Being at the capitol at the right moment is crucial.  Whether it is sitting in the committee room so that legislators see your face, remember your issue, and know you are watching; or knowing when the first "unofficial" engrossment of a bill is being discussed so that effective advocacy can occur, a nonprofit's physical presence at the State Capitol is imperative to their inclusion in the policy-making process. 

Grasstops believes that geographic distance should not inhibit a nonprofit's interests from being included in the legislative process.

Grasstops addresses this barrier through programs like the Policy Corps Program.  The Policy Corps Program reaches out to non-profits in Greater Minnesota by pairing them with Fellows (both in the Metro and Statewide) who monitor legislation in-person, on the web, and via live-streaming television on their behalf. 

Grasstops also utilizes emerging technologies like web cams, data-sharing websites, and Twitter to decrease the barrier of distance on policy involvement.