RESULTS Campaigns Weekly Update January 28, 2020
Quote of the Week
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”
– Alice Walker
Table of Contents
- Global Poverty Campaigns Update
- U.S. Poverty Campaigns Update
- RESULTS Announcements
- Upcoming Events
- Grassroots Resources
Global Poverty Campaigns Update
QUICK ACTION Ask Congress to prioritize global health and education
Got Five Minutes? Call your fellow advocates together for Saturday, February 1 webinar
Join us for the first, new-format RESULTS United Webinar on Saturday, February 1 at 1:00 pm ET. This will be a 90-minute webinar covering U.S. poverty campaigns in the first 30 minutes, organizing and advocacy tools in the middle 30 minutes, and global poverty campaigns in the final 30 minutes. You won’t want to miss this, particularly as the global poverty section will feature Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance. To join the webinar, log in online at https://results.zoom.us/j/994444828 or dial in by phone at (669) 900-6833 or (929) 436-2866, meeting ID: 994 444 828. And thanks to advocate Leslye Heilig for helping our newly formatted webinar have a fresh new name in the lead-up to the International Conference – the RESULTS United Webinar (after the IC, it will be become the RESULTS National Webinar).
TAKE ACTION: Contact your fellow advocates and make a plan to gather this Saturday. And note the new login. To join the webinar, log in online at https://results.zoom.us/j/994444828 or dial in by phone at (669) 900-6833 or (929) 436-2866, meeting ID: 994 444 828.
Got Fifteen Minutes? Make your FY21 appropriations requests
Now’s the best time reach out to your legislators’ schedulers and arrange a meeting on our appropriations requests for FY2021. Our appropriations materials are available, including memos/backgrounders on each of our requests and the comprehensive January action sheet so that you can make those requests – hopefully at an in-person meeting – for our global health and education priorities. We also have a great explainer on the appropriations process – what it is and how it works. Additionally, we have a “cheat sheet” blog post deciphering terms often used during the appropriations process.
TAKE ACTION: Take five minutes to contact your congressional offices and their schedulers. Book meetings for you and your group to discuss our global poverty appropriations requests. You can use our new meeting request letter to make the process easier.
QUICK NEWS ON GLOBAL POVERTY
Complete your 2020 Roadmap by January 31. Plan to be in contact members with members of your local RESULTS group and schedule your 2020 Group Roadmap discussion. (Or fill out an individual plan of your own if you are a free agent.) The 2020 Roadmap resources are on the RESULTS Outreach & Planning page under “My group wants to make our plans.” Be sure to read the 2020 Roadmap Guide before meeting – it gives you the tools to have a great discussion. Please submit your group’s 2020 Roadmap online by January 31. If you have questions, please contact Lisa Marchal.
Wednesday, January 29: Webinar on researching your member of Congress and scheduling tips, 9:00 pm ET. Led by Regional Coordinator Allison Gallaher. Join at https://results.zoom.us/j/611934750. Or dial by phone at (669) 900-6833 or (929) 436-2866, meeting ID: 611 934 750.
U.S. Poverty Campaigns Update
QUICK ACTION Generate media on addressing the housing crisis
Got Five Minutes? Take a renters’ credit deep dive on Saturday’s National Webinar
This Saturday, February 1 is the debut of the RESULTS United Webinar, our new 90-minute national webinar where advocates can come together to learn the latest updates and actions on both our U.S. and global poverty campaigns. We’ll focus on our U.S. poverty campaign for the first 30 minutes, do grassroots sharing and skill-building for the middle 30 minutes, and focus on our global poverty campaign work for the final 30 minutes. For the U.S. poverty section, RESULTS Director of U.S. Poverty Campaigns Meredith Dodson will provide a detailed overview of the renters’ tax credit, the focus of our current housing request. If you don’t yet “get” the renters’ credit, how to talk about it, why it is important, or how it fits within the context of America’s housing crisis, join us Saturday to find out.
TAKE ACTION: Take five minutes to prepare for the RESULTS United Webinar this Saturday, February 1 at 1:00 pm ET. Put the webinar’s new Zoom number in your calendar: join online at https://results.zoom.us/j/994444828 or dial in by phone at (669) 900-6833 or (929) 436-2866, meeting ID: 994 444 828. Next, confirm where you and your local group will do the webinar and send out a reminder to everyone on when, where, and how to attend.
Got Fifteen Minutes? Get Lawmakers “on the record” for the renters’ credit (February Action)
Finding affordable housing in the U.S. is becoming less a matter of right and more a matter of luck. Families wait in long lines for the chance to rent an apartment, while some “affordable” places don’t seem affordable at all. Without action by elected officials, this problem will only get worse. That’s why RESULTS is focused in January and February on getting face-to-face meetings with members of Congress to talk housing. Our focus is on making rent more affordable with a renter’s tax credit for low-to-moderate income households. The credit would cap the amount of rent a family would pay by providing a refundable tax credit for excess rent above 30 percent of their family income (up to the local fair market rent). Columbia University researchers estimate that a renter’s credit could like 9 million people above the poverty line, while helping millions more make ends meet. Help educate lawmakers on this bold yet simple idea by scheduling lobby meetings now.
TAKE ACTION: Take fifteen minutes to schedule and plan your face-to-face meetings with your representatives and senators during the February recess (February 17-21; meet with aides if need be). When meeting with them, ask for them to take a public stance in support of the renters’ tax credit. Use the new February Action to plan your meeting and write letters you can bring with you. Customize our meeting request letter to set up meetings, and see our updated housing laser talks and affordable housing policy request sheet for background. Once you get a meeting scheduled, please contact Meredith Dodson for coaching.
