“I have been advocating on the Hill for more than 30 years,” said Carol Johnson, NCRC board chair and civil rights attorney. “Every visit reminds me of something essential: the freedom we each have to petition our government and hold our leaders accountable for the decisions that shape our daily lives […] especially when the policies … have real consequences for the families and communities we serve.”
On April 16, more than 200 NCRC members capped off NCRC’s annual Just Economy Conference by participating in Hill Day. Our annual Hill Day brings together community development advocates from across the country to promote federal legislation that supports the work they are doing at the local level. For many NCRC members, that work includes helping a community member navigate barriers to homeownership, expanding credit access for a small business owner or mitigating the long-term effects of disinvestment and redlining.
This year’s Hill Day began at the Capitol Visitor’s Center where attendees gathered for breakfast. Congresswoman Judy Chu of California’s 26th District gave brief remarks about broader affordability challenges and access to capital barriers for small business owners. Congresswoman Chu urged NCRC members to continue advocating for economic justice.
NCRC members then dispersed to join their respective state delegations and attend meetings with their Congressional offices. Members participated in over 120 meetings, with some even meeting directly with their members of Congress.
On Hill Day, NCRC members connected their local work to our broader federal policy priorities for 2026. These priorities reflect what members are already working through in their day-to-day roles by making the banking system work for low- and moderate-income communities, expanding access to affordable housing, supporting small business owners, and strengthening investment in community development financial institutions (CDFIs). Members grounded their discussions in shared bipartisan priorities like economic growth and access to opportunity. This will open the door for more substantive agreement on issues that affect all Americans.
Some advocates may question whether legislative advocacy can have any impact in a polarized federal environment. However, NCRC’s Hill Day offered something just as important as policy wins. It offered our members and their representatives the opportunity to build relationships, find common ground and strengthen bipartisan understanding around community development issues. These conversations will shape how policymakers think about these issues moving forward and lay the groundwork for future change.
“When we show up in DC, we are showing up for our community,” said Claudia Wilson, the executive director of the Community Development Network of Maryland. “NCRC Hill Day matters because federal representatives are counting! At the very least they are counting the number of people they hear from and the number of times they hear about an issue.”
What makes these policy conversations truly memorable are the personal stories of NCRC members and their communities. There will always be statistical data to support our causes, but stories are what make policy issues feel real. When our members share first-hand accounts of what these issues look like on the ground, it becomes harder for policymakers across the political spectrum to ignore the people and communities they represent. Our members can point to real examples, real challenges and real outcomes. A strong story can stay with policymakers long after a meeting ends and influence how they think about an issue moving forward.
Hill Day is much more than just a series of meetings with Congressional offices. It is part of a broader effort to make sure the people most affected by issues of economic inequality and financial access are part of the decision-making process. Their stories and perspectives matter, particularly in conversations where policy can feel abstract or removed from local realities. At the end of the day, policy is strongest when it reflects real experiences, and that is exactly what NCRC members brought with them to Hill Day.
Caitlyn Kearney is an Intern with NCRC’s Policy & Government Affairs team.
Manan Shah is the Policy Advisor with NCRC’s Policy & Government Affairs team.
Lauren Wolters is the Government Affairs Specialist with NCRC’s Policy & Government Affairs team.
Photo caption: NCRC board chair Carol Johnson (center) and board member Matt Hull (center left) with the Texas delegation on Hill Day (photo credit: Maria Bryk).
