A Toolkit for. advocacy

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1 A Toolkit for advocacy

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3 table of contents Introduction: Advocacy is our Legacy YWCA s Advocacy Roots Advocacy as a YWCA Mandate Advocacy as a Voice for All Women and Families...6 There is Work to Be Done About This Toolkit... 7 I. Understanding Advocacy Types of Lobbying II. Delineating Roles and Responsibilities National Advocacy Local Association Advocacy YWCA Public Policy Process Brief History of Public Policy Process Current Federal Focus Association Support for Approved Policy Issues III. Building Capacity on the Local Level Obtain Your Leadership Commitment Create an Advocacy Committee...12 Appoint an Advocacy Point of Contact (POC) Define the Responsibilities of Advocacy POC Develop a Local YWCA Advocacy Agenda Conduct Research Identify Your Opposition Know Your Allies and Coalition Partners Engage Your Grassroots Network Collaborate with Other Local Associations...15 Comply with the Laws on Nonprofit Lobbying Understand the Election Rules for 501(c)(3) Organizations Consider Filing the 501(h) Election Learn Your State and Local Laws Adopt a Compliance Policy A Toolkit for Advocacy 3

4 IV. Communicating Your Advocacy Agenda Integrate Social Media V. Understanding How Government Works Understand the Process...19 Get Key Legislation Noticed...20 VI. Taking Action! Basic Advocacy...21 Know Your Members of Congress Learn What Motivates Your Elected Officials Get Contact Information for Key Staff Know Your Own Legislative Priorities & Expertise Create Materials to Build Your Case Share Your Story Intermediate Advocacy Call or Write Your Elected Officials...22 Schedule an In-District Meeting During Recess...23 Coordinate a Virtual Lobby Day Circulate a Petition Host a Candidate Forum Advanced Advocacy Provide Testimony in Congress or in State Legislature Work with Elected Officials on Signature Legislation Attend and/or Participate in a Town Meeting Co-Host a Community Forum with Local Partners...25 Issue a Public Statement/Press Release VII. Connecting with Elected Officials VIII. Engaging in Voter Education and Mobilization IX. Conclusion Appendix YWCA USA

5 introduction: advocacy is our legacy The [YWCA] movement changes to meet the needs of the time, the girl, and the group. Every year brings new demands, new responsibilities and new perplexities to women; therefore, the Association cannot remain static. It keeps its direction and its great, tried principles but revises its ways of working. Meanwhile it tries to learn more; to think more deeply and truly what its aim and purpose may mean It is the ideal of the Association that people shall because of it begin to think differently about women From Membership Leaflet, Volume 1, Number 1: What is the Young Women s Christian Association? A Christian Movement of Women and Girls, circa 1924 YWCA s Advocacy Roots The YWCA has a long and rich history of advocating for policies that improve the lives of women, girls, low-income individuals and families, and communities of color. For over 150 years, the YWCA has demonstrated its strength and credibility as a movement for social change and justice. The YWCA s advocacy and activism are directly rooted in its direct service to local communities. YWCA foremothers first developed programs and trainings, and offered support systems to women who were searching for economic security during the Second Industrial Revolution (www. ushistoryscene.com/uncategorized/secondindustrialrevolution) ( ), which brought about harsh working conditions, long hours and low wages. The YWCA also has a robust legacy of supporting progressive racial justice and civil rights. Ahead of its time, the YWCA opposed racial segregation, lobbied for the elimination of A Toolkit for Advocacy 5

