RESULTS Weekly Update March 21, 2023

Quote of the Week

“Education of girls must be a priority.”

– RESULTS Dallas volunteer Margaret Smith volunteer in a March 12 letter to the editor the Dallas Morning News

Table of Contents

• Take action on Dear Colleague letters today!
• End Set the Agenda strong with April recess meetings
• Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Grassroots Resources

Take action on Dear Colleague letters today!

If you haven’t taken action on House Dear Colleague letters yet, today (March 21) is the day to do so. Dear Colleague letters are key tools for supporting the funding of global poverty initiatives during the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) appropriations process. By signing onto Dear Colleague letters, which underscore our global poverty appropriations requests, all members of Congress can weigh in. But our window of opportunity to act is closing in the House as early as today. You have worked hard to submit global poverty appropriations requests and Dear Colleague letter signature requests during this Set the Agenda campaign. Now is the time to complete those House Dear Colleague letter requests, making them if you haven’t already and following up if you have. (Note: A Senate letter on maternal/child health and nutrition is circulating with more Senate letters expected shortly.)

TAKE ACTION: Work with your group now to complete your Dear Colleague letter signature requests in the House. Check out our blog to see which Dear Colleague letters are available, when the signing deadlines are, how to sign, and who has signed so far. While deadlines can be extended, we are anticipating House letters to close this week.

End Set the Agenda strong with April recess meetings

We are approaching the last few weeks of our Set the Agenda campaign. Look at what you have already accomplished. Since January, RESULTS volunteers have had 112 lobby meetings with congressional offices. Few organizations can tout their volunteers averaging more than one lobby meeting per day for the year, but we can. Volunteers have also gotten 60 media pieces published about global health and education, child poverty, and affordable housing. With your efforts, you are truly “setting the agenda” with Congress.

But there is more to do. Our goal is to meet with every House and Senate office we cover (about 300). We can get there. Fortunately, we have a great opportunity coming up in early April.

For the first two weeks of April, Congress will be on recess (April 1-16). This is an excellent time to meet face-to-face with your members of Congress about investing in global TB and global education, expanding the Child Tax Credit, and supporting a Renter Tax Credit. In-person meetings with members of Congress are hard to come by, so you have to push every opportunity you have. The April recess is a big one, so let’s make the most of it.

TAKE ACTION: Request meetings (or follow up on requests) with your members of Congress. Ask if you can meet face-to-face with your representative and/or senators during the April recess. Ask now as their schedules fill up quickly. If you cannot meet with them in April, ask for the next available opportunity to meet face-to-face (and meet with staff in the interim if you have not done so already). Visit our Set the Agenda and Lobbying pages for materials to schedule and prepare for your lobby meetings. Also, reach out to Katie Fleischer to schedule a lobby prep call with RESULTS staff to help get you ready. Finally, after each meeting, please share the details of what happened in our Lobby Report Form.

Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty

World TB Day is March 24. This year, we have an unprecedented opportunity to launch the most impactful stretch of tuberculosis (TB) advocacy as the world builds up to a dedicated United Nations (UN) High-Level Meeting on TB in September 2023. Read on to learn more about TB advocacy and how to raise your voice for action this World TB Day!

Ask your members of Congress to co-sponsor the READ and End TB Now Acts. The READ Act (global education) Reauthorization Act has been reintroduced in Congress (S.41, H.R.681), and the End Tuberculosis Now Act (S.288) has been reintroduced in the Senate. Ask your legislators to co-sponsor today.

New data on America’s housing shortage. The National Low-Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) released it’s “The Gap” report last week. It shows that: “The U.S. has a shortage of 7.3 million rental homes affordable and available to renters with extremely low incomes. Only 33 affordable and available rental homes exist for every 100 extremely low-income renter households. Extremely low-income renters face a shortage in every state and major metropolitan area.” This shortage in housing is one of the drivers of higher rental costs.

Junk fees make it harder for renters. A new report from the National Consumer Law Center looks at the dizzying array of junk fees renters can face when they try to find and keep rental housing. Advocates warn that junk fees also jeopardize access to future housing and financial stability when they contribute to rental debts and blemishes on renters’ credit reports.

Media hooks for the week. Use the hook ideas below to submit a letter to the editor this week. If you need a template, use our online media actions to edit and submit your letter today.

