David Smith

About David Smith

Hi I’m David.I run Inthrive: Advocacy Solutions.1. Why do folks reach out?They are people and organizations looking to change policy to make our communities safer and stronger and need to:+Figure out how to address the problems they see impacting their communities with a policy solution,+Engage government officials & policy makers, or+Train their team or members to become advocates for policy change.The goal:Creating a plan and putting it in action that turns your passion into policy.2. Our clients are typically impacted by one of these:+Start up or smaller org that feels like they’re lacking connections, resources, or time:Because your work is passion driven you want to spend your time and resources on your passion, not navigating the complex policy creation process in Richmond or DC. I provide affordable services that help implement your policy at the state or national level.+Have a mission driven, impactful idea but need a plan to implement it:You have an idea but don’t know how to frame it to get funding or turn it into policy or you’re an existing org that needs to figure out your core mission and refocus on that. I have a proven track record of creating strategic plans and pitch material to obtain seed funding from foundations and individuals for both (c)3 and (c)4 organizations. I can create a strategic plan, craft messaging, and put the plan into action.+Larger org that needs high level help for certain advocacy and lobbying projects but doesn’t want to hire a new staff member:You have your plan but you don’t have enough staff to make it happen. Because of my breadth of policy experience, onboarding is fast and I can work with you to give you the extra work hours needed to achieve your policy win without the expense of full time staff.3. Ideal ClientMission driven organization that wants to make their advocacy & lobbying more efficient and impactful.4. What clients get when working with us+A tailored plan that meets their unique needs.+A partner who is skilled, knowledgeable, and dependable.+Regular updates and consultations so you always know what’s being done, what our next steps are, and how you’re going to reach your goal.5. How can leaders start working with us?Partnerships start with a foundational assessment on the basis of your goals, needs, and abilities.Contact me at D••••@InthriveAdvocacy.comor a DM via Linkedin to start the conversation.

Experience

1. Festival Director & Founder

   Inthrive Film Festival

   Mar 2023 — Present · Richmond, VA, US

Education

• University of Mary Washington

  Bachelor's degree, Religion/Religious Studies

• Concordia Seminary St Louis

  Master of Divinity (MDiv), Theology

  2003 — 2007