Global Weekly Update July 7, 2014

All-Grassroots National Conference Call on July 12. The Guest Star? YOU!

This Saturday, July 12, dial in a few minutes before 2 pm ET to (888) 409-6709 for a fun, interactive call! We'll hear inspiring stories of your work in DC, plans you have for outreach to your legislators and your communities this August recess, and a primer on our campaigns work, both domestic and global, for the second half of 2014. This would be a fun call to invite guests to, as they'll hear your enthusiasm and understand more fully what's possible in the world when people band together to call for the end of extreme poverty. Come join us!

Close the Loop on GPE. Then Get Started on GAVI with July Action Sheet and Other Actions.

1. Global Partnership for Education Pledging Conference. "I want to thank everyone for the commitment, persistence, and dedication to this work and to reaching education for all children around the world. We should be proud of the financial commitments from the U.S. that our work helped to achieve. We also know that we're not finished." These are some of the words from Allison Grossman, Senior Legislative Associate, in her dispatch from Brussels during the critical Global Partnership for Education (GPE) pledging conference June 26. While the U.S. did not pledge at the level we were calling for, our increased commitment was clear and our role in influencing that increase is without question. Read Allison's latest blog post for a comprehensive perspective on what happened and where we go from here.

Take Action: Continue building relationships by informing your members of Congress and local media of the pledging conference outcomes and thanking them if they took action. Let them know their action really mattered. Even if they did not act, let them know what happened and ask them for their partnership in future efforts on global education. Use our press release on the pledging conference to share outcomes. 

2. GAVI Alliance Replenishment Conference. Our advocacy from now until February 2015 will focus on childhood vaccinations. GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations) is seeking $7.5 billion for a 5-year plan to vaccinate 300 million children, save 5-6 million lives, and increase the percentage of the world's fully vaccinated children from 5% to 50%. Once again, we know that intense media and cogressional pressure will have a huge impact on U.S. funding promises. Our goals during the GAVI replenishment effort are to get the US to make a robust pledge as well as to strengthen our grassroots chapters and free agents. 

Take Action:

• Champion-building: We are currently looking for Republican representatives to be original cosponsors in the House on a GAVI resolution. We are also looking for senators willing to introduce a GAVI resolution in the Senate. Contact Crickett Nicovich, Lisa Marchal, or Ken Patterson for assistance in calling your representative or senators into leadership.
• Grassroots Growth: If you are part of a chapter, identify an Action Network Manager who will mobilize others. If you aren't part of a group, identify 5 other people you want to put into action regularly. Let Lisa Marchal know you are interested in mobilizing an action network. 
• Media: Identify media breakthroughs you and/or your chapter would like to achieve during our GAVI campaign efforts. Share your goals with your Regional Coordinator or Ken Patterson so we can provide you support in having your breakthrough experience.
• Community Influence & Relationship: Think of community "grasstops" leaders who might support our GAVI efforts (public health officials, Chamber of Commerce members, etc.). Our goal is to engage more grasstops leaders in taking action with us, and we will provide you support in developing those relationships. 
• Congressional Influence & Relationship: Request face-to-face meetings with your legislators to speak about GAVI using our July Action Sheet. (Sheet also available in PDF format.)

Just A Couple of Last International Conference Items . . .

Thanks to each of you who took the time to give us feedback on the conference through our survey. We strive to make each year's conference better than the last, and your inputs help us do that. Check out our latest blog post about top five things you can do to put the finishing touches on your conference experience. Hill meeting follow-up, reporting what you achieved to staff and your community, and inviting others to catch a glimpse of the excitement and possibilities of RESULTS . . . it's all critical. And if you find that, in doing your follow-up, you are in need of materials referenced or shared at the conference, visit this web page.

All of this follow-up is key to helping you maximize the impact of your learning and lobbying in DC and back home. Great job!

Fundraiser Season is in Full Swing! 

While some of our groups have already completed wonderful and hugely successful events for this year, and others have dates on our calendars and some plans in the works, there are still a number of groups that we haven't heard from yet. Would you like to host a fundraiser this year that can help you raise the profile of RESULTS in your town?

Remember that there are variety of possible fundraisers ranging from individual friends and family events to small house parties to larger scale events in outside venues. Each type produces much needed funds for our work. So if you are on the fence and are looking for ideas on how to help raise funds through an event in your area, contact Jen DeFranco from our fundraising team to start brainstorming some ideas for your group!  

And if your group is currently in the process of planning an event and haven't let the development team know about it yet, please do send an e-mail to Jen DeFranco so the team can get it on their calendar and offer support.

"Ours can be the generation that ends extreme poverty . . . "

– Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University

 

1. Next Congressional Recesses: August through Labor Day. Request face-to-face meetings.

2. July 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. July 12, 2 pm ET. RESULTS National Grassroots Conference Call for Global Campaigns. Join the call at (888) 409-6709. We will be joined by our fellow advocates who work on U.S. poverty campaigns!

4. July 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.

5. July 22, 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. June 27, 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.