2013 Statewide Week of Advocacy - March 25-28, 2013
This year, we are organizing a statewide week of in-district visits and encouraging all of our members to meet with their elected officials! We are taking a new approach to Advocacy "Day" this year because our elected officials need to hear directly from our member constituents. Elected officials care about the needs of their constituents, and need to know about the important services our members provide. With over 30 new members of the legislature to educate, our members' collective voice is essential!On behalf of domestic violence advocates, organizations and the survivors they serve, the Partnership’s policy team will conduct meet-and-greets with all of the new legislators over the next few weeks. The in-district meetings will help to further build these new relationships, and also strengthen connections with returning legislators. Members will be able to "pledge" their commitment to visiting their legislators within their own districts and we will be able to track progress. 2013 Policy Priorities
By working as a unified voice for domestic violence, we effectively raise awareness of public safety issues throughout California. Help us keep that voice strong and commit to take action by signing up to participate in our statewide keep of in-district visits. There will be a variety of activities led by the Partnership Policy team that will assist and prepare organizations and individuals to participate in this year's campaign.
COMMIT TO TAKE ACTION NOW!
Resources
Evaluation Forms (new)
- Statewide Week of Advocacy Meeting Report Form - Tell us about your meetings! This information helps us to follow-up and continue the discussions here in Sacramento.
- Statewide Week of Advocacy Evaluation - Please provide your feedback about the Statewide Week of Advocacy. Let us know what you found helpful, and what suggestions you may have for how we can improve the event in the future.
- Toolkit for Educating Legislators - This toolkit, provided by the Partnership, has everything you need to get started with your in-district advocacy efforts, including advice on how to effectively educate your legislator and engage local partners in the community, as well as an appendix with templates for meeting requests and thank you letters.
- From the Front of the Room: An Advocates Guide to Help Prepare Survivors for Public Speaking by the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) - This guide provides a basic overview of the issues that face survivors who desire to speak publicly about their experiences with intimate partner violence. It provides guidance for both the survivor speaker and victim advocates seeking to maximize the survivor’s physical and emotional safety and ensure the overall success of the speaking engagement.
- BolderAdvocacy.org - Bolder Advocacy is an initiative of the Alliance for Justice. Their goal is to “demystify and decode advocacy by equipping organizations with knowledge and tools.” Their website provides extensive resources and information to help non-profits understand the rules and legal requirements around engaging in advocacy.
- Being A Player: A Guide to the IRS Lobbying Regulations for Advocacy Charities - This publication explains the IRS regulations on lobbying by public charities.
- Shaping the Future: A Compliance Guide for Nonprofits Influencing Public Policy in California - This resource goes step-by-step through the provisions of the California Political Reform Act, the regulations covering lobbying record keeping and disclosure, specific provisions such as gift rules, and the explicit requirements that apply to public charities and private foundations.
- Partnership 2013 Policy Priorities
- California Domestic Violence Statistics
- Priority Bills
- Federal Funding for Domestic Violence Programs
- 2012 NNEDV Census: California Summary
- California State Senators and Assembly Members: http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/
- US House of Representatives: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
Legislative Advocacy Day 2012
The Partnership & CALCASA’s Legislative Advocacy Day 2012: Speak Out! was a huge success! In total, 200 of our members and allies met in Sacramento for two days of events, including a policy briefing on Day 1 and our annual breakfast and awards ceremony the following morning. We scheduled meetings with 100 legislative offices, which made 2012 our largest and most successful Advocacy Day yet! Our members' participation, as always, was the key to that success.
THANK YOU to all of our members, and to our community partners from around the state, for taking the time to come to the Capitol to advocate on behalf of the rights of victims and their families. With one voice, we delivered the message that even in challenging economic times, California must prioritize the health and safety of its families. Together we told the Legislature about our 2012 priority bills: AB 1880 (Lara): Dating Abuse Prevention and AB 2094 (Butler): Domestic Violence Fees and Fines.
2012 Policy Priorities
Legislative Advocacy Day 2011
The Partnership's Legislative Advocacy Day 2011: 100,000 Lives was utilized as a way to educate legislators about the resources needed to support domestic violence programs and services in California. In 2011, the Partnership (then referred to as CPEDV) asked policymakers to commit to SAFETY for victims of domestic violence and their families, and demonstrate leadership on this critical issue by supporting our 2010 Legislative Priorities. The theme, 100,000 Lives was meant to remind legislators of the number of Californians our state-funded shelters served during the previous fiscal year.
That year, we were very PROACTIVE and affirmative in our strategy to safeguard state funding and advance our priority legislation. Although the Governor’s proposed budget included funding for shelters, we were able to ensure that the funding remained in the budget throughout what was a difficult year of fiscal negotiations.
View Pictures from 2011 Advocacy Day
