At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA), we are dedicated to advocating for the interests of our members, many of whom are the small businesses that drive the marine industry’s success. To protect the interests of our members and cultivate a strong selling environment, our Government Relations (GR) Team is constantly advocating on behalf of marine retailers and ensuring that you have a seat at the table. While membership dues support the MRAA GR Team’s basic advocacy responsibilities, we also rely on the crucial support of our Diamond Ambassador Members, whose contributions allow us to do more on behalf of all MRAA members and be your voice when important legislative and regulatory decisions are made. Their commitment helps amplify the voices of marine retailers, ensuring our industry’s unique challenges and needs are heard and addressed.

Supporting Marine Retailers through Advocacy
Most of our members are small, family-owned businesses and we understand the unique challenges they face. From fluctuating economic conditions to complex regulations, small businesses need advocates who understand their specific challenges. The contributions of our Diamond Ambassadors have allowed us to expand our advocacy initiatives in direct support of MRAA Member businesses, such as:

• Government Relations Software: With the support of our Diamond Ambassador Members, the MRAA made the investment in Quorum, a GR software provider which allows the MRAA GR Team to actively track state and federal legislation and regulation, connect with key officials and their staffs, track meetings, and report out our actions to interested members and stakeholders. Quorum ensures that the MRAA Team is actively monitoring for legislative and regulatory developments that may impact your business while simultaneously helping us to build relationships with key decision makers to work proactively to support our members.
• Legislative Tracker: A tool designed with small businesses and partner organizations in mind, the Legislative Tracker gives our members, and our advocacy partners the ability to monitor legislative developments across the states and at the federal level. By staying informed, our members can quickly respond to issues that could impact their operations while staying in tune with how the MRAA is advocating on their behalf.
• Expanding our Government Relations Team: The ability to hire Mike Sayre as the MRAA’s Government Relations Director has been another transformative achievement made possible by our Diamond Ambassadors. Beyond just expanding the bandwidth of MRAA’s efforts, Mike’s background in government affairs is perfectly suited to ensuring that our small business members have a strong and knowledgeable advocate on their side. His expertise enables us to navigate the complex legislative landscape with confidence, positioning MRAA as a key player in shaping policies that impact our members.
• Amplify your voice more often and across more channels: Diamond Ambassador funding allows our advocacy team to be present more often when we need to meet face-to-face with policymakers, attend important industry events where policy decisions are made. Not only does this allow us to address large-scale issues but local ones as well. This not only strengthens our relationships with policy makers and industry partners but ensures that the specific concerns of marine retailers – such as workforce challenges, tax incentives, and environmental regulations – are consistently highlighted.

Securing a Seat at the Table
Thanks to the generous support of our Diamond Ambassadors, MRAA’s GR Team is actively engaging in more of the policy discussions that directly impact our members. Whether it’s participating in high-level meetings with lawmakers or contributing to policy development at key industry events, we ensure the marine retail sector is represented. Without this vital support, the voices of small marine businesses – often competing with larger industries –might not have the same influence or visibility. The Diamond Ambassadors make it possible for us to be where it matters most, advocating for legislation and regulations that foster a healthy business environment for our members and fighting to protect our members from challenges to your business interests.

Focusing on the Future for Marine Retailers
At MRAA, our focus remains on supporting the growth and sustainability of marine retailers. Through the continued support of our Diamond Ambassadors, we are able to fight for favorable policies and ensure that our members’ voices are heard. The journey ahead is filled with opportunities, and with our Diamond Ambassadors by our side, we’re confident that we can protect the interests of the marine retail industry, be a vital voice in any recreational marine policy discussion and create a prosperous future for all.

Join Us as a Diamond Ambassador
As the marine industry continues to evolve, so does the importance of strong government relations and effective advocacy. Our ability to influence key legislative and regulatory outcomes and provide critical support to MRAA Member businesses hinges on the generous support of our Diamond Ambassador Members. By joining as a Diamond Ambassador, you are directly investing in the future of the marine retail industry and ensuring that our members—many of whom are small, independent businesses – have a powerful voice in Washington D.C. and in state legislatures across the country.

Your support helps fund essential initiatives such participation in key policy discussions, the development of tools like the Legislative Tracker, and the ongoing leadership and work of the MRAA Government Relations Team. With your partnership, we can continue to champion policies that benefit our industry and protect the interests of marine retailers nationwide.

Become a Diamond Ambassador today and be a part of shaping the future of marine retail advocacy. Together, we can do more for the businesses that make our industry thrive.