Two decades of Congressional Management Foundation research show individualized constituent communication outperforms paid advertising and lobbying – and a new whitepaper from CiviClick details how leading companies are closing the gap

WASHINGTON, May. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CiviClick, a nonpartisan grassroots advocacy software platform, today released a 48-page whitepaper examining how some of America’s most recognizable companies are winning state and federal policy fights by mobilizing employees, customers, and other real stakeholders to tell authentic stories to lawmakers. 

The whitepaper, titled “How Corporations Win Grassroots Advocacy Campaigns by Telling Authentic Stories,” draws on two decades of Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) research showing that individualized constituent communication is the single most influential form of advocacy on an undecided lawmaker — outperforming paid advertising, form emails, and even meetings with professional lobbyists. 

The research also surfaces a persistent gap. Ninety-one percent of congressional staff say district-specific impact information would help them advise their boss; only nine percent report receiving it frequently. Seventy-nine percent say personal constituent stories would help; only eighteen percent report receiving them regularly. 

“There is a massive gap between what lawmakers want to hear and what they actually receive,” said Chazz Clevinger, founder and CEO of CiviClick. “The companies that close that gap are the ones winning their policy fights. The ones that don’t are the ones writing checks to lobbyists and wondering why the bill still moved.” 

Four extended case studies 

The whitepaper details four corporate grassroots programs that have produced measurable legislative wins:

DoorDash’s DashRoots program has united more than 210,000 delivery professionals, merchants, and consumers across all 50 states. Recent wins include defeating a proposed delivery fee in Illinois and passing first-in-the-nation portable benefits legislation through the Wisconsin legislature.

DraftKings’ New York mobile sports betting campaign combined grassroots customer pressure, executive engagement, and direct lobbying to secure Governor Cuomo’s April 2021 inclusion of mobile wagering in the state budget – a multi-year effort the whitepaper presents as a masterclass in coalition design.

Uber’s city-by-city playbook for ridesharing legalization shows how technology companies can build scalable advocacy infrastructure that adapts to local political conditions across hundreds of municipalities.

Rivian’s 2026 Washington State breakthrough overturned a twelve-year dealer monopoly on direct EV sales after Rivian customers wrote personal messages to legislators about why they should be able to buy vehicles directly. Senate Bill 6354 passed 47-2 in the Senate and 84-9 in the House. The thesis “The common thread across all four case studies is that sustained victory requires more than direct lobbying,” Clevinger said. “It requires a standing network of authentic stakeholder advocates who can be activated quickly, speak credibly to lawmakers in their own words, and mobilize again for the next fight.” 

The whitepaper also examines how companies can bridge political divides by mobilizing stakeholders with different political orientations around shared policy goals, how to integrate corporate social responsibility with civic engagement, and how to overcome the most common participation obstacles in corporate grassroots programs. The full whitepaper is available for download at civiclick.com.

CiviClick is a nonpartisan grassroots advocacy software platform headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in Los Angeles. The platform helps organizations build campaign pages where real people can contact their elected and regulatory officials with personalized messages. CiviClick serves diverse groups across the partisan spectrum, including corporations, trade associations, nonprofits, and issue advocacy organizations. 

Founded in 2023 by Chazz Clevinger, a 13-year veteran of civic technology who previously worked at the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives, CiviClick has been recognized with multiple AAPC, Pollie, and Reed Awards for advocacy technology.

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SOURCE CiviClick

Studio 1119, Inc., a Worcester, MA-based developer of purpose-built AI applications for small and mid-sized businesses, today announced the launches of two products now available on the BigCommerce App Marketplace: CataSEO (www.cataseo.ai), an AI-powered SEO and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) tool that helps e-commerce operators get discovered on Google and AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews — developed in partnership with Moz; and TruSync (www.trusync.ai), a real-time order and inventory sync application connecting e-commerce stores directly to QuickBooks Online, built to eliminate the delays and errors of traditional sync solutions. With both applications live on BigCommerce and expansion to Shopify, WooCommerce, WixCommerce, and Amazon on track before the end of Q2 2026, Studio 1119 is delivering a unified, intelligent solution for both discoverability and operational accuracy.

