Global Weekly Update May 12, 2014

Top Action #1: Get Your Rep. to Sign the Global Partnership for Education Letter!

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MAY 21! Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) has initiated a letter to President Obama asking for a U.S. pledge of $250 million over two years to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). The GPE needs the U.S. contribution to support its plan to get 29 million additional children in school over 4 years.  We need 100 signers on the 2014 letter to send a clear message to the President, and we're almost halfway there! Can we reach 75 signers by the end of the week? Watch your progress on our website and see if your representative is on board. In 2012, we secured 59 signers on a similar letter. If your representative signed in 2012, it is another good reason for him/her to sign in 2014.

The Obama Administration will decide on the role the U.S. at this June’s Global Partership for Education (GPE) pledging conference, but Congress is using its voice now to urge the Administration to be more ambitious on global education and GPE. The extremist attack on the school in Nigeria should be a wake up call for Congress and the President to do more on global education. If the extremists had it their way, no children would be in school, particularly girls. We can't stand for this. Here's what you can do:

1. Most Powerful Action. Find your member of Congress, call and ask to speak to the foreign policy aide. If you know your Rep's name already, just call the Congressional Switchboard to connect to their office: (202) 224-3121. Here's what you might say, "I'm calling to ask the Representative to stand behind the girls of Nigeria and all of the families and children in poor nations around the world longing for a quality education. The Representative can do this by signing on to the Global Partnership for Education sign on letter to the President. The letter calls on the Administration to invest more of our global education dollars in the Global Partnership for Education in order to better leverage our investment and to play a leadership role in getting an additional 29 million kids in school over the next 4 years.  I can send you a copy of the letter if you don't have it–it closes on May 21. Can I count on the Representative's support?"

2. Powerful Actions to Engage Others. Use the April action sheet to write your representative(s) about signing this important letter and/or to engage others in writing hand-written letters during an Education & Action meeting. You can also take action and engage others in writing letters remotely using our on-line action on GPE.

Top Action #2: Generate Media on the Global Partnership for Education

The kidnapping of Nigerian school girls has been all over the news. We are all concerned about the safety of the girls–it's easy to imagine our daughters, friends, ourselves. We must also use this moment to help the Obama Administration focus on the bigger issue of global education, because as we send drones to search for the Nigerian girls, the Administration has proposed cutting global education funding. Do we really believe going to school should be a life-threatening activity for any child? If not, then we must encourage the Administration increase our efforts to get all kids in school so that it becomes the norm. Here's what you can do:

1. Generate an Editorial. Contact the editor of a newspaper and ask them to write an editorial on the current crisis in education and the opportunity we have to right things in June. It's almost negligence not to write on this issue right now. You might say and/or write something like: 

"Just as the U.S. is putting drones in the air to rescue girls stolen from their classroom in Nigeria, it has proposed gutting funding that would help more girls get access to one. Despite the President’s commitment to “do everything we can” for Nigeria, USAID has requested decreases in its funding for global education over the last 5 years, cutting the basic education budget request in half from almost $1 billion ($981 million) in FY10 to little over $500 million ($534 million) in FY15. On an international level, the U.S. is way behind its peers: for the Global Partnership for Education—the only multilateral dedicated to education—the U.S. has given just over $20 million since 2011, putting it 16th among donors in real terms, and at the bottom of the list relative to GDP. We’re facing a global education emergency in the truest sense, as the recent news of the kidnapping of schoolgirls in Nigeria makes painfully clear. I’d love to discuss with you what global education means for us here in our city, and how our response to the global crisis affects our own children’s future. Might you and others from the editorial board be available for a quick meeting? Also, I want to share with you a great background piece that highlights the global education crisis and an upcoming opportunity that can put the U.S. on the right path on global education."

2. Generate an Oped. Channel your passion on the Nigeria crisis into an oped that you write alone, or with a community leader or educator. Use our GPE Editorial packet and May Action Sheet as resources.

3. Generate a Letter to the Editor and Engage Others. Use our May Action sheet to write a letter to the editor and/or to engage a group of people in writing letters to the editor during an Education & Action meeting. There are almost unlimited writing hooks in papers on education: the Nigeria crisis, teacher salaries, Common Core, charter schools, education budget, testing, performance gaps, etc. 

Our goal is to generate 25 editorials, 30 op-eds, and 150 letters to the editor in advance of the June 26 Global Partnership for Education replenishment conference. So far, you've generated at least 5 editorials and columns, 2 feature articles, 5 op-eds, and 25 letters to the editor. We need to make a statement to the Admistration so let's keep it going.  Check out our blog for inspiration, as it features your media. 

Resources!

Find a collection of our support resources on our website.

• *New* Updated editorial packet, with new pitch angles and hooks to help you persuade your local writer or newspaper to cover GPE!
• *New* Recording of the May Global National Conference Call on the Global Partnership for Education featuring Sarah Brown
• *New* Our May action sheet, give you a fresh chance to write an op-ed or letter to the editor on GPE!
• *New* Girl Rising. If you would like to plan an Education for All outreach meeting, RESULTS has access to a limited number of DVD copies of the important global education film Girl Rising. Request your copy from Lisa Marchal while supplies last.
• RESULTS Report: Greater Impact Through Parntership: 8 Reasons to Invest in the Global Partnership for Education
• More helpful GPE videos 
• A tip sheet to help you make the case to your local community of "why education, why now?"
• General help securing a meeting with your editorial board
• A sample meeting request you can customize

Spring Into Action with International Conference Discount Through May 17!

