Inside Association Government Relations: New Benchmarking Research from the Public Affairs Council
September 2026
Associations are an indispensable part of the policymaking process, and strong government relations operations are central to the value they provide their industries and members.
To better understand how those operations are working today, the Public Affairs Council surveyed associations in May and June about how they structure, staff, fund and measure their government relations work. The new 2026 Government Relations Benchmarking Survey for Associations gives Council members a way to see how their own GR functions compare with those of their peers.
Among the top-line findings:
- 96% of respondents engage with the federal government.
- 52% have government relations teams of just one to four full-time staff members.
- 76% have increased their government relations or public affairs budgets over the past three years.
- Nearly 90% use contract lobbyists or consultants.
The report goes well beyond staffing and budgets. It also looks at where GR leaders sit within their organizations, how government relations and communications teams work together, the challenges putting the most pressure on practitioners and how associations evaluate success.
For association leaders, the research offers a useful benchmark for understanding how peers are organizing and investing in government relations — and where their own operations may differ.
The full 2026 Government Relations Benchmarking Survey for Associations is available exclusively to Council members in Council Connect.
Not a Council member? Membership provides access to exclusive research and benchmarking, professional development, expert guidance and a network of public affairs professionals. Learn more about Council membership and join at pac.org/join.
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52% have government relations teams of just one to four full-time staff members
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