The Forum, as a community of practice, centers peer dialogue, learning, and leadership. The SRF Advocates Engagement Report is produced annually for members.

The Forum released its second annual SRF Advocates Engagement Report  (the first, 2021-2024 report is available here), detailing how Forum members’ advocacy engaged state policymakers to direct more SRF funding to communities with the highest need. The 2025 report highlights the successes, lessons learned, and strategic pivots of SRF Forum advocates, comparing feedback from across three survey periods and two iterations of one-on-one interviews. 

These reports are produced to follow SRF advocates’ policy reform initiatives since the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in 2021. More importantly, these annual reports equip SRF advocates with peer-based insights and real-world examples they can use to support their own accountability and policy reform efforts to improve state SRF programs. It draws on quantitative data from the SRF Engagement Survey and qualitative findings from in-depth interviews with Forum members.

Advocate Feedback on SRF Programs: Key Findings from Our Survey and Interviews

Forum members shared commonly held advocacy priorities, based on the key themes revealed in the 2025 analysis, including:

• The methods states employ to prioritize projects should be more transparent, in both Intended Use Plans and Project Priority Lists 
• State-defined Disadvantaged Communities (DACs) should be prioritized for additional subsidization and support
• States should improve financing options and other terms of assistance, and expand technical assistance to support projects in communities most in need of supplemental funding to move water infrastructure projects forward
• Maximizing set-aside funds available for projects, and engaging communities to ensure all of these funds are utilized – including for Lead Service Line Replacement, Emerging Contaminants, and the Green Project Reserve. 

What Did Advocacy Look Like in 2025 From Our Survey? 

The 2025 advocacy trends build on patterns observed during the 2021–2024 period, reflecting sustained—and in some cases increased—engagement by advocates. These trends underscore the continued importance of coalition-based advocacy and a growing emphasis on direct, ongoing engagement with SRF administrators. The findings highlight transferable strategies for peers, including efforts to improve transparency in Intended Use Plans and to prioritize DACs, as well as the value of maintaining regular meetings and engaging with SRF agencies outside formal comment periods to strengthen relationships and influence policy outcomes.

• Advocacy participation within the SRF ecosystem has remained strong and relatively stable, with an average of 39 organizations engaged across each of the three survey periods. This is reflective of broader Forum member engagement in our community of practice – both in Forum convenings and sessions, as well as learning from peers in our dedicated member online platform.
• Coalition-based advocacy remains a central strategy for successful SRF advocacy. In 2025, 80% of survey respondents said partnering with organizations was an effective strategy (see figure below). While, 75% of in-depth interview participants described coalitions as essential for sustaining advocacy efforts. Across the three survey periods, it is clear that Forum members have worked hard to build and maintain SRF advocacy connections. 
• A core strategy for influencing SRF policy change is fostering relationships with SRF state administrators. The most effective engagement methods emphasized are maintaining regular meetings with SRF agencies and communicating with administrators outside of formal Intended Use Plan (IUP) comment periods. These strategies were also prominently featured in the preceding report.

Advocates are influencing SRF state policies by increasing public access to decision-making information and data in IUPs, improving how DACs are defined and prioritized for loans and additional subsidization, and maximizing the utilization of set-asides.

This report shares examples from Forum members across 13 states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.

Future Goals of SRF Advocates

When interviewed about their 2026 advocacy agenda, advocates identified both immediate policy recommendations and more expansive, long-term objectives. While specific policy work will continue through IUP comments and meetings with SRF agencies, the broader goals focus on tackling systemic issues in water infrastructure funding and financing. This signifies an evolution in advocacy—moving beyond discrete issues toward strategies designed to enhance the long-term sustainability, fairness, and performance of SRF programs. The priorities identified were as follows:

• Sustaining the durability of the SRF programs 
• Increasing legislative engagement and funding stability
• Ensuring full utilization of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds in the final year
• Building stronger project pipelines for small and underserved communities
• Providing concrete steps for state administrators to make priorities and decision-making more transparent – including where SRF funds are spent, and why.

The Role of the Forum in Creating Change

The Forum has been instrumental in addressing a capacity gap by boosting the skills, confidence, and peer networks of SRF advocates. The majority of survey participants indicated they are now able to engage actively and confidently with state administrators and utilities regarding policy and program issues. While a smaller segment is still in the nascent stages of this work, this indicates positive advocacy growth and pipeline development. However, advocates acknowledge the significant work ahead, especially as  Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding ends and the focus shifts to ensuring the SRF’s long-term sustainability.

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Are you a member of the Forum and want to contribute your expertise and SRF advocacy experiences to our next report? Check out our Engagement Tracker for examples of how your peers have contributed to this work, and fill out our Engagement Survey on our “Advocacy Tools” page. If you would like more hands-on support for unpacking state intended use plans (IUPs), mark your calendars for our upcoming “IUP walk-through” on May 6th.

If you are new to the SRF advocacy space and interested in engaging with state SRF administrators on your state’s policies, we have resources for you! If you are an advocate interested in SRF policy reform, please join our community of practice. The SRF Forum has two upcoming Member Orientations on March 3rd and June 2nd, to learn more about our community of practice—become a member today and add these events to your calendar!