Elmira Bayrasli

‼️New Dashboard from Rihla Research & Advisory LLC ‼️ This week, I’m excited to launch our new Trump Administration Mediation Tracker, a tool mapping the Trump administration’s mediation efforts across both his first and second terms. The tracker captures not only successful outcomes, but also attempted and partial mediation efforts, providing a comprehensive picture of the administration’s diplomatic footprint. What stands out in the data is the sheer intensity of mediation activity: a surge of attempts in 2020, leading up to the close of the first term, and a striking concentration of new efforts in 2025—already in just the first eight months of Trump’s second administration. Our long-form analysis: https://lnkd.in/eV9hWRCZ Full tracker (free for now) here: https://lnkd.in/gJ423Yzk

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Great advice by WRC Former Ambassador Koh. The World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) isn’t something to think about every few years—it should be on our minds every day. Spectrum policy, global coordination, and technology leadership don’t happen overnight. The decisions made at WRC shape the future of connectivity, innovation, and competitiveness for the next decade. If we want to lead, we need to organize now—align stakeholders, set priorities, and engage early. Waiting until the conference is too late. The work starts now.

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A bit of a belated post, but I'm delighted to see SmartRaise featured in the latest Higher Ground Labs political tech landscape report! The report's fundraising section clearly signals a critical challenge: donor fatigue from oversaturated texts and emails (over a billion texts sent in Oct 2024 alone!). Donors are feeling overwhelmed, leading to disengagement. (Add to this Scam PACs and it's a grim picture). I hope this pushes campaigners towards smarter, more targeted engagement. Our tools have always prioritised long-term relationships. We're now seeing a rise in platforms offering smarter automation for donor retention and targeted outreach, alongside advancements in AI-driven tools and relational fundraising. These innovations collectively highlight a vital shift from sheer volume tactics to more thoughtful, strategic engagement. I believe European tools are also a key part of this picture, providing crucial independent diversification from big, centralised platforms. We need systems that build long-term trust and sustained relationships. Without this robust foundation, even the most innovative outreach risks falling flat. Read the full report in the link below.

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Does digital campaigning actually matter in elections? According to a new study from the Center for Campaign Innovation, the answer is yes — and the consequences are real. In this episode of Hello Merge Tag, Eric Wilson breaks down findings from a comprehensive analysis of the 2025 Virginia House of Delegates elections, where Democrats and Republicans ran vastly different digital programs — with very different results. We talk about what the data shows, where each party is falling behind, which digital tactics actually move voters, and what tools campaigns still need to invest in, if they want to compete. If you work in politics, campaigns, or digital strategy, this is a must-catch conversation. Find the full ep at hellomergetag (.) com, on YouTube or wherever you stream podcasts.

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#FundraisingCatalyst | Donors are becoming more outcome-oriented and seeking impact opportunities aligned with their priorities. Leverage Sattva Consulting’s ecosystem knowledge and funder intelligence, powered by FundAssist, to build a market-resilient fundraising strategy that drives stronger conversions. FundAssist is our data-driven solution that assists organisations in identifying funders aligned with their priorities and focus areas. It offers valuable funder insights, backed by information about 37,000+ companies and funders about their CSR priorities, spending habits, and preferred funding model, to ensure that organisations are equipped to engage with the right funders. Contact us at impact@sattva.co.in to learn more. #SattvaFundraisingCatalyst #FundraisingAdvisory #NonProfitAdvisory Arun Nathan | Aarti Krishnan | Smruti Das | Nilav Kumar Pyne | Aishwarya Meena | Phuhaar Goel | Riya Gupta | Apoorva Prabhu

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Implementing TRIPP: The MOU should not be seen as an end product, but as an affirmation of Washington’s continuing interest and commitment to invest political capital, financial resources, and diplomatic creativity into rebuilding connectivity across one of Eurasia's most disputed regions. My latest: https://lnkd.in/emj3R8Bd

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Are you (or your community/partners) facing difficult decisions about the way forward for your organization given recent aid cuts? Are you considering a merger, partnership or another kind of organizational transition? Accountability Lab, Development Gateway: An IREX Venture and @Digital Public have set up a new partnership matching service and professional support infrastructure to help organizations facing newly shortened financial runways or other challenges. The project has created a shared fund and pool of technical expertise that you can access to support the changes you need to make. It is focused on helping mission-driven organizations navigate transitions in ways that preserve valuable teams, projects, technology, and knowledge: A blog about it all: https://lnkd.in/duaaWTwd A  toolkit to think about 1st steps https://lnkd.in/dAZtQSV3 The link for organizations to submit their information if they need support (a very quick 5 minute starting point) https://lnkd.in/dfAkt8yk

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A Serious Public Leadership Career is not built on visibility alone, It is built on clarity, credibility and the right strategic guidance. In today’s highly competitive political environment, political leaders and election consultants need more than campaign tactics. They require a structured framework that helps them build a strong leadership identity, earn lasting public trust and grow sustainably in public life. To address this need, we are proud to introduce the 'Serious Public Leadership Career Programme' a comprehensive strategic guidance initiative designed for individuals who are truly committed to building a meaningful and long-term public leadership journey. Through this programme, we provide: • Leadership Positioning & Identity Building- Defining a clear vision, values and a strong leadership brand. • Reputation & Credibility Development- Building trust, consistency and a positive public image. • Strategic Decision Guidance- Helping leaders and consultants make informed, future-oriented choices. • Narrative & Thought Leadership Development- Strengthening communication, vision articulation and intellectual authority. • Long-Term Career Roadmapping- Creating a structured pathway for sustainable growth in public life. • Advanced Advisory Support for Political Consultants- Enhancing strategic thinking and leadership advisory capabilities. If you are serious about building an impactful, credible, and future-ready public leadership career, this programme is designed for you. Connect with us to learn how the 'Serious Public Leadership Career Programme' can help you gain clarity, strategic direction and a lasting leadership advantage. #SeriousPublicLeadership #LeadershipProgramme #PoliticalAdvisory #PublicLife #StrategicLeadership

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The Senate is debating the SAVE America Act this week — legislation that would significantly impact mail voters. Before senators vote, they should look at the data.   In a piece for the Brookings Institution with Samara Angel and Randi Wright, we examined voting data across all 50 states. Here is what we found:   🔹 Mail ballot fraud is extraordinarily rare. Across the 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022 general elections, we found an average mail voting fraud rate of just 0.000043% (about four cases per 10 million mail ballots cast).   🔹 Universal vote-by-mail systems (which are under scrutiny) show the smallest share of the already vanishingly small fraud total.   🔹 Restrictions on mail voting impact disproportionately specific groups: voters with disabilities, elderly Americans, military personnel overseas, students, lower-income voters, and voters of color.   🔹 Universal vote-by-mail has been shown to increase turnout by roughly 2%, reduce some racial and economic disparities in participation, and cut county election administration costs.    In 2024, the U.S. Postal Service processed over 99.2 million mail ballots. That is not a fringe voting method. It is essential to American elections and millions of voters.   The SAVE America Act's mail ballot ID provisions address a problem that the data shows does not exist. What our data and that of other research does show is that these restrictions would make it meaningfully harder for millions of eligible Americans to vote.   Free, fair, and secure elections are a pillar of our democracy. Legislation that erects new barriers for those who depend on mail ballots doesn't protect elections. It could undermine them.   https://lnkd.in/eYHye6TQ

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