1. Temporary Discount on Registration. Take advantage of a price cut on registration which ends May 17 to register and invite friends, family, colleagues to Washington.

2. New Guest Speaker! Dr. Raj Shah, the head of USAID, will be with us at the International Conference! 

3. Lodging. The group rate for the conference hotel ends May 17! Don't delay if you want a guaranteed room at the discounted conference price.

4. Preparation Checklist! Want to get ready for the conference? Can't attend this year but want to be part of the action from home? This checklist is what you need!

5. Lobby Day on the Hill is Tuesday, June 24. If more than one member of your group is coming to the International Conference, work together to secure face-to-face meetings for that day with your representative(s) and senators. Coming with others from your state? Get in touch with your fellow advocate attendees and work together to secure face-to-face meetings for that day with your senators. Coming solo or for the first time? Get in touch with Lisa Marchal, Senior Global Grassroots Associate, for assistance with your Lobby Day bookings. And check out our best advice on securing a meeting. Can't attend the conference this year? Why not secure a face-to-face during August recess or make plans to dial via conference call into meetings being held by your fellow advocates on Tuesday, June 24?

6. Lobby Day Preparation. Be on the lookout for information about the Legislative Handbook (great primer on our issues and Lobby Day requests), which will be out the week of May 26. Also, watch for how to book a Lobby Day prep help meeting with our policy team the weeks of June 1 and June 8. These prep meetings are best booked through your group leader or the point person who is booking your DC meetings. That way, your planning efforts with fellow advocates from your state or district can stay coordinated. If you are coming to the conference on your own, don't worry; our staff will actively reach out to help you be prepared for Lobby Day! Stay tuned for the details. 

7. Participate in the Dialogue to End Poverty! 
Our International Conference guests are more than speakers, they are partners in our efforts to end poverty in the US and end extreme poverty around the world. What questions do you have about how we can work together? What would you like to ask of World Bank President, Jim Kim? Author Tavis Smiley? Or other guests? Use this form to help us have powerful direct-setting conversations with these national and global leaders on ending poverty. Note: we can’t guarantee that your question will get asked, but your great questions will help generate a robust conversation.

Grassroots News For You

1. Grassroots Board Member Nominations. We are seeking nominations of RESULTS activists who would be strong candidates for two RESULTS/RESULTS Educational Fund (REF) Grassroots Board Member positions available starting in September 2014. Nominations are due by Sunday, June 15th. Our current Grassroots Board Members (Heide Craig, Ginnie Vogts, Beth Wilson and Lydia Pendley) provide an important bridge between the grassroots network, board, and organization. They help connect us with what makes RESULTS/REF so unique and successful: our passionate and active grassroots members. Candidates for the Grassroots Board Members must be engaged actively in RESULTS and can be nominated by others or can be self-nominated. Please e-mail your questions or your nomination to [email protected], or call 202-783-4800 x152. 

2. 2nd Annual Everyday Hero Virtual Dash. We call RESULTS volunteers "Everyday Heroes" because you work tirelessly to build support in Congress, the media, and your communities to end poverty and save lives. This a virtual event to raise money to support you and invite others to be heroes with us. It's a fun run or walk that you literally can do anywhere: your neighborhood, a track, even a treadmill. If you are coming the International Conference, join us at the DoubleTree Hilton in Crystal City on June 21 at 7:00 pm, and we'll head out together (some of us in superhero costumes) for a 1 mile or 5K run/walk. It's easy to participate! Register on our website for just $25. Choose a date between June 1 and June 30 of this year. Walk, run, or bike a distance that's meaningful to you. Then we'll mail you our 2nd Annual "Everyday Heroes Medal"! (This year’s is blue, so it’s different from last year's, if you’re building a collection.) You can build out the event even more by gathering a group of friends to walk/run together and make it a fundraising event or by setting up your own personal fundraising page and asking those in your circle to donate online in support of your challenge.

3. Reports of All Sorts. We're almost into the middle of the year, and we need to keep track of all of your phenomenal advocacy work. Take 20 minutes to update your lobbying reporting and your reporting of all your other advocacy actions this year (media, outreach, etc.). Reporting now means an accurate picture of our accomplishments later!

4. Want to Try a Blog Guest Spot? Have a great advocacy success story? Learned some lobbying lessons you want to share? We invite YOU to consider being a guest blogger! Contact Lisa Marchal about what it would take to shape your story into a blogpost for the RESULTS blog. 

"Why are fanatics so terrified of girls’ education? Because there’s no force more powerful to transform a society. The greatest threat to extremism isn’t drones firing missiles, but girls reading books."

-Nicholas Kristof

For a complete calendar, see our website.

1. Next House and Senate Recesses of 2014: Senate is on recess Memorial Day week. Schedule face-to-face meetings.

2. 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.

3. May 19, 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.

4. May 20, 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.

5. May 30, 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.

6. June 14, 2 pm ET. RESULTS National Grassroots Conference Call for Global Campaigns. Join the call at (888) 409-6709.

7. June 21-24. 2014 RESULTS International Conference in Washington, D.C.