Speaking the Language of Government

Turning impact into a narrative that moves policy stakeholders

Government stakeholders operate in a distinct political context, respond to specific kinds of evidence, and need to champion a venture’s work internally. In this session, senior leaders already engaged in government relationships will gain practical frameworks to position their impact within that context, navigate politically sensitive topics with confidence, and equip their whole team to communicate consistently across every government conversation.

Specifically, they will:

• Learn how to select and present evidence in the formats and language that policy audiences find compelling and can act on
• Gain frameworks for building narratives that account for political context and sensitive issues, including topics that are difficult to talk about in a government setting
• Build tools to ensure consistent messaging across their entire organization, so every team member is communicating credibly with government stakeholders
• Gain access to a network of leaders across sectors and functional areas from around the world

Partnering with Public Systems is another upcoming program on government engagement. Partnering with Public Systems is about building the strategy itself, understanding how government decisions get made, and who to engage. Speaking the Language of Government will focus on the storytelling and communication skills once those relationships are in place. Some leaders may benefit from both.

This program will be offered in English (Zoom automated captions available in 35 languages).

Who Should Attend

Senior leaders (Director and above) who:

• Hold a communications, partnerships, external relations, or program director role whose work intersects with government
• Are actively engaged in government relationships and responsible for how their organization shows up in policy conversations
• Can devote the time to learn and grow with peers across the globe

There is no limit to the number of leaders participating from an organization. In fact, we strongly encourage leaders to participate with at least one colleague to foster accountability, thought partnership, and drive implementation.

Program Schedule

Tuesday, September 15th, 7 am – 9 am Pacific Time

What to Expect

Each 2-hour session (with a midpoint break) combines expert-led frameworks drawn from real-world experience with structured peer conversation in hand-matched breakout groups of 4–5 leaders, paired by experience level, sector, or geography to make every exchange count.

Come ready to engage: sessions run on Zoom with cameras on, which is central to how connection and trust develop in the room. A reliable internet connection is recommended. Everything from the session, including slides, templates, worksheets, and curated resources, is shared post-session so learning continues outside the virtual room.

About Rippleworks Leaders Studio

Rippleworks Leaders Studio is a series of expert-led learning programs designed specifically for social ventures. We partner with leading industry executives to run interactive, results-driven learning programs where social venture leaders gain critical skills so ventures can deliver impact at scale.