Fulcrum Public Affairs
What we do · Public Affairs

A DC-based Public Affairs Firm Built for Stakeholders, Issues, and Outcomes

Fulcrum specializes in stakeholder engagement, issue management, and coalition building across the full landscape of policy influence — from Congress and the Administration to governors, mayors, think tanks, and advocacy groups.

What public affairs means at Fulcrum

Reaching Every Sphere of Influence

At Fulcrum, public affairs is about reach. Our team leverages decades of experience across Congress, presidential administrations, and the private sector to give clients access to every sphere of influence — from federal decision-makers to state and local governments to think tanks, trade associations, and advocacy organizations.

We don’t just open doors. We help clients walk through them with the right message, the right relationships, and the right strategy to drive real outcomes.

Delegates in conversation around a conference table and by the windows of a meeting room
Our public affairs services

Public Affairs for Companies, Associations, and Nonprofits

Stakeholder Engagement and Management

We identify, map, and engage the full ecosystem of stakeholders that matter to your issue, building relationships that inform strategy and activate support at the right moment.

Issue Positioning and Management

Before a policy fight begins, we help clients define and sharpen their position — developing the narrative, evidence base, and messaging that resonates with policymakers and the public.

Client-Centered Networking Events

From Capitol Hill receptions to roundtables with key stakeholders, we design and produce events that put clients in the room with the people who matter.

Coalition Building and Activation

Building the broader coalition that amplifies a client’s position across party lines and sectors, coordinating governors, mayors, trade associations, and advocacy groups.

Policy Newsletter and Thought Leadership

Our substantive policy newsletter keeps clients and stakeholders informed and positions the firm as an authoritative voice on the issues that matter.

Client Brand Building

We help clients build the credibility and visibility that makes their policy asks more persuasive with policymakers, media, and stakeholders alike.

Off-the-Record Briefings and Stakeholder Access

Curated, discreet engagements that connect principals with the people who shape the debate.

Strategic Communications and Media Relations

Working with our strategic communications partner, clients get integrated media relations, corporate positioning, crisis response, and executive counsel — the reputation work that makes a policy position land with press, stakeholders, and policymakers alike.

The Fulcrum difference

Campaign-style public affairs. Bipartisan by design.

Decades of experience across Congress, administrations, and the private sector — delivered by a senior team that runs every engagement personally.

Bipartisan

Our work spans both sides of the aisle. Relationships at every level of government mean clients are never locked out because of political geography.

Campaign-Style

We approach stakeholder engagement the way a campaign approaches voters — clear message, coordinated strategy, and the follow-through to reach an outcome.

Senior-Led

Every engagement is run by a partner. Clients get Oscar and Dana’s direct attention, network, and judgment — not a junior team working off a template.

Who we serve

Public Affairs for Fortune 100s, Associations, Start-Ups, and Nonprofits

From large institutions to emerging organizations, our public affairs practice adapts its approach to where a client stands today and where they’re headed next.

Talk to the team
Skyscrapers converging overhead, seen from street level

Fortune 100 Companies

Sophisticated government relations advocacy for organizations navigating complex regulatory environments and high-stakes policy decisions at the highest levels.

Association members reviewing documents together in a conference room

Trade Associations

Managing the key priorities of organizations representing small to large member companies — aligning a diverse membership behind one agenda and carrying it to Congress and the agencies.

The U.S. Capitol dome against a clear blue sky

Innovative Start-Ups

Emerging companies building a policy presence from scratch — establishing credibility, defining their regulatory position, and developing protective stakeholder relationships.

Two colleagues discussing work over a laptop and tablet

Mission-Driven Nonprofits

Organizations with important issues and limited resources that need a partner to maximize reach, amplify voice, and build the coalitions that efficiently move their agenda forward.

Recognition

A DC Public Affairs Firm Recognized for Results

Bloomberg Government — Top Performing Lobbying Firm 2022 · 2024 · 2025
Bloomberg Government — Top-earning new firm 2019
The Hill — Top Lobbyists, Oscar Ramirez & Dana Thompson 2023 · 2024 · 2025
The Hill — Washington’s fastest-growing lobby shops Feature
Punchbowl News — Poised to do well in the new Washington Feature
See the full press archive
FAQ

Public Affairs Firms: Common Questions

A public affairs firm helps organizations navigate the intersection of business, policy, and government — building the stakeholder relationships, issue positioning, and advocacy strategies that let clients shape the policy environment they operate in. Unlike a lobbying firm focused on direct legislative advocacy, a public affairs firm works across the full landscape of influence.
Public affairs firms manage an organization’s relationship with government and the broader policy ecosystem — stakeholder mapping and engagement, issue positioning, coalition building, policy monitoring, and events that connect clients with decision-makers.
Lobbying focuses on direct advocacy before legislators and regulators. Public affairs is broader, encompassing the stakeholder engagement, coalition building, and issue positioning that create the environment in which lobbying succeeds. Many organizations need both, and at Fulcrum they are run by the same senior team.
Get in touch

Let’s Talk About Your Public Affairs Goals

Fulcrum is one of Washington’s leading public affairs firms, and every engagement starts with a direct conversation with our partners.