Global Weekly Update March 31, 2014
Top Action: Final Days for RESULTS Appropriations Requests and Senate Sign-on Letters
Appropriations Requests
President Obama has released his FY15 budget (read all about it on our blog) and congressional offices are setting deadlines for receiving appropriations requests from us. Our window of opportunity to have appropriations requests submitted to our individual legislators will likely be closing as we speak, so these are the final hours for action!
The appropriations process is our moment to request bold funding levels for the most effective in programs in global education, economic opportunity, health. These decisions will affect millions of people in 2015 and beyond. It is a rare opportunity to channel resources to the things that work. Act today!
- Look at our appropriations information page, complete with one-page backgrounders on each of our requests, and pick the top two requests you would like the member to make to the Foreign Operations Subcommittee of Appropriations.
- Contact your foreign policy aides in D.C., for both the Senate and the House, and, using our most recent laser talk, ask if there is a form you must fill out to make your request. Also, ask what the request deadline is.
- If you can, make your appropriations requests on the phone at that moment. No matter what, follow up with our one-page fact sheet-request pages via e-mail.
- Follow up with the with aide and let him/her know you would like to hear back about the actions your representative and senators have taken. Follow up each day until you get a clear response.
- If you'd like more help in crafting your requests, check out our February action sheet, or contact a RESULTS staff member.
- Interested in recruiting others to advocate for smarter, more powerful foreign aid? Share our online action alerts so friends can write their own letters to their legislators or make a call.
Sign-on Letter Requests
As a traditional part of our appropriations work, RESULTS is once again requesting signatures on congressional sign-on letters. These letters are a way for members of Congress to influence each other directly and urge each other to take action. The first two bipartisan sign-on letters of the season were House letters related to global tuberculosis and maternal/child health and nutrition. Thanks to you, we've gotten a phenomenal 34 signers on the tuberculosis letter and 79 signers on the maternal/child health and nutrition letter. Check our website for letter text, updates on signatories of those letters.
Ten More Weeks to Get Media: New Resources to Help You Land That Global Partnership for Education Piece!
Twenty-five editorials, 30 op-eds, and 150 letters to the editor. That's the amount of media we want to generate nationwide to make a real impact on the run-up to the Global Partnership for Education pledging conference in Brussels in June and to move the needle on what the U.S. will pledge. And we've already begun making progress.
You've been doing a great job starting to connect local education issues (school levies, school bonds, debates over kindergarten, etc.) with the need to get every kid into school. We value education as a building block for a good life. Why would this not be the case globally? And don't we all have a stake in creating an educated world?
The United States must pledge to do its part to help build a better educated world by committing $250 million over two years. Your media, connecting local interests to the global context and what's at stake, will help change the game on this.
So far, you have generated at least 1 editorial, 3 op-eds, and 10 letters to the editor on education for all. Great start. Let's keep going! Find a comprehensive collection of these and more resources on our website.
- *New* RESULTS Education for All Brief: Greater Impact Through Partnership: 8 Reasons to Invest in the Global Partnership for Education Now More Than Ever
- *New* First in a series of 8 blog posts from across the RESULTS network covering the 8 reasons to invest in GPE. This first installment comes to us from RESULTS Australia and focuses on Reason 1, "We cannot end poverty without investing in education."
- *New* "250 Million Reasons to Invest in Education" (#250MillionReasons) and "How to Get Millions of Children in School and Learning," two helpful videos
- *Important* A tip sheet to help you make the case to your local community of "why education, why now?"
- Recorded webinar featuring the CEO of the Global Partnership for Education, Alice Albright
- Editorial packet with fresh hook related to Malala Yousafzai, great for pitching editorials or crafting your own op-ed or letter to the editor
- General help securing a meeting with your editorial board
- A sample meeting request you can customize
- Our March action sheet, empowering you to write a letter to the editor promoting global education
- Recorded webinar series unpacking the details of our Education for All/Global Partnership for Education campaign and strategies
Dr. David Chard to be our Conference Call Guest, April 30 Outreach Opportunity, and Fundraiser Flash Drives
April 12 National Grassroots Conference Call. Dr. David Chard, dean of the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development at Southern Methodist University and Obama Administration appointee to the Board of Directors of the National Board for Education, will be our special guest on the April national grassroots conference call. Dr. Chard's domestic and international education expertise, including intersection with the Global Partnership for Education, will shed a unique light on the power and possibility of our education for all campaign. Gather with others and dial in to (888) 409-6709 a few minutes before 2 pm ET to join the call on April 12.
