events to address timely policy issues, inform members about fast-moving policy changes, or initiate calls to action.
  • Access to the policy listserv for easily sharing information and updates with the community.

Policy Listserv (publicpolicy@lists.unitedphilforum.org)- You must be a member of the Forum & this Peer Community to post to this list.

Connect With Us

Many philanthropy-serving organizations engage in government relations, advocacy, and/or public policy work at the local, state, and national levels and have different capacities to do this work.

This peer community is for our PSO staff, members, leaders, and sector advocates who are interested in government relations, advocacy, and public policy. Interested in joining this Peer Community? Submit your email address on the form at the bottom of the Our Networks page

If you have resources to share, please share them online or by emailing, Forum Senior Public Policy Associate, Nathaniel Borek.

Co-Chairs

Shanetta Martin, Maryland Philanthropy Network

Shanetta Martin serves as Director of Public Policy, Education, and Special Projects. In this capacity, Shanetta directs member engagement and learning in public policy, while also creating opportunities for MPN members and leaders to work together to support effective and equitable public policy in education, for the nonprofit sector, and for all residents of Maryland. Shanetta facilitates member learning, action, and investment through aligned and collaborative efforts for MPN members. Her work includes supporting the developmental goals of the Education Funders Affinity Group where she facilitates their strategic direction for philanthropy initiatives in K-12 education. In addition, Shanetta plays a leadership role in developing organization-wide strategy and goals.

With over twenty years of experience, Shanetta has worked throughout her career at the national, state, and local levels to build broad-based partnerships that work towards systems change for children, youth, and families. She has worked extensively with family and community foundations in the southwest as well as with our colleagues at the New Mexico Association of Grantmakers. Shanetta’s expertise includes capacity building, nonprofit collaboration, organizational development, and research along with advocacy and public policy. Shanetta holds a Master's Degree in Family Studies from Michigan State University as well as dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in History and Humanities Pre-Law also from Michigan State University. She resides in Baltimore, Maryland.