Government and Community Relations
Government Relations
The Consortium’s staff coordinates with our member institutions on strategic and impactful outreach to public officials regarding issues that impact higher education on the local, state and federal levels. Staff prepare regular briefings, testimony, memoranda, letters, and talking points regarding legislation, policies and regulations. In addition, the Consortium has two government relations committees which meet on a regular basis.
For more information, please contact Mondi Kumbula-Fraser, Vice President of Government Relations & General Counsel, at mkfraser@consortium.org.
Disclaimer: Since federal funds may not be used to influence officers or employees of any agency or Congressional members or staff regarding federal legislation, the Consortium’s federal member institutions do not participate in our lobbying efforts.
Economic Impact Studies
The Consortium is the largest non-governmental employer in the National Capital Region. We engage leading economic experts to conduct ongoing research regarding the scale of the collective financial impact and influence of the Consortium’s member institutions on the National Capital Region.
Regional Representation
The Consortium’s members and/or staff sit on virtually every major education association board and task force, including the Washington Higher Education Secretariat, Greater Washington Board of Trade, Federal City Council, Connected DMV, DC Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Club of Washington and more.
COVID Community Relations
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Consortium has been heavily involved in addressing issues health equity for underserved communities by providing complimentary COVID-19 testing and administering vaccinations to students and others in the community. In furtherance of this effort, the Consortium received a $1.5 million grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, in order to support K-12 schools that were reopening in both the District of Columbia and Baltimore, MD.
In addition, the Consortium hosted a series of panel discussions with leading health experts, in order to reduce vaccine hesitancy in underserved populations.