QUICK NEWS ON U.S. POVERTY
Submit your 2020 Roadmap by January 31. Please submit your 2020 RESULTS Group Roadmaps by this Friday, January 31 using our online form (thank you to the 34 groups who have already done so). If you have yet to meet for your roadmap discussion, contact members of your local RESULTS group to schedule a time to do it ASAP. The 2020 Roadmap resources are on the RESULTS Outreach & Planning page under “My group wants to make our plans.” If you have questions, please contact Jos Linn.
Supreme Court lifts stay on public charge rule. In a 5-4 decision on Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court lifted an injunction issued by a lower court last fall to prevent the Trump Administration’s new “public charge” rule from taking effect. The injunction was put in place to prevent implementation of the rule while it is being challenged in the courts. However, this ruling now allows the Administration to implement the rule while the litigation challenging the rule proceeds. Documented immigrants can now face deportation for using public benefits the law allows them to use.
Oppose rollback of housing protections. The Trump Administration has proposed a new rule that would eliminate Obama Administration rules to help reduce housing segregation. Submit your comment opposing the rule no later than March 16.
RESULTS Announcements
RESULTS remembers Marshall Saunders. A word from RESULTS Executive Director Joanne Carter: “We lost a giant in our movement at the end of 2019 with the death of Marshall Saunders. Marshall was a fierce advocate and a remarkable leader, but he was also a deeply compassionate friend and mentor to so many of us. It’s hard to overstate the remarkable influence Marshall had in the world, often quietly, supporting and spurring others into action alongside him. When he went on to found Citizens’ Climate Lobby, he used the power of deep constituent advocacy to build a new movement on climate, bringing thousands more people into the work toward a more just and sustainable world. We join our friends at Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Marshall’s family, and the network of people around the world who celebrate his memory and carry forward his legacy today.” Watch Marshall recount his first lobby meeting, and read more of our special remembrance of Marshall on the RESULTS Blog.
Join webinar on researching members of Congress tomorrow. Join long-time RESULTS volunteer and Regional Coordinator Allison Gallaher for her always popular webinar on how to find information about your members of Congress and schedule your meetings with them. This webinar is a great training on how to find the info you need to have effective lobby meetings. The webinar is tomorrow, Wednesday, January 29 at 9:00 pm ET. Join at https://results.zoom.us/j/611934750 or dial by phone at (669) 900-6833 or (929) 436-2866, meeting ID: 611 934 750.
Watch for an action alert during the REAL Change Summit. REAL Change Fellows from the current class, and a few alums, will be gathering this weekend in DC to learn advocacy best practices and lobby on the Hill. On February 4, look for an action alert you can take in solidarity, as that is the day the participants will take to the Hill and finish out their Summit.
RESULTS Fellowship applications open. The RESULTS Fellowship (formerly named the REAL Change Fellowship) is now taking application for the 2020-21 class until April 30. Find more info and the application on the RESULTS website.
Register for the RESULTS International Conference. Join us in Washington, DC this June 20-23 for RESULTS International Conference celebrating RESULTS 40th year. Nobel Prize winner Professor Muhammad Yunus and other honored guests will be there. How about you? Register today!
Upcoming Events
Congressional recesses. Both the House and Senate will be on recess the week of February 17. Submit your meeting requests today.
Wednesday, January 29: Researching your Member of Congress and Scheduling Tips webinar, 9:00 pm ET. Led by Regional Coordinator Allison Gallaher. Join at https://results.zoom.us/j/611934750. Or dial by phone at (669) 900-6833 or (929) 436-2866, meeting ID: 611 934 750.
Saturday, February 1: RESULTS United Webinar, 1:00 pm ET. Join at https://results.zoom.us/j/994444828. You can also join by phone at (669) 900-6833 or (929) 436-2866, meeting ID: 994 444 828.
Tuesday February 4: Book Club on The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt, 9:00 pm ET. Led by RESULTS advocate Jim Driggers, this discussion offers you a profound opportunity to examine your own and others’ beliefs about morality. You can use that knowledge to better frame discussions to support RESULTS-championed legislation. Learn more about the book club here.
Wednesday, February 5: RESULTS Action Network Community of Practice Webinar, 8:30pm ET. To join, log in: https://results.zoom.us/j/427674133 or dial in: 669-900-6833, meeting ID: 427 674 133. You can also join our Facebook and e-mail groups.
Monday, February 10: Global Free Agents Webinars. 1:00 pm ET and 8:00 pm ET. Join a great conversation via https://results.zoom.us/j/285681999 or, by phone, dial (669) 900-6833 or (929) 436-2866, meeting ID: 285 681 999.
Tuesday, February 11: New Advocate Orientation, 12:00 pm. ET. If you or someone you know are new to RESULTS, join us for New Advocate Orientation. During this live webinar, you’ll interact with RESULTS staff and other new volunteers, learn more about our advocacy model and issues, and get information on next steps. Sign up here.
Tuesday, February 11: Book Discussion, White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo. To join, log in at: https://results.zoom.us/j/807783478 or dial (669) 900-6833 or (929) 436-2866, meeting ID 807 783 478.
Tuesday, February 18: U.S. Poverty Free Agents Webinars, 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm ET. Join at: https://results.zoom.us/j/324294681. Or dial by phone at (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, meeting ID: 324 294 681.
June 20-23, 2020: RESULTS International Conference. Capital Hilton, Washington, DC. Register today!
Grassroots Resources
Learn about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.
Do you have a new person in your RESULTS group or info to update? Use our Volunteer Information Form to add them.
Find actions and volunteer resources on our Current Volunteers page.
Please let us know about your recent grassroots successes for lobby meetings, media, and outreach.
If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/REF Board, please e-mail Steven McGee at [email protected]. View Board minutes and Annual Reports.
RESULTS Staff directory.