Hosting a Site Visit

Hosting a site visit for a Member of Congress is a powerful way to build your relationship with your Member of Congress, showcase your Native CDFI, establish yourself as a resource, and (if you feel comfortable) share the Native CDFI Network’s policy recommendations with them so they will support continued funding for Native CDFIs.

Tips for Hosting a Site Visit

Use the tips below as a guide to help you plan, schedule, and host your site visit. Remember to schedule the site visit for when your Member of Congress is home in his or her district – August is when Congress is in recess – and follow these scheduling guidelines:

Planning the Site Visit

To help you plan the site visit, here is a sample agenda for you to use as a starting point:

  • Welcome and introductions
  • Background about [name of organization]
  • Seeing [name of organization] in action
  • Meeting the staff
  • Meeting the partners
  • Meeting the clients
  • Q & A with staff, partners, and clients
  • Giving a tour of the facility
  • Presenting Member of Congress with product/gift made by a client
  • Closing, and (if you feel comfortable) requesting that Member of Congress support the Native CDFI Network’s Federal Policy Recommendations to support Native CDFIs and provide Impact Data One-Pager (template to be completed by NCDFI)

Hosting the Visit

Be sure to prepare your staff and clients for the site visit by telling them:

• The goal of the site visit              • What to expect             • What role they should play

Staff should be ready and willing to describe how their program(s) work and provide evidence of the impact of the program(s) on the local community. Clients should be able to share their story about how they learned about the program(s) and how the program(s) have helped them. You should be prepared to make the request for Native CDFI Network’s policy priorities needed to ensure the continuation of the program(s).

Have Questions or Need Help?

If you have any questions as you are scheduling or planning your site visit, feel free to contact the Network’s policy consultants, Alison Feighan or Kim Pate.