By Sarah Dobson, Independent Sector

There have been many criticisms of both political parties and their Presidential candidates this election season. Both major candidates rose to the top after defeating opponents who more closely personified the “traditional” trajectories of their parties. So, at the Public Policy Action Institute, we’re going to host a discussion with some political insiders who are positioned to deliver a unique, immediate, and insightful postmortem of what just happened, why it happened, and where we go from here.

By Dan Cardinali, Independent Sector

Leapfrogging past the November 8th election, what is the first thing on the agenda of every new president and Administration? Answer: Legislation to shape America’s tax and spending policies. Not because it is glamorous. Not because it is exciting. But because these policies are critically important and essential to all we do. Like the roads we drive on or the water we drink. Our fiscal framework is the bread and butter of our system of government.

By Deb Love, LOR Foundation

Today, U.S. cities are booming. Millennials are flocking to the growing number of high-paying jobs in cities like Seattle, Denver and San Francisco. But that’s not the only story. Look beyond the headlines and you’ll find countless small cities and towns building on their assets to create thriving, economically-diverse communities. November marks the end of one of the most negative political campaigns in our history. It’s the perfect time to focus on what’s working in America and examine the communities that are charting a new way forward.

By Brad Fitch, Congressional Management Foundation

Like almost every Presidential election year before, political pundits and prognosticators are focusing on November 8. This being the weirdest Presidential election year in history, the fight for the White House is sucking a lot of the oxygen out of the room. Yet after November 9, there is going to be a lot of energy shifting to Capitol Hill. Just like in 1993, 2001, and 2009, the start of a new Administration will focus the spotlight on Congress. And as Spring 2017 comes around tens of thousands of citizens will be working with nonprofits in order to meet with members of Congress and their staffs to advance their causes.

By Lisa Morton Brown, Nonprofit HR Solutions

Like every other sector in the nation, your organization must develop recruiting strategies that reach competitive jobseekers who fit your workplace culture and subscribe to your mission. Does your talent acquisition strategy align with your organizational strategy? What are the behaviors and attributes of your top performers and where do you find people like them? Do your hiring managers know what to listen for during the interview process?

By Betsy Wright Hawkings, Democracy Fund

The Democracy Fund’s Governance Initiative spent a year seeking to understand how Congress could better respond to the needs and demands of citizens. To explore how they might better understand the systems that drive Congress, they began with the framing question, “How is Congress fulfilling or failing to fulfill its obligations to the American people?” It didn’t take long to conclude that the institution is failing to do so.

By Peter Ronayne, Ph.D., Center for Creative Leadership

Quick quiz: What percentage of the brain does the average leader regularly use? As you ponder that question, note that the late 20th and early 21st century has seen an explosion of research, understanding and insights about our gray matter – and how and why it matters for consistent high leader and organization performance. The intersection of brain science and leadership is a pivotal, fascinating, and high impact new frontier.

With its iconic monuments, museums, and federal buildings, Washington, DC occupies a unique position as a meaningful symbol for the entire nation. But in the neighborhoods that hug the National Mall, there is very different DC - one with an incredibly rich history of art, food, culture, and music. Perhaps its greatest contribution to music is its very own genre of music - one that has never made it much past the banks of the Potomac and Anacostia rivers, but also one that is vibrantly vital to the DNA of any true resident of the DMV: Go-Go.

By Taz Hussein, The Bridgespan Group

Have you ever experienced the frustration of offering a social service program that struggles to attract participants? If so, you’re far from alone. Among nonprofits responding to a Bridgespan Group survey, 70 percent reported shortfalls in program participation, and half said matters have gotten worse over the past five years. This conundrum turns the tables on the optimistic notion of “build it and they will come.”

Recently, a focus group participant shared that the nonprofit community has a race problem because it is “still focused on diversity and not on removing barriers.” Valuing diversity does matter, and it was probably necessary groundwork, but today the conversation has to be about recognizing and removing barriers to the full inclusion, leadership and advancement of nonprofit staff of color. Talking about barriers to advancement, biases in hiring, and tokenism within organizations may cause discomfort. But rather than shy away from internal conflicts, we have to embrace tension as an essential part of making progress.