Global Weekly Update March 17, 2014
Top Action: RESULTS Appropriations Requests and 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 through the official process will likely be closed by March 30, so no more waiting! Ask your member(s) of Congress to weigh in on appropriations this week!
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!
- Mark Wednesday March 19 (tomorrow) on your calendars. Join Senior Policy Associate Crickett Nicovich at 9 pm ET for a call dissecting and summarizing the president's budget, our appropriations requests, and our strategy for making sure the FY15 budget reflects an intention to seriously address extreme poverty. Dial (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262 to join.
- 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 regularly 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.
The ideal place to make your appropriations request is in a face-to-face meetings with your members of Congress. We have a 2014 goal of meeting with all House members and 1/3 of the senators we cover as activists. Meet with those who represent you and make the kind of asks that will show them how serious you are about ending poverty!
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 are related to maternal/child health and nutrition (signatures due April 1) and global tuberculosis (signatures due March 28). Check our website for letter text, updates on signatories, and news of new letters that are available. Make these requests once you have taken care of the RESULTS requests and know what your member of Congress is doing regarding them.
Next Action: Global Partnership for Education Media. New Resources!
Twenty-five letters to the editor, 30 op-eds, and 150 letters to the editor? No problem! 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. With 57 million primary school-aged children still out of school and 250 million children failing to learn even basic reading, writing, and numeracy skills, we are off-track to achieving quality education for all. This summer, the Global Partnership aims to raise $3.5 billion to support education for 29 million more of the poorest and most vulnerable children. It is time the United States pledges to do its part, helping build a better educated world by committing $250 million over two years. Your media will help change the game on this.
So far, you have generated at least 1 editorial, 2 op-eds, and 6 letters to the editor on education for all. Great start. Let's keep going!
We have been building a suite of resources for you so that you can build relationships with your editorial boards and local writers, pitch the idea of an editorial on the Global Partnership for Education, write your own op-eds and letters to the editor, and be help us all reach our media goals together.
Find a comprehensive collection of these resources on our website.
- Brand new 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
- A tip sheet to help you make the case to your local community of "why education, why now?"
- 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
Don't Let April 6 Slip By You or You'll Miss a Great Deal. Also, REAL Change Applications Due This Week.
Join us for the International Conference!
1. Earlybird Registration Rate. International Conference registration is open, and the earlybird rate ends April 6! Register now for the 2014 event of the year, to be held June 21-24 in Washington, D.C.
2. It's Getting Better All the Time. Did you know we're creating great learning tracks for the first day (Saturday, June 21) of the conference? Check out the emerging agenda on our website.
3. Make it Personal. Who do you know in your action network, your group, your life who might like to be part of this year's conference? A personal invitation goes a long way!
4. REAL Change Deadline Coming Up Soon. Calling for emerging advocates ages 18-28 to apply for the REAL Change Fellowship, an enhanced International Conference scholarship opportunity that includes a year-round advocacy training experience. Applications are due by 5 pm ET on March 21, so inquire within!
5. Fire Up Twitter! Our official International Conference hashtag is #RESULTS2014. It's never too early to start the chatter and invite people to be with us in Washington!
RESULTS Educational Fund is a Four Star Organization!
You probably already knew that RESULTS Educational Fund is top-notch poverty-fighting organization, but did you know that we have a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator, America's premier independent charity evaluator? Charity Navigator is often a first stop for potential donors who want to research us online. If they haven't heard about us before, a high rating by Charity Navigator it's an important piece of information for many people as they do research prior to their giving decisions. So, in your outreach and fundraising, be sure to mention our 4-star Charity Navigator status so our donors can feel great about their contributions to us!
One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world.
— Malala Yousafzai
(For a complete calendar, see our website.)
1. Next House and Senate Recesses of 2014: This week! Schedule face-to-face meetings.
2. UPDATED INFORMATION. March 18, 8 pm ET. Monthly Media Support Call. This month, join a webinar for vital support, best practices, and connection with your fellow advocates. Go to URL http://fuze.me/23656947. For audio, call (201) 479-4595. The meeting number for the webinar session is 23656947.
3. March 19, 9 pm ET. Appropriations Issue Call. Dial (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262 to join. Gather with fellow activists and Senior Policy Associate Crickett Nicovich a for a conversation dissecting and summarizing the president's budget, our appropriations requests, and our strategy for making sure the FY15 budget reflects an intention to seriously address extreme poverty.
4. March 21, 5 pm ET. REAL Change Fellowship Applications Due.
5. March 25. PBS' Frontline program broadcasts documentary TB Silent Killer focusing on MDR-TB. Check local listings!
6. March 25. House briefing on TB. Invite your House offices. For more information, contact David Bryden.
7. March 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.
8. 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.
9. April 12, 2 pm ET. RESULTS National Grassroots Conference Call for Global Campaigns. Join the call at (888) 409-6709.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. June 21-24. 2014 RESULTS International Conference in Washington, D.C. Earlybird registration ends April 6!