WORCESTER, Mass., May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Studio 1119, Inc., a developer of purpose-built AI applications for small and mid-sized businesses and small enterprises, today announced the successful launches of two flagship products: CataSEO (www.cataseo.ai), an AI-powered SEO and GEO content optimization tool for e-commerce operators, and TruSync (www.trusync.ai), a real-time order and inventory synchronization application connecting e-commerce stores to QuickBooks Online. Both applications are currently available on the BigCommerce App Marketplace, with broad multi-platform expansion planned before the close of Q2 2026.

CataSEO: Built for the Age of AI Discovery

CataSEO launched on the BigCommerce Marketplace in January 2026, giving online retailers a competitive edge not just in traditional Google search rankings — but in the rapidly growing world of AI-driven discovery. As consumers increasingly turn to tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews to find products and services, CataSEO helps e-commerce operators optimize their content to be found and cited by AI engines, a discipline known as Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).

Developed in partnership with Moz, a recognized leader in SEO data and intelligence, CataSEO delivers actionable, AI-generated content recommendations grounded in trusted search authority signals. The result is a tool that helps SMB retailers stay visible — not just on page one of Google, but in the AI-powered answers that are increasingly defining how customers shop online.

“Most SEO tools are still fighting the last war,” said Jim Boudreau, Founder of Studio 1119. “CataSEO was built for where search is going — a world where AI models are the first stop for product discovery, not just a search results page.”

TruSync: True Real-Time Sync, Finally Within Reach

TruSync launched on BigCommerce in April 2026, solving one of the most persistent and costly headaches for e-commerce operators: keeping order data and inventory counts accurate across their store and their books. Built on Google Cloud and integrated directly with QuickBooks Online, TruSync posts orders and updates inventory the moment a transaction occurs — with no batch delays, no complex configuration, and no surprise charges.

Designed for merchants managing one store or many channels simultaneously, TruSync maps products across platforms using SKUs or product names, notifies merchants of sync exceptions, and offers a straightforward re-sync workflow to resolve issues quickly. Pricing starts at $25/month per channel with plans scaling up to enterprise-level volumes — all with no contracts and no commitments.

“We spent 25 years watching e-commerce merchants wrestle with the same inventory and accounting sync problems,” said Boudreau. “TruSync exists because those problems are still costing people real time and real money every single day, and they deserved a solution that was simple, fast, and actually reliable.”

Rapid Multi-Platform Expansion Planned for Q2 2026

Studio 1119 is on track to publish both applications to the most widely used e-commerce platforms before the end of Q2 2026. Planned releases include: CataSEO for Shopify, WooCommerce, and WixCommerce. TruSync for Shopify, WooCommerce, WixCommerce, and Amazon — enabling merchants who sell across multiple channels to maintain a single, accurate view of inventory and financials in real time.

About Studio 1119, Inc.

Studio 1119, Inc. (www.studio1119.ai) is a Worcester, MA-based software company that develops and publishes AI-powered applications built specifically for small and mid-sized businesses. Rather than offering broad, general-purpose platforms, Studio 1119 takes a focused approach — building purpose-built tools that solve specific, high-pain problems with intelligence, simplicity, and without unnecessary complexity. Studio 1119’s applications are developed in partnership with leading technology providers including Moz, QuickBooks, Google Cloud, and BigCommerce.

Media Contact

Jim Boudreau, Studio 1119, Inc., 1 (508) 864-8965, jim@studio1119.ai, https://www.studio1119.ai

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SOURCE Studio 1119, Inc.

Expansion to create 50 new high-skilled jobs in AI and reinforce Sanofi’s long-term commitment to OntarioInvest Ontario Fund to contribute a conditional grant of up to $5 millionPartnership with the Province of Ontario and Toronto’s strong AI talent pool key drivers in site selection

TORONTO, May 4, 2026 /CNW/ – Sanofi, an R&D-driven, AI-powered biopharma company and Canada’s largest biopharma manufacturer, is expanding its global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre of Excellence in Toronto, deepening its investment in Ontario and growing AI talent to develop and manufacture life-changing medicines and vaccines faster than ever before.

The $294 million expansion will create 50 new high-skilled jobs in artificial intelligence and machine learning, building on the more than 150 roles created in just four years since establishing the AI Centre of Excellence (COE) in 2022 in downtown Toronto. These new roles will lead the design and deployment of advanced AI tools used throughout Sanofi’s global research, manufacturing and business operations, accelerating the delivery of breakthrough medicines and vaccines to patients worldwide.

