Seeing how a new governor's proposed budget in 2019 would affect vulnerable populations like children, Alaska funders and nonprofits worked together to advocate against the cuts amidst the heated legislative debate throughout the year.

In mid-2020, the Wyoming State Legislature held a special session to decide how to spend COVID-19 pandemic relief funding from the federal CARES Act. They settled on $325 million for business grants, but as the proposal made its way through the legislative process, the proposed language did not specify if nonprofits qualified. The Wyoming Nonprofit Network led an advocacy effort to convince state representatives to include nonprofits in the funding, to help ensure stability in the charitable sector during the pandemic. Learn the outcomes and future impacts of this Bright Spot story.

To prevent a 2020 Census undercount in Boise, funders worked with each other and the city government to build awareness and encourage people to take the census. This Idaho Bright Spot details the story of the local partners' efforts that led to Boise achieving a 2020 Census self-response rate higher than both the national average and its own 2010 rate.