April 30 Outreach Opportunity. On April 30, Janet Muthoni-Ouko will be speaking to our grassroots about our pursuit of strong support for the Global Partnership for Education. Janet is a Governance and Education advocacy expert and has experiencing assisting African countries to establish strong civil society movements for lobbying government and education donors to implement the Dakar Framework for Action. She will be making the same remarks two different times for us, 8 pm ET and 9 pm ET, to accommodate different time zones. Her comments will last 20 minutes, and you can build your own outreach event around her guest appearance. Stay tuned for an outreach materials support page and more details this week.
Mid-April Fundraising Help in Flash Drive Form. Mid-month, we will have a new fundraising resource available called the “Fundraiser to Go." It is a flash drive full of tools to make it easy for you to host a fundraiser with an outreach twist. The materials can help you bring an "Everyday Heroes" theme to your event! This sort of fundraiser is ideal for helping you make connections in your community and invite new partners into your group.
The flash drive will contain all the goodies you need for a great party, including:
· Sample fundraising shares from partners
· The RESULTS “Everyday Heroes” video and other video shares from Prof. Muhammad Yunus and Senator Bennett
· A slideshow of RESULTS partners in superhero costumes
· “Everyday Hero” invitation templates
· Sample e-mails for invitations and followup
· Your donation reporting documents
· Even ideas for appetizers!
Contact your fundraising coaches Cindy Levin or Jen DeFranco to receive a “Fundraiser to Go” flash drive so you can throw your own Celebration of Everyday Heroes!
The 2014 International Conference: Tavis Smiley, Registration Savings, REAL Change Deadline Extension
Tavis Smiley at the International Conference! We're thrilled that broadcaster/author/advocate Tavis Smiley will be joining us on the first day of the International Conference in Washington, D.C. Don't miss the best registration deal we have going (earlybird registration ends April 6)! Check out our emerging agenda and register today!
REAL Change Fellowship. If you or someone you know is interested in a fabulous year-long advocacy learning opportunity, kicked off by attendance at the International Conference, check out the REAL Change Fellowship application, now due April 15!
Be Inspired. Hear the story of LaNae Havens and her life-changing experience at the International Conference. Then make plans to join hundreds of your best friends in D.C. from June 21 through 24!
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
—Nelson Mandela
(For a complete calendar, see our website.)
1. Next House and Senate Recesses of 2014: Mid-April (Passover/Easter). Schedule face-to-face meetings.
2. April 9, 9 pm ET. RESULTS Introductory Call. Heard of RESULTS and want to know more? Join us for this 30-minute introductory call. Contact us with any questions and RSVP for the call. Dial (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262 to join.
3. April 12, 2 pm ET. RESULTS National Grassroots Conference Call for Global Campaigns featuring guest speaker Dr. David Chard of SMU. Join the call at (888) 409-6709.
4. April 15, 5 pm ET. REAL Change Fellowship Applications Due. DEADLINE EXTENDED.
5. April 15, 8 pm ET. Monthly Media Support Call. Dial (712) 775-7300, passcode 954747. Get great tips, encouragement, and support from fellow advocates so that you can achieve powerful, effective media work.
6. April 16. TENTATIVE. Writing Op-eds on Global Education Training Call. Stay tuned.
7. April 21, 8 pm ET. RESULTS Free Agents Call for Global Poverty Advocates. Dial (218) 486-1611, passcode 7378587 (RESULTS). Are you a RESULTS activist with our global poverty campaigns, living in a town with no RESULTS group? You are alone no more! Contact Lisa Marchal, Senior Global Grassroots Associate, for more information on this monthly group call.
8. April 25, 1 pm ET. RESULTS Introductory Call. Heard of RESULTS and want to know more? Join us for this 30-minute introductory call. Contact us with any questions and RSVP for the call. Dial (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262 to join.
9. April 30, 8 pm ET and 9 pm ET (Choose a time). Outreach Opportunity with guest speaker Janet Muthoni-Ouko. Stay tuned.
10. May 14, 9 pm ET. RESULTS Introductory Call. Heard of RESULTS and want to know more? Join us for this 30-minute introductory call. Contact us with any questions and RSVP for the call. Dial (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262 to join.
11. June 21-24. 2014 RESULTS International Conference in Washington, D.C. Earlybird registration ends April 6!