Coalitions
The Herald Group builds, manages, and runs coalitions that bring together expected allies and unexpected voices to project credibility, extend reach, and deliver the organized outside pressure that moves decisions, from Capitol Hill to statehouses to regulatory agencies.
THE PROBLEM
A single voice is rarely enough to move policy.
Policymakers, regulators, and media increasingly look for evidence that an issue reaches beyond one organization or industry and that it touches real people, businesses, and communities in ways they can see and feel. A well-built coalition isn't a list of logos; it is proof, from every angle an issue touches, that the concern is real and organized. A well-built coalition isn't a list of logos
But building that coalition requires more than identifying potential allies. It requires a credible brand, a clear message, disciplined management, and the relationships to recruit partners who carry weight in the rooms that matter.
A single organization speaks for itself. A coalition brings together the people, communities, and businesses who live the issue every day.
Bill Bertles
Partner at The Herald Group
WHAT WE DO
Innovative Strategies + Extensive Capabilities
THG offers turnkey coalition solutions, deployed individually or as a full program, built to support advocacy campaigns at every stage.
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Coalition Development & Branding
Build a credible identity that positions the coalition to lead.
THG develops mission statements, visual identity, messaging matrices, policy priorities, and branded materials—including issue briefs, backgrounders, and digital assets—that position the organization as a credible voice with key audiences where it matters most.
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Coalition Structure & Legal Formation
Establish a foundation that lets the coalition operate with credibility and protection.
THG works with outside counsel to determine the appropriate entity structure, drafts governing documents such as bylaws, membership agreements, and charters, and establishes the tax and compliance framework the coalition needs to operate.
We help identify and recruit board members or a steering committee, define governance roles and decision-making authority, and put the paperwork and protocols in place so the coalition can act—and grow—on solid footing.
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Membership Development & Recruitment
Strategically grow a strong, engaged membership base.
THG leverages our extensive political and corporate networks to identify, recruit, and onboard coalition members. We define membership tiers, develop promotional and onboarding materials, identify prospective members for client review, and direct outreach and recruitment, including engagement and education, to build an organized and growing membership base.
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Third-Party Partnerships
Expand reach and credibility through trusted external allies.
THG identifies, recruits, and manages partnerships with national and regional advocacy organizations such as faith groups, consumer groups, parent and family organizations, civil liberties groups, free-market groups and others. These groups help lend credibility, extend reach, and add political weight to the coalition's voice.
THG has a dedicated strategic alliances team focused solely on third-party relations and practices strict discretion and confidentiality in all engagements.
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Digital Presence & Platforms
Establish a credible digital footprint that drives engagement and action.
THG develops and manages a modern digital ecosystem that positions the coalition where policymakers, media, stakeholders, and the public discover information, from traditional search and social platforms to AI-powered assistants and emerging digital channels.
Every touchpoint is designed to reinforce credibility, expand reach, and convert awareness into engagement and action.
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Campaign Execution & Earned Media
Create momentum through strategic moments that break through.
THG creates inflection points that capitalize on the news cycle and political environment, developing and placing op-eds, collecting and amplifying compelling stakeholder stories, running petition campaigns, organizing events, and coordinating paid media to build visibility and momentum for the organization and its objectives.
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Coalition Operations & Management
Maintain disciplined execution with structure, coordination, and oversight.
THG organizes regular coalition meetings, drafts and distributes agendas, manages timelines, and delivers pre- and post-meeting action items and notes.
Strategic planning, implementation timelines, measurement, and reporting are all included—ensuring the coalition operates with pace and purpose.
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Grasstops Mobilization & Content Management
Keep the coalition active, visible, and engaged on an ongoing basis.
THG manages and mobilizes grasstops networks, activating members for calls to action, sign-on letters, and direct outreach to policymakers, while maintaining the coalition's website, social accounts, and digital platforms.
We develop ongoing content, including issue briefs, social posts, newsletters, and talking points, to keep members informed and engaged and keep the coalition's voice consistent and active between major campaign moments.
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Measurement and Reporting
Measure progress and show the coalition's impact.
THG tracks coalition health and campaign performance through membership pipelines, recruitment status, partner engagement, earned media placements, digital engagement, email performance, grasstops actions, sign-on participation, event attendance, policymaker outreach, and reporting dashboards that help clients understand what is working and where to apply additional pressure.
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Search & AI Content Strategy
Structure coalition content so it can be found and accurately summarized.
THG develops coalition content for search and AI discovery, including plain-English issue explainers, FAQ pages, glossary terms, policy timelines, source-backed claim substantiation, newsrooms, spokesperson bios, and consistent metadata and page language.
The goal is to help prospects, reporters, policymakers, and AI answer engines accurately understand who the coalition is, what it supports, who it represents, and why the issue matters.
Designed to Fit Your Needs
THG's coalition capabilities are built to deliver the partnerships, presence, and momentum that turn an issue into a movement.
Project Credibility
When organizations, businesses, community leaders, and advocates come together, they show that an issue has real-world impact and a constituency that cannot be ignored.
Demonstrate Broad Support
We build coalitions that show policymakers the issue extends beyond any single organization — giving your position credibility and critical mass.
Recruit Voices That Matter
Not every partner carries equal weight. We identify and recruit the allies who are credible to the audiences you need to persuade.
Create Sustained Pressure
We keep coalitions active and visible — generating the ongoing engagement that turns short-term campaigns into lasting advocacy presence.
Activate at Critical Moments
We intensify coalition activity at key legislative and regulatory inflection points to maximize impact when decisions are being made.
Our Team
Meet the team behind THG's coalition practice. Our experienced professionals combine deep public affairs expertise with the relationships and networks that effective coalition building demands.
Bill Bertles
Partner
With two decades at the intersection of policy and business, Bill specializes in building coalition, PAC, and public affairs campaigns that connect clients with the influencers who move legislative and regulatory outcomes.
Katie Wright
Vice President
Katie specializes in issue advocacy and ballot initiative strategy across energy, healthcare, and finance, drawing on experience leading a national energy practice behind some of the industry's largest advocacy campaigns.
Brooke Ainslie
Director
Brooke builds coalition strategies that turn complex policy landscapes into aligned stakeholder action, developing the messaging and research that help clients advance their legislative and regulatory priorities.
Meet the Entire THG Team
Meet our entire team of political campaign mentalities, MBA acumen, and more.
