Advocacy Essentials (October 2021): Advocacy is power, influence, and energy. You have the power. You have the influence and you have the energy. UNA can help you access your power, apply your influence, and increase your energy—but you have to put it in motion.* Start moving your advocacy efforts with UNA’s Advocacy Essentials. (*Thanks Isaac Newton.) Use Advocacy Essentials as your start button. UNA's Director of Community Relationship will interview two experts on advocacy, lobbying, voter registration, and engagement. You'll have the opportunity to get answers to your questions.

Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst (February 2021): Statement of Mission, Purpose, Goals, and Values - The Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst affects good government through objective, accurate, relevant budget advice. We assist elected officials in managing the State's long-term fiscal health by monitoring obligations, measuring risk, and planning contingencies. We help legislators establish a balanced budget by forecasting revenue, staffing appropriations subcommittees, drafting appropriations bills, and documenting legislative budgetary action. We estimate budget impacts and regulatory burdens for all proposed legislation. We regularly monitor and report on program implementation, performance, and management. We value honesty, integrity, accountability, professionalism, equality, open-mindedness, mutual respect, dialogue, independence, flexibility, innovation, opportunity, intellectual enrichment, and personal and professional relationships. Websites of Importance - Legislative Fiscal Analyst: https://le.utah.gov/lfa/index.htm and Compendium of Budget Information: https://cobi.utah.gov/2021/1/overview

Utah Office of the State Auditor (February 2021): Mission Statement - The Utah Office of the State Auditor provides Utah taxpayers and government officials with an independent assessment of the financial operation, statutory compliance, and performance management for state and local government. Learn More

Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (February 2021): The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (OLRGC) is responsible for drafting and processing all legislation, performing policy research and analysis, providing legal counsel, and staffing legislative committees. It is one of four nonpartisan staff offices that serve the Utah Legislature. OLRGC is led by two legislatively appointed managers—the director and the legislative general counsel—each of whom is appointed for a six-year term. Learn More

Office of the Legislative Auditor General(February 2021): Join Deputy Auditor General, Darin Underwood, to learn how legislative auditors aid legislators in ensuring that tax dollars are put to good use. They are an objective, independent voice and strive to present information in a fair and unbiased a manner. The professional staff of the Office of the Legislative Auditor General is charged with examining and evaluating taxpayer-funded programs, operations, and entities. It is the mission of the Office of the Legislative Auditor General to serve the citizens of Utah by providing objective information, in-depth analyses, and useful recommendations that help legislators and other decision-makers: Improve programs, Reduce costs, and Promote accountability. See the current audits being conducted by the Utah Legislative Auditor team.The Legislative Auditor General’s Office conducts performance audits that answer the following basic questions about agencies or programs:

• How well are they managed?
• Could they be run more efficiently or effectively?
• Do they meet the Legislative objectives?
  
  

Advocacy Unleashed (October 2024): This two-hour training will educate, inspire, and prepare you to take action for your cause.

Policy and advocacy work is best left to the professionals, and in a state like Utah, with a part-time legislature and no year-long staff, that means YOU. You are the ones doing the work on the ground to create cleaner air and water, to help feed the hungry, house the unsheltered, expand access to healthcare, education, and recreation. You are the experts in building community and meeting Utahns where they are. 

In this session, we will demystify the process of how a bill becomes a law, "the Utah way," and outline the many ways in which nonprofits can get involved to affect real change. 

• Explore the legislative process: Learn the step-by-step process of how a bill becomes a law at the state level, with a focus on the Utah State Legislature. 
• Understand the structure of the Utah State Legislature: Gain knowledge about the composition, roles, and functions of the Utah State Legislature, including the House of Representatives and the Senate.
• Learn various advocacy strategies: Explore different approaches to advocacy, including bridge building, education, and increasing public awareness through rallies and marches.
• Analyze past legislation: Examine examples of past legislation to identify successful advocacy strategies and outcomes.
• Develop strategic advocacy plans: Engage in a group breakout session to analyze policy and develop a strategic advocacy plan to enact the proposed legislation.

HB43 & You: What Your Nonprofit Needs to Do Now (January 2025):  Utah’s HB43 has shaken things up for nonprofits, and it’s all about cutting the red tape (yay!). No more state registration hoops to jump through, but don’t pop the confetti yet—there’s still plenty to keep an eye on. Watch this informative training to break it all down. We’ll chat about what’s changing, what’s staying, and what your nonprofit needs to do next. Think of it as your HB43 cheat sheet. Join UNA and the Utah Department of Commerce for this free training! By streamlining the registration process, HB43 aims to make it easier for charitable organizations to operate in Utah, allowing them to focus more on their core missions.