6 the voting poll tax, and supported fair employment practices. Below are a few of the YWCA s historic milestones. See Appendix for YWCA Historical Highlights and YWCA Historical Firsts and Milestones. Advocacy as a YWCA Mandate The YWCA s investment in strong and collective advocacy on issues that are important to all women and their families is codified in the national bylaws approved by the YWCA membership in November Article III. A.4. b) Each Local Association shall operate in furtherance of the YWCA mission by, without limitation, adhering to standards of YWCA Hallmark programs as defined by the Board, and shall also participate in mission-driven advocacy efforts. Advocacy as a Voice for All Women and Families The YWCA cultivates relationships with a broad spectrum of allies and policymakers from all political parties. As a nonpartisan organization, the YWCA strives not to get involved in partisan politics, and focuses on improving the lives of women and their families. The YWCA is known for providing direct services and programs to vulnerable populations in cities and towns across the United States, including women, girls, low-income communities, seniors, the disabled, and communities of color. By focusing and enhancing our advocacy efforts, many YWCAs can more effectively engage with federal elected officials and state legislators to ensure that adequate funding is available for the services that YWCAs provide. These services include anti-violence programs, employment and job training, and early care and education. YWCAs can help shape and formulate legislation that focuses on gender equality and racial justice for all by providing on-the-ground expertise and insights on good public policy. There is Work to Be Done In recent years, many strides have been made in our efforts to effectively advocate for legislation that combats racial inequality and economic disparities and protects women s health and safety. Here are recent examples of legislative successes: Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, signed into law in 2009 to address the wage gap between men and women; Access to affordable, quality health care for millions of women and their families mandated under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010; and, Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization (VAWA) passed in However, much more remains to be done to ensure that laws will be of help to all women and children from all backgrounds and communities in this country. The YWCA has the experience and national influence that is necessary in order to speak with authority on important issues for women and girls in the United States. We have a unique history that lends credibility, respect and integrity to our advocacy. Read on to learn more about how your voice one that is loud, strong, informed, and persuasive can impact the legislative and political landscape for every woman. Figure 1 - YWCA Early Historical Milestones The first boarding house for female students, teachers and factory workers opened in New York City. The first daycare in the U.S. opened in Philadelphia. The first residence for unwed mothers was established in Cleveland. The first instruction in typewriting for women started in New York City. The first employment bureau opened in New York City. The first African-American YWCA branch opened in Dayton, Ohio. The first YWCA for Native American women opened at the Haworth Institute in Chilocco, Oklahoma. The first professional leadership training conference for women began in Michigan. The first practical nursing school was established in Brooklyn, New York. The YWCA held its first interracial conference in Louisville, Kentucky. The YWCA lobbied Congress to end voting poll taxes that discriminated against low-income and racial minorities exercising their right to vote. The National Board of the YWCA created the Office of Racial Justice to advance civil rights efforts YWCA USA

7 about this toolkit This toolkit includes a variety of resources that will enable YWCA leaders, staff, volunteers and Board members to engage in effective and robust national advocacy. The toolkit represents collaboration between YWCA USA National Advocacy team, Communications, Directors of Association Services and local YWCAs from across the country. This toolkit is designed for individuals and organizations with all levels of advocacy experience and capacity. Templates, historical documents and other easy-to-use references are included in the Appendix at the end of the toolkit. Some documents included in the appendix are for historical purposes and may contain historical not current language. This toolkit will be updated periodically to reflect the changing priorities and needs of local associations. Receiving your feedback about its utility will be useful for future versions. A Toolkit for Advocacy 7

8 I. understanding advocacy Advocacy consists of activities meant to influence public debate and policy decisions. Through advocacy, individuals and organizations seek to influence laws, policies, and systems at the local, state and federal levels. Effective advocacy enables nonprofits like the YWCA to help shape the public debate about important social and policy issues, and to ensure that the perspectives of under-served communities are represented in policies that impact our society. Advocacy is one way that nonprofit organizations can champion the issues they care about and help bring about systemic, lasting change for the populations they serve. There are many methods that the YWCA can use to engage in advocacy. These include: Educating the public and policymakers about issues of concern; Influencing legislation through grassroots and grasstops engagement; Helping to develop governmental agency rules and regulations; Educating voters and candidates about policy issues; and, Ensuring that the voices of underrepresented communities are represented in the policymaking process. Types of Lobbying Lobbying is a form of advocacy in which a direct approach is made to legislators and other government officials about an issue, urging them to take a specific position. (For example: Support/Oppose [specific legislation or amendments to a bill]. ) Direct Lobbying involves communication with an elected official or staff at the federal, state, or local level about specific legislation, whether through phone calls, face-to-face meetings or s. Grassroots Lobbying consists of communication to the public, asking them to contact Congress or their state/ local official about an issue. Continuous engagement with both elected officials and the public is necessary for successful advocacy efforts to result in policy victories that promote the elimination of racism and empowerment of women. Grassroots advocacy motivates average Americans to communicate their advocacy positions with their elected officials and grasstops advocacy motivates key influencers in communities, local elected officials, and business leaders to contact politicians on key advocacy positions. For example, our grassroots could be YWCA clients or coalition partners, and grasstops could be YWCA CEOs/EDs, supporters and Board members. 8 YWCA USA

