Positive Sum Strategies builds comprehensive media, advocacy, and legislative strategies for companies and nonprofits. We craft budgets, strategic plans, talking points, and timelines for comprehensive multi-million-dollar advocacy campaigns. Our media strategies have garnered coverage in The New York Times, Semafor, HuffPost, The Atlantic, and other leading publications.
We maintain deep relationships with federal, state, and local officeholders and their staff, facilitating meetings between our clients and senior government officials at all levels.
Our team has provided expert testimony on data analysis and policy design, including successful advocacy for Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) in New York. We bring deep expertise in public opinion and survey research, designing and fielding surveys for diverse clients to advance messaging, support legislative strategy, and shape media narratives.
Positive Sum Strategies helps you achieve your goals.
Sean McElwee
Sean McElwee has spent ten years at the intersection of public opinion research and public policy. He founded Data for Progress in 2018 and Positive Sum Strategies in 2021. The public opinion research Sean oversaw has been cited by President Biden, Majority Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi and informed the strategy of Senate campaigns, large SuperPACs and climate change advocacy campaigns. With Data for Progress and Positive Sum Strategies he has had the DNC, DSCC, SMP and battleground Senate campaigns as clients in addition to dozens of leading advocacy organizations. His polling informed allocation decisions for more than $30 million in SuperPAC spending in the 2022 election cycle and continues to inform startups, NGOs and VCs.
What I’m reading: Showdown at Gucci Gulch, an absolute must-read for anyone who wants to influence policy. This is the comprehensive history of the 1986 tax reform.
How I spend my free time: Climbing, board game nights and frequent pot lucks in DC and NYC.
What I’m watching: Yellowstone!