A behind-the-scenes strategies and lessons learned from recent successful efforts that influenced federal education funding decisions, providing actionable insights for building effective and sustainable STEM advocacy. The session features Dr. Anita Krishnamurthi from the Afterschool Alliance, Della Cronin from Bose Public Affairs Group, and James Brown from the STEM Education Coalition. Together, they'll explore the advocacy journey, key lessons from recent wins, and how the STEM community can prepare for future policy challenges.