RESULTS Weekly Update March 22, 2022

Quote of the Week

“Over the past two years we’ve seen major setbacks in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria as resources were diverted to deal with COVID-19. It is imperative we get back on track with these three diseases, continue fighting COVID-19, and prepare for future pandemics. Supporting the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria is the way to do that.”

– RESULTS Washington volunteer Michael Boyer in a March 21 letter to the editor in the Herald Net

Table of Contents

• Maternal/child health and nutrition kick off FY23 appropriations
• We have the tools to help families!
• Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Grassroots Resources

Maternal/child health and nutrition kick off FY23 appropriations

The appropriations process is a unique moment of leverage every year. It is the budgeting process during which we get a real chance to push for our global health, education, and economic opportunities priorities to get significant, increasing, and life-changing funding.

Every member of Congress weighs in on this process even if they don’t serve on the Appropriations Committee themselves. But in order to feel compelled to use their voices, we must use ours. Through both congressional “sign-on” letters and specific funding requests, we can ask our legislators to influence the decisions of Congress and increase funding for anti-poverty programs.

Our appropriations memos – the details of the funding levels we’re requesting – and a House letter for maternal and child health and nutrition are now available for your action-taking. Ask your members of Congress to weigh in specifically with the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee of Appropriations. Don’t hesitate, as offices are already starting to set internal deadlines for receiving these requests, and the House letter on maternal and child health and nutrition is set to close March 28. Look for unfolding information as the appropriations process moves along and more sign-on letters become available for signature. (You can also sign up for our upcoming training on the appropriations process itself!)

TAKE ACTION: Our complete FY23 appropriations funding ask memos are online, as is the beginning of our set of sign-on letters, namely the House letter for maternal and child health and nutrition led by Reps. Reps. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Young Kim (R-CA). Read more about our funding asks and this House letter on our blog, and check back to this blog regularly, as it will also provide an on-going tracker of letter signatures. You can submit funding requests today, asking your legislators to weigh in on those specific numbers with the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee of Appropriations via the support you’ll get from our memos. You can also click on the House letter to find the text and signing instructions. Questions? Contact Crickett at [email protected] or other RESULTS staff.

We have the tools to help families!

Rents are surging. Inflation abounds. The impact is being felt. Households are not making enough to pay rent increases, creating a lot of housing instability and displacing those unable to afford their homes, as PBS reports. But how exactly do rental increases, inflation, and the Child Tax Credit (CTC) intersect? For more details on the current dynamic in the housing market and why it’s important to talk about housing, even when advocating for the CTC, check out last week’s Policy Forum on housing.

We have fresh data indicating that the policies for which we are advocating work powerfully. The Child Tax Credit, rental assistance, and other programs have been combined recently to lift people out of poverty and slow the rise of eviction rates in many communities. A new report from the Eviction Lab explains how these federal assistance programs kept people stably housed and out of poverty during the pandemic.

TAKE ACTION: Media remains a crucial means for getting our message across about the urgency of helping everyday people. Tell Congress to work on a new economic package now that invests in children, workers, and families via the CTC, EITC, and rental assistance. The March 2022 U.S. Poverty Action Sheet has background and resources to help you, including draft letters to the editor on the CTC and rental assistance. You can also use our updated tax and housing media alerts to submit letters online). If you need help with drafting or submitting your letters, please contact RESULTS staff for assistance.

Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty

Media hooks of the week. To help you in your media advocacy, here are suggested media “hooks” this week to use in letters to the editor:

• U.S. Poverty: Recently the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released compelling data showing that engaging multiple supports like rental assistance and the Child Tax Credit during this incredibly challenging economic time could help turn the tide for individuals and families. What could this multi-pronged approach mean for families in your own community?
• Global Poverty: World TB Day is March 24, which is a great reminder that the U.S. must show strong leadership ahead of the replenishment for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria happening in the U.S. later this year. Consider using this social media and communications toolkit from the Global Fund to discover hooks that grab you. If they grab you, they will likely grab others.

Did you miss last week’s Policy Forums? Review powerful and timely information on our housing and tuberculosis work provided during our March 17 Policy Forums. These recordings are guaranteed to inspire and inform your advocacy.

What happened with FY22 appropriations? Even as we launch into our FY23 appropriations work in earnest, it’s important to take stock. We’ve completed a round-up of FY22 appropriations and emergency COVID-19 funding now that the dust is settling from lots of activity this month.

