Advocacy (Our Influence)
Advocacy is a core mission of the Greater Cleveland Partnership. The GCP takes that challenge very seriously and is committed to representing its members and partners at every level of government – federal, state, and local. The GCP strives to be the one voice of the Northeast Ohio business community – to speak loudly about the issues that impact the economy of Northeast Ohio.
The One Voice for Job Creation and Economic Vitality in Northeast Ohio
The advocacy staff at the Greater Cleveland Partnership works closely with members to develop a comprehensive Public Policy Agenda every two years. The agenda drives GCP’s advocacy work and sets the stage for a proactive advocacy strategy that represents all GCP partners: COSE, NorTech, JumpStart, BioEnterprise, and MAGNET are among the partners that help GCP develop and execute the advocacy strategy.
The Greater Cleveland Partnership also develops and advocates for legislative programs and policies that strengthen NASA Glenn Research Center and the Greater Cleveland region. Each year, the strategies are defined and presented to Ohio’s Senators and Members of Congress.
GCP advocacy works with COSE advocacy staff to improve the region's business climate for companies of all sizes. COSE advocacy volunteers and staff are very active in small business advocacy and are a national model for effectively giving a voice to small businesses at all levels of government. COSE's Advocacy Committee provides a forum for volunteers to discuss, research and share the specific values, principles and policies of COSE on public issues affecting our members. It is through this forum that COSE's advocacy decisions are made.
Member-Driven Agenda
The Greater Cleveland Partnership Advocacy Committee is led by GCP Board Member William Christopher. GCP members can benefit in a number of ways by becoming involved in advocacy.
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The GCP Government Advocacy Network is comprised of government relations professionals and others who work in public policy. Through meetings, committee work, seminars and e-newsletters, they can stay informed and get involved.
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COSE also hosts the COSE Advocacy Committee for members who have a particular interest in advocacy for small businesses.
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For more than 15 years, Morning Conversation has been a way for members to participate. In this monthly breakfast meeting, members gather in a candid, off-the-record format to participate in discussions with elected officials and public affairs professionals.
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Following statewide elections, members receive a comprehensive Overnight Election Update, providing a detailed analysis that provides a complete summary of federal, state, and local results and what these results mean for business.