Advocacy Toolkit
Use the Advocacy Toolkit to get the basics about how to engage with your elected officials, view webinars and other training materials, and dig deep into our theory of change. Most importantly, plan how you can take your own action to improve rural communities in our state.
Rural Counts 101
Rural Counts Program One-Pager
2023 Rural Counts Advocacy Priorities
Small Business Plan Policy Solutions
Research and Data
Rural North Carolina at a Glance
North Carolina’s New Small Business Plan
North Carolina’s New Small Business Plan One Pagers
North Carolina’s New Small Business Plan Policy Solutions
Advocacy Resources
2023 Advocacy Priorities
Check out our 2023 Rural Counts Advocacy Priorities.
North Carolina Advocacy
Not sure what you’re allowed to do when talking with your elected officials? Read up on North Carolina’s lobbying law.
Federal Advocacy
See our list with contact info for each member of the NC Congressional Delegation along with a guide to the federal appropriations process.
Legislative Glossary
We have provided this document with terms and definitions to serve as a resource as you navigate our legislative tracker.
How a Bill Becomes a Law
Legislative Job Description
Download legislative job description document.
Resources for Meeting with Policymakers
Who Represents Me?
Our government officials are elected to represent you, so it is up to you to make sure they are doing that well. See below for ways to find and contact your elected officials.
Federal
President Joe Biden
- Use this form to contact the White House with messages for President Joe Biden or for assistance from a federal agency. You can also call the White House switchboard at 202-456-1414 or the comments line at 202-456-1111.
US Senator Richard Burr
- To comment on federal legislation or to schedule a meeting with Senator Burr in DC, fill out this form, or call 202-224-3154.
- For help with a federal agency, you can start the process online, or call toll free at 1-800-685-8916.
- Senator Burr has office locations in Asheville, Rocky Mount, Winston-Salem, and Wilmington. You can find contact information for all offices here.
US Senator Thom Tillis
- To comment on federal legislation, fill out this form, or call 202-224-6342.
- Click here to learn how to schedule a meeting with Senator Tillis in DC.
- For help with a federal agency, you can start the process online, or call 704-509-9087.
- Senator Tillis has office locations in Charlotte, Greenville, Hendersonville, High Point, and Raleigh. You can find contact information for all offices here.
US Representatives
- The state of North Carolina is represented by 13 Representatives in the US House. You can find a map of the federal legislative districts here: https://www.ncleg.gov/
FindYourLegislators - Click here to find your representatives contact information.
- You can find the 2021 Congressional Calendar here.
Federal Contacts by Topic
- Want assistance on a particular issue? Find contact information here for a variety of federal government programs, including military and veterans affairs, transportation, health, and government benefits.
State
Governor Roy Cooper
- Use this form or call 919-814-2000 to contact Governor Cooper’s office with general or policy comments or concerns.
- To request a meeting with the Governor or to invite him to attend an event, please fill out this scheduling request.
Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson
- Call 919-814-3680 to contact the Lieutenant Governor, or use this scheduling form to invite him to attend an event.
NC General Assembly
- Find who represents you in the NC General Assembly here by typing your address in the search bar on the map labeled “By Address.”
- Find contact information for NC House Leadership here.
- Find contact information for NC Senate Leadership here.
- Find a full list of Representatives here, sortable by name and district.
- Find a full list of Senators here, sortable by name and district.
State Contacts by Topic
- The State of North Carolina offers numerous local offices and state hotlines on a variety of issues. Find contact information by area of concern here.
Local
Our local governments arguably do the most to affect our daily lives, though, because of the decentralized nature of our local government, it can sometimes be difficult to find the best contact information for the local level.
- The North Carolina Board of Elections provides a voter search tool, so if you are registered to vote, you can find a list of all of the districts in which you reside – from the federal through the local.
- You can then visit your county and city websites to match your district to your elected official.
- The NC Association of County Commissioners provides a complete listing of county websites, county managers, and phone numbers.
- The NC League of Municipalities provides a directory of each member city and town. This listing provides the municipal website, mayor, and phone number.
Legislative Tracker
When the General Assembly is in session, check here for weekly updates on the progress of bills important to the Rural Counts policy priorities.