The 2025 Advocacy Forum and Capitol Hill Day is designed for local United Way staff, local United Way CEOs, local United Way board members and volunteers, 211 Network leaders and Women United staff and members.  

Sessions begin Monday, July 7 at 1 p.m., followed by a welcome reception at 4:30 p.m. Registration opens at 11 a.m. Please arrive before 1 p.m. to check in at registration and get your attendee badge. 

For the safety of all attendees, your badge is required to access all sessions and meal functions. If you leave your badge in your room, we’ll kindly ask you to retrieve it before entering the conference space. If you lose your badge, please visit the check-in desk. Your cooperation in honoring our badge policy is appreciated. 

The Advocacy Forum is an informal event and business casual is recommended. Although it will be summer, we recommend bringing a sweater or scarf just in case, as the air conditioning may be strong! Attendees should plan to wear business attire for their Hill meetings, and comfortable shoes–you’ll be doing a lot of walking. 

Please indicate any dietary needs during the registration process. We will do our best to accommodate your dietary needs and will contact you directly if additional information is needed to ensure your meals are included in our catering schedule. 

A pre-negotiated room rate is offered at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, where the Forum is taking place. Your registration confirmation email will include a booking link to secure your hotel room. Reservation links are only accessible after registering. Book early to take advantage of the conference room block and discounted rates. Rates and accommodations at the hotel before and after the event are not guaranteed; please contact the hotel directly for that information. The hotel booking deadline is June 16. 

This conference includes general sessions with expert keynotes, breakout sessions, three networking meals, a networking reception, and smaller group and one-on-one engagement opportunities. Visit the agenda page to learn more about the forum content. 

Yes. In collaboration with other United Ways from your state, and in deference to your State Association or designated state lead. We will be in touch with more information and resources to support your outreach to Hill offices. All attendees are encouraged to schedule Hill meetings for July 9. 

Yes! We’ll cover everything from which airport(s) to fly into to what “asks” you should be making during your legislative meetings. Information about the webinars and links to register are shared below. 
 
Know Before You Go: 2025 Advocacy Forum and Hill Day Webinar 
May 8 at 3 p.m. ET 
 
Whether you have already registered for the Advocacy Forum and Capitol Hill Day or want to learn more, join us on May 8 at 3 p.m. ET to get an overview of this year’s event. We will cover logistics, content, and tips to help with scheduling meetings with congressional offices. Please bring your questions and join us! Register here. 
 
2025 Advocacy Forum Policy Priorities Overview and Resources 
June 10 at 3 p.m.  ET 
 
This webinar will help participants prepare for the July 9 Hill Day with a briefing on the policy asks, talking points and resources and an overview of what to expect during Hill meetings with congressional offices. We will also provide Forum programming updates and how to navigate Capitol Hill for your meetings with your congressional representatives, senators and their staff. Register here. 

The conference mobile app provides real-time information to help you plan your experience both before you arrive in Arlington and during the event. You’ll receive an invitation to access the app in late June, allowing you to plan your conference journey, familiarize yourself with the venue, and explore opportunities to connect with colleagues and build new relationships.  

 Things you can easily manage in the app include:  

• View the conference agenda and customize your daily schedule 

• Access the venue map to easily navigate and meet up with colleagues 

• Explore session details and speaker bios 

• Post and share photos 

• View attendee contact information to create deeper connections 

• Receive notifications about upcoming events or important changes 

We are pleased to offer a low registration fee of $100. A pre-negotiated room rate is offered at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City for your convenience; please book your hotel room once your registration for the event is confirmed to ensure you take advantage of the room block and guaranteed rate. United Way staff, board members, volunteers, and State Associations are invited to apply for a travel stipend to attend this year’s Forum. Click here to learn more. By attending the 2025 Advocacy Forum and Hill Day, you'll gain practical tools and strategies to drive meaningful policy change. Drawing on insights from policy experts and hearing from United Way peers, you’ll leave empowered to sustain and amplify your advocacy efforts. Together, we will continue to build thriving communities.  

• Multiple networking opportunities with peers from across the network.  

• Dynamic discussions on policy solutions at all levels of government that build thriving community.  

• Opportunities to strategize on advocacy priorities and messaging. 

• In-person meetings with congressional offices. 

You can review our FAQ document to learn more about the process. For additional questions about the conference stipends, submit your inquiry through Ask United Way and select "Conferences and Events" as your topic. 

Conference capacity and room block availability is limited, so we encourage early registration. On-site registration will only be available if there is known capacity after Monday, June 16. If offered, the on-site registration fee will be $150 per person. 

Conference registration and fees apply to the full agenda with no prorated fees for late arrival or early departure. 

There are no plans for this event to be virtual or available on-demand at a later date. 

In the event you need to cancel, cancellations made on or before 11:59 p.m. ET Monday, June 16 will be subject to a $25 cancellation fee; cancellations made after June 16 are non-refundable. To make changes or cancel your registration, please modify your registration using the link found in your registration receipt email. 
 

If you can’t attend but a colleague can take your place, substitutions are permitted until Monday, June 16. Cancellation fees will be waived for substitutions. If you would like to request a substitution, please reach out to events@unitedway.org with your name and the name and email address of the person taking your place. 

Currently, UWW does not have a COVID-19 policy, and masks are not required. We encourage attendees to follow recommended health and safety protocols, including regular handwashing, maintaining social distance, avoiding poorly ventilated spaces, and self-isolating if you feel ill or test positive for COVID-19. Should you become ill or test positive for COVID-19, we request that attendees remove themselves from participation and notify events@unitedway.org. United Way reserves the right to deny entry to or remove anyone at the event presenting with flu-like or COVID-19-related symptoms. Refusal to abide by UWW’s health safety related procedures may result in removal from the program and cancellation of registration without refund.