9 II. delineating roles and responsibilities The YWCA USA s role is to coordinate, support and unify the advocacy efforts of local associations around our national advocacy priorities, and to advance the advocacy priorities of the World YWCA, as they arise. National Advocacy The specific responsibilities of the YWCA USA s National Advocacy team include: Leading the development of policy priorities and the YWCA s federal agenda for each congressional session, in coordination with local associations; Building relationships with Members of Congress, the White House and federal agencies; Representing the YWCA on Capitol Hill and at coalition meetings, particularly as related to communicating the YWCA s mission and advocacy priorities; Coordinating public policy actions, such as: o Joining coalitions/partnerships that are working on issues that are relevant to the YWCA s mission and advocacy priorities; o Monitoring legislative priorities and updating local associations on federal policy progress and actions; o Providing resources that enable locals to directly engage with Members of Congress and their staff; o Managing national advocacy efforts, including the annual Capitol Hill Day; o Directing YWCA signature campaigns, such as Get Out the Vote and Week Without Violence. Building capacity within local associations for rapid and effective advocacy, such as: o Providing trainings and legislative talking points, field plans, and fact sheets; o Opportunities for YWCA leaders to serve as experts on key legislative activity; o Sharing success stories and best practice examples to help advance the advocacy agenda. Local Association Advocacy The role of local YWCAs in advocacy is to support and promote the YWCA s national advocacy agenda, and to A Toolkit for Advocacy 9

10 identify other legislative opportunities at all levels (federal, local, state) that will advance the YWCA s mission. The specific responsibilities of local association advocacy teams may include: Building their association s advocacy infrastructure, including the formation of an Advocacy Committee and participation in advocacy trainings; Participating in the YWCA USA Advocacy Network by: o Identifying an Advocacy Point of Contact (POC), who will stay informed and engaged on national advocacy work, and keep the National Advocacy team updated on key issues specific to their association; o Participating in bi-weekly National Advocacy Legislative Update briefing calls; o Engaging in YWCA advocacy initiatives, such as regular action alerts (sign up for alerts at YWAct - asp?c=cuirj7ntkrlag&b= ); o Building relationships with Members of Congress, their district office staff, and state/local officials. Participating in federal advocacy efforts, especially during congressional recesses, when legislators are usually physically in their districts and meeting with constituents. YWCA Public Policy Process The YWCA s advocacy priorities are identified by the local associations, with the guidance and direction of the National Advocacy team, through a biennial process that coincides with the congressional calendar. The YWCA USA CEO, in concert with the Director of Advocacy and Policy, ensures that the YWCA USA, in coordination with local associations, identifies and prioritizes top legislative priorities and the public policy agenda of most importance to local associations. The CEO of the YWCA USA has the authority to endorse new priorities as they arise, given the fast-paced and dynamic nature of the legislative process, and the possibility of national crises or disasters. As a multi-issue organization, the YWCA may work on issues that fall outside of the already-established priorities when needed. Brief History of Public Policy Process Historically, policy positions have been adopted every four years at YWCA conventions, in order to establish the authority by which the National Board acts on matters of public policy that are important in the realization of the mission and goals of the YWCA. In 2003, The National Coordinating Board (NCB) approved the seven policy priorities below. Then in 2004, the NCB also approved keeping the historical positions that were adopted prior to Elimination of racism Affirmative action Hate crimes Violence against women Increasing women s income Welfare reform Early childhood education See the Appendix for the full memo about the seven policy priorities adopted by the Board at the end of In , the YWCA USA streamlined its national advocacy agenda and how it was presented to internal and external audiences by categorizing all policy priorities under three main issue compartments: 1 Women s Health and Safety: Violence against women, women s health and reproductive justice 2 Women s Economic Empowerment: Welfare reform/ Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), early childhood education and childcare, increasing women s income (equal pay, minimum wage, federal appropriations/budget and tax, job training and postsecondary education) 3 Racial Justice and Civil Rights: Immigration reform, immigrant rights, voting rights and the Voting Rights Act, hate crimes, affirmative action, and racial profiling During this time, the YWCA USA also conducted a survey of local associations about their key legislative and funding priorities, including their priorities for the 112 th Congress, which spanned January 2011 to December The top three priorities chosen included reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), federal appropriations/budget and tax policy, and issue education regarding immigration. In 2011, an Advocacy Workgroup was formed in order to identify a process to select our national legislative priorities every two years, in alignment with the congressional calendar. Our current priorities are a reflection of that work. 10 YWCA USA