• U.S. Poverty: Use this powerful NYT op-ed from author Mathew Desmond as hook for demanding Congress put the end of poverty at the top of its moral and legislative agenda, starting with expanding the Child Tax Credit.
• Global Poverty: These are your final days to write and submit a World TB Day letter to the editor. March 24 is World TB Day, and readers (and legislators) must hear a clarion call to support the fight to end this infectious disease of poverty. A new blogpost has resources and ideas you can use.

Announcements

RESULTS Grassroots Board Member Nominations are open! Ever thought of serving on the RESULTS board? Now is the time to submit your name or the name of someone you believe would make an impact. Find out more about nominations and what’s involved in serving on the Board on our new blog announcement. Please email name(s) to Jesse Marsden at [email protected] and the current Grassroots Board at [email protected]. Questions about this process? Contact a current Board individually or collectively via that same email. Nominations close April 26.

Need media coaching? Join media office hour tomorrow. If you want to up your media advocacy game but need help getting started, finding hooks, locating data, or anything else, join RESULTS staff for our media office hour tomorrow, March 22, 2:00-3:00 pm ET. Join via Zoom at: https://results.zoom.us/j/93668005494 or (312) 626-6799, meeting ID: 936 6800 5494.

Invite new people to the April National Webinar. At RESULTS, we value the experiences of those with lived experience of poverty and seek to center their expertise in everything we do. Whether you’re a current advocate, new advocate, or just wanting to know more, the April National Webinar will be a great opportunity to learn about RESULTS values and how we engage volunteers with lived experience of poverty. You’ll hear about the barriers these individuals face when trying to engage in advocacy, and learn how RESULTS groups can create more inclusive, welcoming environments. Join members of the Experts on Poverty cohort and explore how we can work better together. This webinar is a great opportunity to welcome new people to our movement. Invite them to register today!

Special Global Allies program tomorrow night. This month, the Global Allies program bringing Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) together with RESULTS will have its usual webinar on a new date and time. On March 22 at 8:30 pm ET, a special program titled How RPCV Advocacy will help Bring an End to Tuberculosis will be held in advance of World TB Day. The event will feature special guest speakers Virginia Nagy, Senior TB Program Manager of the Infectious Diseases Division at USAID and Kristi M. Mathis of We Are TB. RPCVs can register today.

“I got involved in advocacy for a simple reason.” What is the reason that Fatima and other advocates like you choose to advocate with RESULTS? Read about several advocates’ recent experience in DC. Hear about their “why” and the important impact they are making. Thanks to all our advocates for being world-changers!

Upcoming Events

Congressional schedule. The House and Senate are in session this week.

Typically, registration ends one hour prior to the start of all webinars and trainings.

Tuesday, March 21: U.S. Poverty Free Agents, 1:00 pm and 9:00 pm ET. Contact Jos Linn for information on how to join.

Tuesday, March 21: Together Women Rise partnership webinar with RESULTS, 8:30 pm ET. Learn more.

Wednesday, March 22: New Advocate Orientation, 12:00 pm ET. Register today.

Wednesday, March 22: Media Office Hour, 2:00 pm ET. Join via Zoom at https://results.zoom.us/j/93668005494 or (312) 626-6799, meeting ID 936 6800 5494. No registration required.

Wednesday, March 22: Global Allies Program for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, 8:30 pm ET. Register today.

Monday, March 27: Global Poverty Free Agents, 7:00 pm ET. Contact Lisa Marchal for information on how to join.

Friday, March 31: Anti-Oppression 201 Workshop – Structural Racism, 12:00 pm ET. It is recommended that registrants attend our Diversity & Inclusion 101 or have some significant background in anti-racism and implicit bias work before attending this 90-minute workshop. Read for more information and to register.

Saturday, April 1: Monthly National Webinar, 1:00 pm ET. Register today.

Wednesday, April 5: New Advocate Mentor Community of Practice, 8:00 pm ET. Register today.

Thursday, April 20: U.S. Poverty Policy Forum, 8:00 pm ET. Register today.

Thursday, April 20: Global Poverty Policy Forum, 9:00 pm ET. Register today.

Wednesday, April 26: Deadline to nominate a grassroots volunteer for RESULTS Board.

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.