Global Weekly Update January 27, 2014
Top Action: Request a Face-to-Face Meeting
For over 33 years RESULTS has proven that relationship building is essential for creating change. Now is the time to request an in-district meeting with your Representative(s) and in-state meetings with your Senators for so many reasons:
- Congress will soon be considering 2015 spending measures and we want to them to know our priorities early in the process.
- We have two critical replenishment conferences coming up in 2014; one for the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) in June, the second for GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations) in December. We need to educate our members of Congress and secure their support now so that they are ready to act boldly when we need them.
- It is an election year–a time when decision makers are more attentive to the voices of voters. It is a good time to take advantage of this hightened sensisitivty.
- Educating and securing support of congressional aides is essential, but face-to-face meetings with the actual decision makers is unparalleled in its power. Some things, like moving stories and personal engagement, just can't be passes through a surrogate.
Use our online Activist Milestone on Face-to-Face Meetings for guidance on setting up the meeting. There is even a draft letter you can use after making your initial phone call to the scheduler. You can also use our January Action Sheet for guidance and engaging others. Once you have a meeting, contact Ken Patterson: [email protected] for guidance on how to have a powerful meeting with powerful requests.
We have a goal in 2014 of meeting face-to-face with every representative where our volunteers live and at least one-third of the senators. Be a part of the success!
New Year's Resolution: How Bold Will You Be in 2014?
Many of us have silently been telling ourselves throughout our lives that the poverty and suffering in the world are terrible. Many of us have also believed deep down that there is little we can do about it. RESULTS volunteers have made a deliberate decision to suspend the belief that we can't make a difference around large global problems like poverty. They have chose action over apathy. And anyone who has been around RESULTS, even for a little while, starts to understand that we are more powerful than we ever imagined. Ask Mark Coats and Anne Child of Austin, TX who moved their Republican Representative to cosponsor the Education for All Act. Ask Ashley Harvin and Braveen Ragunanthan who reached out for the first time to the editor of the Richmond Times in VA and got an oped published, and then an editorial in a matter of two months. There are hundreds of stories, that when combined, result in billions of dollars and more effective policies being directed toward poverty solutions.
We have much work to do in 2014. We want to meet with every representative where our volunteers are and at least one-third of senators. We want the US to make bold pledges to the Global Partnership for Education and GAVI. We want to grow into new states and districts. We can only do theses things if you sususpend your sense of powerlessness and take a chance on being bold. Express your boldness in your plan for the year. If you are part of a RESULTS chapter, work with your group to create a bold plan for 2014. If you are an individual who wants to make a difference, use our Individual Planning Tool and let us know what you want to achieve.
You can find all of the planning materials here. Please be bold and then share your plan with your Regional Cooridnator and Ken Patterson, and if you are an individual activist, with Lisa Marchal. We'd like to get your plans by the end of January.
Key Updates
1. FY14 Appropriations Update. Late on January 13 Congress passed a $1 trillion omnibus spending bill to fund the government for fiscal year (FY) 2014. The bill largely protects key poverty focused foreign aid accounts, and provides increases for several priority issues. Check out our blog for all the details. Then thank your members of Congress for supporting a spending bill that prioritizes helping people lift themselves out of poverty. Your representatives and senators may not even know that they have done this, but it would be good for them to hear from constituents that we appreciate these actions. It will help with future relationship building.
2. REAL Change Fellowship. REAL Change has historically been an exciting way to bring new, young dynamic advocates to the International Conference. We’re building on this to launch REAL Change as a year-long fellowship. We’re looking for 18-28-year-olds who can commit 3-6 hours a week to our work, who can come to the International Conference, and who are interested in creating political will to end hunger and the worst aspects of poverty. Rolling applications are due March 21 at 5 pm ET.
3. RESULTS Expanding in Iowa. Ken Patterson, Global Grassroots Manager, will be conducting a global poverty group start workshop on January 28, 6 pm local time at the Ross Hall 5th Floor Library at Iowa State University in Ames. Do you know anyone in Ames or Des Moines who might want to attend? Do you know someone who knows someone? Spots at the event can be reserved by contacting Madeline Becker.
4. Education for All Campaign 2014. In June of 2014 the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) will be seeking funding during a replenishment conference. The objective will be to gather enough funding to put millions more children into school and to help developing countries improve the quality of education. Our role will be key. We will need to educate our members of Congress and editors. We'll need to write and educate our communities. See some key dates below when you can get oriented on the campaign, particularly March 8. You'll hear more soon.
Make RESULTS Your Valentine
Our Valentine's Date Night IN! online fundraising site is ready for anyone who prefers to participate in a seasonal virtual campaign in the first quarter. Invite your social networks to spend the same amount they would spend on an evening out on a gift of love to RESULTS for the children of the world! Set your own goal and send out silly facbook and Twitter updates about why people should stay in and donate to RESULTS (ex. It's freaky cold outside…donations have less calories then chocolates…) Visit www.tinyurl.com/2014RESULTSLOVE to create your personal fundraising page. Contact Cindy Levin if you have questions.
"We make the future sustainable when we invest in the poor, not when we insist on their suffering."
– Melinda Gates
(For a complete calendar, see our website.)
1. Next House and Senate Recesses of 2014: Around Presidents' Day. Schedule face-to-face meetings!
2. January 27, 8 pm ET. How You Can Help Expand Congressional Coverage. RESULTS has a goal of expanding into 69 new Congressional districts with global coverage, and starting 20 new global chapters. We'll need the help of existing groups to expand into at least 20 of the new districts. Join this introductory webinar to discuss some of the best practices for starting new RESULTS groups and recruiting new activists. To join from your computer or mobile device, copy this link into your browser: http://fuze.me/22423683. To join the audio, call (201) 479-4595 or (855) 346-3893. If prompted, enter the meeting number 22423683, then press #.
3. January 28, 1 pm ET. We Get RESULTS Talk Radio Show, hosted by RESULTS activist Mary Albertson. Tune in for an hour focusing on women in poverty in the U.S.
4. January 28, 9 pm ET. State of the Union Address.
5. February 8, 2 pm ET. First RESULTS National Grassroots Conference Call for Global Poverty Campaigns. Focus: Appropriations. Dial (888) 409-6709 to join.
6. February 10, 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.
7. February 12, 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.
8. February 18, 1 pm ET. Education for All and GPE (Global Partnership for Education) webinar to learn about our 2014 campaign to secure funding for the GPE replenishment conference in June.
9. February 18, 8 pm ET. Monthly Media Support Call. Dial (267) 507-0370, passcode 4471061. Want to be part of the on-going support that’s available to help you reach your media goals? Then this is the call for you! Join monthly for inspiration and ideas to keep you going.
10. February 19, 9 pm ET. Education for All and GPE (Global Partnership for Education) webinar to learn about our 2014 campaign to secure funding for the GPE replenishment conference in June.
11. February 28, 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.
12. March 8, 2 pm ET. RESULTS Global International Conference Call. Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer for the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) will speak to RESULTS Activists from the U.S., the UK, Australia, and other GPE campaign partners. Plan on bringing your entire action network and newly interested activists together for this major event.
13. March 12, 9 pm ET. In-depth Education for All and GPE (Global Partnership for Education) webinar to strategize on 2014 campaign efforts to secure funding for the GPE replenishment conference in June.
14. March 21, 5 pm ET 21. REAL Change Fellowship Applications Due.