Description

The NHBSR Policy Forum is a follow-on event to NHBSR’s Regional Workforce Roundtables, designed to synthesize insights from business leaders across New Hampshire and translate them into actionable advocacy positions. This event will validate regional findings, build statewide business alignment on workforce infrastructure priorities, and connect business needs to the 2026 legislative landscape.

Key Focus Areas:

1. Critical Workforce Issues: Housing, Childcare (Early Care and Education), and Education
2. Sustainability and Clean Energy
3. DEI/Welcoming Workplaces

Register to Attend

Agenda

1. 8:00–8:30 Arrival, Registration & Networking, Breakfast
2. 8:30–9:45 Opening Remarks & Legislative & Policy Updates
3. 9:45–10:00 Regional Workforce Roundtable Findings: What NH Employers Are Saying
4. 10:00–10:50 Business Alignment & Advocacy Discussion
5. 10:50–11:00 Next Steps & Closing

Topics and Speakers

1. Business Tax & Economic Climate Update
2. Childcare/Early Childhood Education Trina Ingelfinger, New Futures
3. DEI & Welcoming Workplaces Jo Porter, NH Center for Justice and Equity
4. Education (K–12 & Workforce Pipeline) Zack Sheehan, NH Funding Fairness Project
5. Housing Nick Taylor, Housing Action NH
6. Sustainability & Clean Energy Jim Monahan, The DuPont Group

Who Should Attend

This event is ideal for:

1. Regional Business Roundtable participants who want to continue the conversation and see how their input shapes NHBSR’s advocacy
2. NHBSR members and partners interested in workforce, sustainability, and clean energy policy and how it affects businesses and communities
3. Professionals across roles and sectors who want to better understand the legislative landscape and engage in policy dialogue
4. Individuals with on-the-ground experience related to workforce challenges or sustainability initiatives who want to share perspectives and inform solutions

What to Expect

1. Breakfast and Networking: Connect with business leaders from across the state
2. Legislative Landscape Updates: Hear from experts tracking legislation in our policy priority areas—what’s happening now and what business leaders need to pay attention to
3. Synthesis and Validation: Review insights gathered from regional roundtables
4. Collaborative Dialogue: Work together to develop shared principles on workforce infrastructure that NH businesses can collectively support
5. Legislative Connection: Opportunity to connect directly with invited legislators in informal dialogue (not a traditional legislative breakfast or advocacy event)
6. Action Planning: Identify how business priorities connect to policy opportunities and what comes next

Note: This is not a traditional advocacy event. While legislators will be invited to facilitate dialogue and relationship-building, the primary focus is on building business alignment and understanding the policy landscape.

Purpose and Goals

This event serves three primary functions:

1. VALIDATION: Present synthesized findings from the Regional Business Roundtables back to participants to ensure insights accurately reflect business experiences and priorities across the state.
2. ALIGNMENT: Facilitate collaborative development of shared principles and priorities that businesses across New Hampshire can collectively support, creating a unified foundation for NHBSR’s advocacy strategy.
3. ACTIVATION: Connect business priorities to current and emerging legislative opportunities, identify concrete advocacy actions, and secure participant commitments to support policy engagement during the 2026 legislative session.

Sponsorship Opportunities Available

To learn more, please contact Madeline Brooks.

Become A Sponsor