So You Want to Plan a Congressional Delegation Visit?

With many stakeholders forced to pause their advocacy efforts during this government effort, now is a good time to start planning for the remainder of 2025 and beyond. When thinking about future educational events, a congressional or staff delegation visit can be one of the most effective ways to demonstrate impact and build lasting relationships with key decision-makers in DC. There is no substitute for lawmakers and their staff seeing programs, people, and places firsthand.

A site visit can transform abstract policy debates into tangible experiences. Members of Congress and their staff walk away with stories, visuals, and connections that shape how they approach legislation, oversight, and funding decisions. It can build lifelong champions for a policy more than any DC office visit ever could.

Here’s what to consider when deliberating whether your organization should try to host a site visit:

Clear objectives: Define the top one or two takeaways you want lawmakers to leave with. Are you demonstrating need, showcasing success, or previewing a new initiative?

Keep it short and to the point: Visits should be concise and interactive. Giving time for questions and longer discussions is key, knowing that many of these visits will not be more than half a day at most.

Follow-up: A successful delegation visit doesn’t end when the group leaves the site. Make sure that you’re investing as much time into maintaining the relationship as you did to plan the event.

Hosting a congressional delegation is an investment of time and resources, but when done well, it’s a powerful way to connect the work on the ground with decisions made in DC.