When an urban Indigenous child and family services agency was facing drastic funding cuts, Blackbird Strategies stepped in to develop and implement a comprehensive advocacy strategy that balanced political, programmatic, and labour relations considerations to lobby for funding that would maintain the organization’s capacity to support families who turn to it for help.
Our strategy centred around targeted engagement with over 20 key local area MPs and multiple cabinet ministers. Blackbird helped the agency identify and build working relationships with champion parliamentarians who could carry their message forward in their respective caucuses as well as to cabinet, while the agency continued technical discussions with officials. Blackbird delivered results using a combination of strategic communications and government relations.
As a result of our approach, the agency was able to restore its funding, preserving the quality services they continue to offer urban Indigenous children and their families each and every day.