World TB Day resources and events. Consider planning to be part of some important conversations coming up both in advance of and after World TB Day (March 24). These events all require registration and will all be happening at 12 pm ET on various days. They will offer a well-rounded examination of the state of play with tuberculosis work – domestically (March 24), globally (March 25), and in terms of research and development (March 28). To amplify the messages, consider utilizing the social media and communications toolkit produced and shared by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. You can also use our new March 2022 Global Poverty Action Sheet to empower your fellow advocates to write. Action Sheets make great centerpieces for a local RESULTS meeting agenda!

Announcements

Register for next Diversity and Inclusion 101 training. As part of our work to dismantle systems of oppression, we have a goal of having all RESULTS volunteers attend our “Diversity and Inclusion 101” training in 2022. The next open session is Wednesday, March 24 at 8:30 pm ET, with additional offerings over the next few months. Seating is limited for each session so register for upcoming session today. If you’re unable to attend a session you registered for, please cancel your registration to allow others to participate (see instructions in your confirmation e-mail).

Grassroots Anti-Oppression Working Group rescheduled for March 29. Join us for the next open forum of the RESULTS Grassroots Anti-Oppression (AO) Working Group taking place on Tuesday, March 29 at 8:30 pm ET. In this open forum, volunteers and staff work together to advance RESULTS’ anti-oppression values, create, and share opportunities for on-going learning. Have questions or want to get involved? Register here.

Demystify the appropriations process! The appropriations process is how Congress funds the government on an annual basis. Knowing how to influence this process is essential to ensuring that programs addressing poverty are well-funded. Join us on Wednesday, March 30 at 8:30 pm ET to learn how you can influence the appropriations process to fund the programs RESULTS cares about. Register here to join the webinar.

Register for the April National Webinar. Please be sure to join us on Saturday, April 2 at 1:00 pm ET for the RESULTS National Webinar. We are excited to welcome two outstanding guest speakers. First, Phil Tegeler, president and executive director of the Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC) will join us. April is National Fair Housing Month, so we will cover fair housing principles as we continue to lobby members of Congress on addressing the affordable housing and homelessness crises. Then, Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, will join us to contextualize the Global Fund’s work in this time of pandemic, framing the opportunity we have when the replenishment happens later this year. Because of Mr. Sands’ schedule, he will appear at 1:30 pm ET. Don’t miss this event. Register today!

Learn the basics of hosting a hybrid meeting. As groups start to meet in person in the coming months, hybrid meetings (a combination of online and in-person participation) are likely to become more common. Learn tips for hosting such these types of meetings from the “running hybrid meetings” training we held last fall.

Upcoming Events

Congressional schedule. The House is out this week, but the Senate is in session.

Unless otherwise noted, registration ends one hour prior to the start of all webinars and trainings.

Wednesday, March 23: Getting “Unstuck” with Your Members of Congress using Motivational Interviewing Techniques, 9:00 pm ET. Register here.

Thursday, March 24: Diversity and Inclusion 10 – Implicit Bias, Microaggressions and Understanding of Systemic Racism and Oppression, 8:30 pm ET. Register here.

Monday, March 28: Global Poverty Free Agents, 7:00 pm ET. If you are interested in joining, contact Lisa Marchal for more information.

Tuesday, March 29: Grassroots Anti-Oppression Working Group (rescheduled), 8:30 pm ET. Open forum. Register here.

Wednesday, March 30: The Appropriations Process: Show Me the Money!, 8:30 pm ET. Join us to learn how you can influence the appropriations process to fund the programs RESULTS cares about. Register here.

Saturday, April 2: National Webinar with Phil Tegeler and Peter Sands, 1:00 pm ET. Register here.

Tuesday, April 19: U.S. Poverty Free Agents, 1:00 pm and 9:00 pm ET. If you are interested in joining, contact Jos Linn for more information. 

Thursday, April 21: U.S. Poverty Monthly Policy Forum, 8:00 pm ET. Register here.

Thursday, April 21: Global Poverty Monthly Policy Forum, 9:00 pm ET. Register here.

Saturday, June 4-Sunday, June 5. RESULTS International Conference. Keynote speaker: Jelani Cobb of The New Yorker. More information soon on this virtual event.

Grassroots Resources

Learn about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.

Find actions and volunteer resources on our Volunteers Hub, including our anti-oppression resources. To join the RESULTS listserv for more RESULTS conversation, send an email to [email protected].

Remember to please report your recent advocacy successes in lobby meetings, media, and outreach activities. Also, use our Volunteer Information Form to add or edit volunteer info and to sign up for updates and alerts.

If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/REF Board, please e-mail Lindsay Saunders at [email protected]. View Board minutes and Annual Reports.

RESULTS Staff directory and job postings.