Leading the dialogue with supporters, partner organizations, and other actors in the democratic ecosystem, Gabriel Morais, Director of Institutional Relations at RenovaBR, discusses the importance of relationship networks committed to strengthening democracy.
How long have you been part of the RenovaBR team and how would you describe your role? I joined at the end of 2024 and have been serving as Director of Institutional Relations ever since. Although I'm a recent arrival, these have already been intense months of interaction and building relationships with other organizations and supporters. Constant dialogue with various stakeholders is necessary to forge partnerships that amplify our impact.
How would you describe the strategic importance of the Institutional Relations area for the operation and sustainability of RenovaBR? The Institutional Relations department focuses on fundraising, building partnerships, and publicizing RenovaBR's positive impact on society. Internally, we communicate with operations teams to monitor the work performed and the results achieved. We then develop the best strategies to ensure that supporters and the general public are aware of everything we've done. It's like a constant cycle: our work generates results, we share them with society, and then we seek more partners to help us continue our mission.
A unique aspect of this area is that we are always thinking about the future of the organization, what we dream of for the coming years, and seeking supporters who are willing to dream and build this future with us, ensuring that RenovaBR continues to grow and become increasingly relevant to Brazil.
In your opinion, what differentiates RenovaBR from other political education initiatives in Brazil? What sets us apart is that we are a nonpartisan political leadership training organization. The key difference is that we always have students from different ideological backgrounds within the same class. This is no simple challenge and requires constant dialogue and consensus-building, but it is what keeps us focused on our mission of strengthening democracy with leaders who inform public debate from diverse perspectives.
Since joining the RenovaBR team, what have been the main lessons learned and challenges you've faced? And how has this work contributed to building RenovaBR's institutional image? Our cause is the strengthening of democracy and we realized, talking to other organizations, that fortunately there is a recent movement in philanthropy to recognize the importance of debating and technically supporting this cause.
Our work needs to be clear both internally and externally. RenovaBR aims to combat the erosion of democracy by training people to implement effective, data- and evidence-based public policies that will effectively improve the quality of life of the population at the forefront. So, we need to translate this externally so that we can continue to generate a systemic impact on society.
It's worth noting that this department doesn't work alone, but it's always in contact with other internal teams. With operational departments like Education, Data, and Student Experience, we gather information on the work performed, and with Communications, we develop outreach strategies and products.
How to build a support network for a long-term mission like RenovaBR? I always like to say that Institutional Relations consists of sharing stories and building lasting relationships. Every day, we tell the story of RenovaBR and the 3,500 leaders we've already trained so more people can get to know us. We also maintain constant contact with those who support us, providing regular updates on our activities, providing accountability for resources used, and maintaining our credibility.
We are an organization that works long-term and we feel privileged to have the support of stakeholders who recognize the importance and real impact of RenovaBR, understanding that we are working for a better country, not only for ourselves, but for future generations who will benefit from better politicians and leaders.
