I found this article very interesting, but would like to comment that a well-rounded fiscal approach to garnering funding for an organization should be open-minded to anything that works. In my experience as a grant administrator for my organization, we’ve found that both approaches…preparing and submitting well researched and well matched grant applications, as well as keeping lobbyists well versed in our needs and matching those needs to federal dollars (earmarks if you will) have both been successful. As for utilizing funding to pay lobbyists, you simply cannot use any federally appropriated funds to do so and must fill out a form describing how and who you paid with other monies. A professional approach, sans wining and dining opportunities, to hiring a lobbyist usually results in professional results in return. I’d hate to see your readers rule out an arena that may prove substantially beneficial to them in terms of funding based on this one article.
I found this article very interesting, but would like to comment that a well-rounded fiscal approach to garnering funding for an organization should be open-minded to anything that works. In my experience as a grant administrator for my organization, we’ve found that both approaches…preparing and submitting well researched and well matched grant applications, as well as keeping lobbyists well versed in our needs and matching those needs to federal dollars (earmarks if you will) have both been successful. As for utilizing funding to pay lobbyists, you simply cannot use any federally appropriated funds to do so and must fill out a form describing how and who you paid with other monies. A professional approach, sans wining and dining opportunities, to hiring a lobbyist usually results in professional results in return. I’d hate to see your readers rule out an arena that may prove substantially beneficial to them in terms of funding based on this one article.