Global Weekly Update October 1, 2012
The World Bank is Responding to Our Work on Education Funding!
RESULTS Legislative Director John Fawcett recently stated on our blog, “In 2010, the World Bank pledged a $750 million increase to basic education [over five years]. Through a mathematical sleight of hand, they’ve transformed that pledged increase into a meaningless promise where education funding could actually fall sharply – and they’d still claim success. We don’t think that’s acceptable.”
Likewise, Education for All Campaign Manager Tony Baker is in the midst of a developing dialogue with the World Bank on the issue! Read the latest development in that conversation and add your own thoughts. Also check out Tony’s comments on the UN’s launch of its new global education initiative, Education First as well as John Fawcett’s latest thoughts on the World Bank’s decisions.
What adds extra excitement is the fact that you, our grassroots, have begun letting your voices be heard. We have a running record of media hits on our blog. Consider joining us as we reach our goal of eight editorials, 15 op-eds, and 65 letters to the editor, all meant to hold the World Bank accountable for its pledge toward basic education.
If you have 10 minutes, submit an online letter to the editor, and then ask a friend to do the same!
If you have 20 minutes, read more in-depth information about the World Bank’s actions as explained by our recent action sheet and then write a letter to the editor.
Want to be really bold? Pitch the idea of an editorial on the World Bank to your editor! Use our fresh World Bank editorial packet to make your pitch.
We have a powerful report that more fully explains what’s happening with the World Bank, an archived webinar to help break down the information, and an archived strategy call to help you discover valuable local hooks for your media piece. All of this is available on our blog.
You can even use Twitter to tell others about what’s going on! Use @WorldBank to make your request of the World Bank that they honor their $750 million pledge as originally calculated based on 2010 discussions and use hashtags #WorldBank750 and #FuzzyMath to join your tweet with the larger conversation.
National Grassroots Conference Call on October 13 Featuring Sarah Beardmore of the Global Partnership for Education!
Sarah Beardmore, formerly of RESULTS, is currently the Replenishment Strategy Coordinator for the Global Partnership for Education secretariat and has the inside scoop on the on-going work to make access to basic education a universal reality. One piece of our strategy to promote access to basic education globally is to push cosponsorship of the Education for All Act of 2011. Gather others, join in the national call at 2 pm ET by dialing (888) 409-6709, and prepare to hear more information on how the Education for All Act fits into our overall Education for All strategy (plus other great points of information that will help your advocacy).
We will also hear from Jeff Gerritt – formerly of the Detroit Free Press, currently deputy editor of the Toledo Blade, and our 2012 Cameron Duncan award-winner – for recognition of outstanding coverage/editorial work on poverty issues. He will offer insights as to why he (and others) dedicate time and ink to poverty issues, and he’ll give tips for the editorial staffs of our own local papers.
Come along for what looks to be a great hour!
P.S. Want to get a jump start? Check out our action sheet and companion laser talk and online action for October. Ask your representative to cosponsor the Education for All Act. We’re 75% to our goal of 100 cosponsors!
World AIDS Day Mini-grant Deadline Approaching
World AIDS Day grant applications are now available, and applications are being accepted until October 15! Apply now in anticipation of World AIDS Day on December 1. Got a great outreach idea? Don’t let this chance pass you by. And while you’re at it, check out this handy powerpoint to get excited about how your outreach feeds into our organization’s bold 2012-2015 Strategic Plan.
Grassroots: Growing and Giving
RESULTS Expansion. Ken Patterson, Global Grassroots Manager, is fresh off a New England tour to help expand RESULTS in that region. He will be leading new Maine advocates in training webinar on October 8. Contact him to participate. On the whole, RESULTS is full steam ahead in its expansion efforts all across the country. Right now, we are hard at work to launch new groups in Laramie (WY), Missoula (MT), Helena (MT), Charlotte (NC), Boulder (CO), Birmingham (AL), Richmond (VA), and Nashville (TN). Do you know potential advocates in these states? Let us know!
Fall Fundraising. Thank you to our Tacoma (WA) group for hosting a fundraiser with 102 people to hear our own Kolleen Bouchane, Director of ACTION, speak about our work. They raised $6000! RESULTS partners Bob Dickerson and Barbara Williams also addressed the guests on how the Tacoma group started in 1984 and spoke of their own passion for RESULTS.
Good luck to Asheville, Houston and Detroit who are all holding fundraising events this month.
Tickets are on sale for the Detroit area fundraiser with Marianne Williamson. Please help them spread the word with folks you know in Michigan and Ohio for this special event evening event on October 19. Ms. Williamson will speak on the theme of “Consciousness and Activism” and give us a sneak preview of her upcoming Sister Giant conference.
“Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it onto future generations.”
– George Bernard Shaw
1. October 3 (9 pm ET) and 19 (1 pm ET): RESULTS Introductory Calls. Please RSVP for the call so we can welcome you. Dial in number: (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262.
2. October 10 and 24, 9 pm ET: New Activist Orientation. Dial (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262 to join. Are you an activist with RESULTS but still fairly new? Then join our two-session orientation for more in-depth information about who we are and how we work together to become vibrant advocates for the end of poverty. To RSVP, contact Lisa Marchal.
3. October 13, 2 pm ET: RESULTS National Grassroots Conference Call for Global Poverty Campaigns. Dial (888) 409-6709 to join.
4. October 15, 8 pm ET: Global Free Agents Call. Join this call if you are an activist in a town where there is no RESULTS group (yet). Contact Lisa Marchal for more information. Dial (218) 486-1611, passcode 7378587 (RESULTS) to join the call.
5. October 15: World AIDS Day mini-grant application deadline. Apply now in anticipation of World AIDS Day on December 1. Got a great outreach idea? Don’t let this chance pass you by. And while you’re at it, check out this handy powerpoint to get excited about how your outreach feeds into our organization’s bold 2012-2015 Strategic Plan.
6. October 18: Social Media Rapid Response Team Training/Introductory Call. For full details, including time and dial-in information, contact Laura Ochoa, Publications and Content Manager.
7. House and Senate on recess until after the election.