Masa Group's mission is to secure progressive, just, and bold policies at the state, local, and national levels. Our campaigns, government relations, lobbying, and related work are dedicated to enhancing the lives of and supporting marginalized communities. As a social justice consulting firm, we provide an extra pair of hands for organizations seeking to bring about meaningful improvements to our nation’s social policies. We offer services on a short-term, interim, and long-term basis. Masa Group’s previous and current collaborations include a variety of state, local, and national partners.

Provide fundraising and organizational development services to nonprofits to help them prepare for and implement major gift programs and capital campaigns

Advocate Impact supports 501(c)(3)s in their efforts to change and develop public policy by helping them build their organizational capacity, develop legislative advocacy plans, and create bill proposals to present to federal, state, and local lawmakers. Our team of consultants are compassionate and experienced community organizers and legislative professionals ready to walk with nonprofit advocates every step of the way as they gain confidence in their advocacy abilities and lay a strong foundation for legislative success.

• Provided nonpartisan legal counsel to legislators regarding legality of proposed legislation• Drafted and prepared of legislation, including bills, amendments, resolutions, and conference committee reports• Reviewed reported decisions of the federal courts, the Illinois Supreme Court, and the Illinois Appellate Court and analyzed cases that affected the interpretation of the Illinois constitution or statutes and cases that indicated a possible need for legislative action

• Managed a team of public policy researchers studying the impact of current policies on the social and economic well-being of women• Conducted literature reviews, stakeholder interviews, policy evaluations, and qualitative research to inform public policyrecommendations and public outreach materials• Drafted issue analyses, policy briefs, policy memos and fact sheets to inform legislators and grassroots advocates of effective policy solutions to women’s issues• Drafted grassroots and lobbying communications (i.e. sign-on letters, press releases, letters of support/opposition, policy briefs, fiscal notes, etc...)• Peer-reviewed articles drafted by colleagues for submission into the annual legislative review

• Analyzed thousands of state, county and municipal ordinances to assessing their efficacy in preventing human trafficking based on the presence of ideal legislative components (i.e. inspection, enforcement, hours of operation, business operation, code of conduct and criminal provisions)• Drafted internal memos informing advocates of quantitative trends in how massage parlors and classified and regulated• Collaborated with other research consultants to maintain a large database documenting the occurrence of effective legislative components in state and county ordinances across the nation • Briefed policy advocates about trends in massage parlor data

• Tracked and monitored state legislation, administrative rules and department regulations in all 50 states mandating a diversion process for child sex trafficking victims, diverting them from the criminal to the child welfare system to receive social services•Revised and edited Shared Hope's annual state by state policy guide advocating for effective anti-trafficking legislation in all 50 states and providing policy recommendations to state legislatures•Researched best practices for addressing the needs of trafficked minors within the juvenile justice system

• Conducted legislative research assessing the political feasibility of a bill calling for an independent ombudsman over Illinois juvenile correctional facilities (enacted in August of 2014) • Drafted and edited quarterly reports distributed to external partners and key stakeholders containing updates on prison conditions and providing policy solutions• Conducted in-depth interviews with inmates concerning facility living conditions and incorporated findings in quarterly reports • Conducted research and collected data for the Executive Director’s editorial piece on living conditions within private prisons and on the number of settled lawsuits against private prisons for crimes against inmates • Managed a large database documenting the number of felony convictions in Illinois to determine whether there was an increase in convictions among certain demographics