The expansion will be supported by a conditional grant of up to $5 million from the Invest Ontario Fund, which recognizes Sanofi’s sustainable, long-term commitment to Ontario’s innovation ecosystem, and reinforces the province’s position as a global leader in AI-powered healthcare innovation.

“With local biopharma expertise and a world-class AI talent pool in Toronto, we are developing made-in-Canada solutions that are being scaled to operations across the globe,” said Dimitrije Jankovic, Sanofi’s Global Head of Digital Strategy and Operations. “We appreciate the partnership with the Province of Ontario – their support will help us continue our growth here and create tremendous opportunities for AI talent to join us in transforming healthcare.”

Through this expansion, Sanofi is extending new global AI mandates and long-term leadership roles to Ontario, demonstrating growing international confidence in the province’s ability to support complex, large-scale innovation within global organizations.

“Our government is proud to welcome this exciting new investment and to support Sanofi as they continue expanding their footprint here in Ontario,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Today’s announcement is a clear demonstration of Sanofi’s confidence in our world-class STEM workers and ensures they will continue to play a central role as we make Ontario a global hub for the development of cutting-edge technologies.”

“Sanofi’s investment is a testament to Ontario’s leadership in the AI and life sciences sectors, reinforcing our reputation as the best place to innovate, scale, and succeed,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “We look forward to seeing Sanofi continue to grow in the province, creating good-paying jobs for our workers and producing essential medicines and vaccines for Canada and the world.”

“Sanofi’s Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence expansion advances technologies that can transform patient outcomes and enhance our health-care system. This investment will create long–term economic opportunity while delivering tangible health benefits for families across the province and the country, including support for life sciences work that enables Sanofi to protect millions of Canadians from infectious disease through vaccine production, alongside other innovative research and development initiatives.” — Sylvia Jones, Minister of Health

“Toronto is proud to welcome this new investment from Sanofi. Our world-class AI talent, strong life sciences sector, and dynamic innovation community make Toronto a natural destination for companies that want to grow and lead. We look forward to seeing Sanofi continue to expand and contribute to the strength of our city and to better health outcomes for people here and around the world.” — Mayor Olivia Chow

About Sanofi’s Global AI Center of Excellence

The Toronto AI COE serves as a strategic innovation engine for Sanofi. With co-location of data, AI, scientific, manufacturing and product teams in Toronto, teams are uniquely positioned to work across the full life sciences value chain to enable faster iteration of solutions, which can be scaled across 90+ countries, delivering real-world impact for patients globally.

“AI is woven into the fabric of how we discover, develop, produce, launch, and support innovative therapies at Sanofi. Our Toronto AI COE exemplifies how we’re harnessing artificial intelligence, accelerating our mission to halve the time from discovery to delivery of innovative treatments,” said Emmanuel Frenehard, Sanofi’s Chief Digital Officer. “Our investments in Canada are building the foundation for the next generation of breakthrough medicines and vaccines.”

The investment announced today will create permanent Ontario-based capability, with 50 new roles by 2028, and support the expansion of technology partnerships as well as the expansion of the COE’s facilities in downtown Toronto. Additionally, it will enable the growth of Sanofi’s internship program, which currently recruits 30+ students annually from Ontario universities, with strong conversion to full-time employment.

This investment aligns with Sanofi’s broader commitment to Canada, including over $2 billion in new infrastructure investments by 2028 across its 52-acre Toronto campus. Through direct and spillover effects, the company supported 12,000 jobs across Canada in 2024 and contributed nearly $2.02 billion to Canada’s GDP, with exports reaching 60 countries around the globe.

About Sanofi

Sanofi is an R&D driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people’s lives and delivering compelling growth. We apply our deep understanding of the immune system to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world, with an innovative pipeline that could benefit millions more.

Sanofi is the largest biopharma manufacturer in Canada, investing, innovating and operating across the full life sciences value chain. We are 2,000+ employees strong, invest 20% of our revenue annually in biopharma research, and are on track to deliver over $2 billion in new infrastructure investments by 2028. Sanofi is committed to our community and is working with partners to foster a long-term sustainable ecosystem and build a healthier Canada.

SOURCE SANOFI