Schools are not the only institution on Spring break this week.  The US House of Representatives and the Senate are currently in a two week "work period" which many Congressional detractors often call "vacation".  The term is not entirely fair.  The reality is that many elected officials will spend a huge amount of this Work period time meeting with their constituents one-on-one and in public forums attempting to gauge the opinions of those citizens who put them where they are today.

District work periods are an opportune time for venture capitalists and entrepreneurs to engage with their elected federal officials on their "home turf".

Take the time to:

1) Invite Senators and Congressmen to your offices with the goal of getting them to better understand the venture process and the value that is created.

2) Set up "plant tours" of your local portfolio companies so that your elected officials can see first hand the technology advancements and job creation taking place in their districts. Nothing is more illustrative of the positive impact of venture capital than seeing jobs created for their voting constituencies.

3) If you are active politically, arrange a local fundraiser.  The NVCA VenturePAC often is willing to support these efforts.

4) Coordinate with other local venture capital firms and your local VC association to hold an education day with your elected representatives.

In all these instances NVCA is always able to furnish you with the latest talking points on issues being addressed before Congress as well as statistics on venture investment in your area.

Contact information for every member of Congress is available on their respective home pages.  Call early this week for a chance to meet face-to-face and get your stories told.  The more members of Congress hear about what venture capital is doing in their regions, the more they want to support policies that continue to foster a healthy venture ecosystem.