11 Current Federal Focus In December 2012, the YWCA surveyed local associations across the country to rank their top three national legislative priorities during the 113 th Congress, which spans from January 2013 to December To read a Summary of the National Survey on Top 3 Legislative Priorities see Appendix Based on survey results, the top three priorities for YWCA National Advocacy work during the 113 th Congressional are: Federal Funding and Appropriations (Child Care and Development Block Grant, Community Development Block Grant, and VAWA) Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) o Signed into Law on March 7, 2013 ( fdsys/pkg/bills-113s47enr/pdf/bills-113s47enr.pdf) Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) In January 2013, the YWCA USA sent a letter to Congress and to the White House that outlined the YWCA s top three priorities. Local associations also shared the letter with their local congressional delegations. A press release outlining the top three national advocacy priorities was issued to major media outlets. Find the letter to Congress outlining the top three priorities, and the press release, in the Appendix. Association Support for Approved Policy Issues To further our goal to be a national voice for women and families, it is the hope of the YWCA USA that local YWCA associations will adopt the comprehensive national advocacy agenda as their own. There is power in numbers, and, as a social justice organization, the YWCA advocacy agenda will be stronger if all local associations are committed to it. The National Advocacy team recognizes that some local associations may adopt additional advocacy priorities depending on the unique issues that are most important to their clients and their community. In general, it is important to show solidarity around YWCA USA policy priorities. For this reason, it is highly discouraged for local associations to publically oppose the YWCA USA s positions. Direct Lobbying involves communication with an elected official or staff at the federal, state, or local level about specific legislation, whether through phone calls, face-to-face meetings or s. A Toolkit for Advocacy 11

12 III. building capacity on the local level Advocacy work requires a strong commitment and a plan of action, regardless of a local association s level of advocacy expertise. It is important for the leadership of a local association to understand how advocacy will both amplify the work being done in the community and contribute to a strong, national voice for the YWCA in the United States. Obtain Your Leadership Commitment A formal, organizational commitment to advocacy is an important starting point: For associations who are just beginning their advocacy work, a Board Resolution that formally recognizes the role of advocacy is recommended. See the Appendix for an example of a Board Resolution on Advocacy. For associations who are already engaged in advocacy work, renewing this commitment annually and ensuring that new leadership is aware of this priority are recommended steps. An association s strategic plan and annual work plan should reflect advocacy as an integral part of its work. Ultimately, advocacy should become integrated into the fabric of the association, both internally and externally. Create an Advocacy Committee The development and implementation of an advocacy agenda and work plan can be completed effectively by a dedicated Advocacy Committee. It is recommended that your Advocacy Committee be comprised of a combination of Board members, staff and volunteers who are deeply committed to the mission. Having some members who are knowledgeable and experienced in policy development and execution is also valuable. In some cases, funds may not be readily available for dedicated, full-time advocacy staff, so obtaining staff support for an Advocacy Committee is ideal. The Advocacy 12 YWCA USA

13 POC (see Local Association Advocacy for reference) should also be a member of the Advocacy Committee. Typically, the Advocacy Committee is a working group, and tends to be an additional responsibility for a staff member. Volunteer leadership and commitment is vital for the Committee s success. See an example of an Advocacy Committee description in the Appendix. It is also worth noting that the Advocacy Committee is an opportune vehicle for engaging young women in leadership opportunities. College interns who are working for your local association or potential interns who are majoring in the fields of social work, public policy, sociology, government relations or racial justice are great candidates for this committee. Advocacy Committee responsibilities can include: Developing and implementing an advocacy agenda; Building advocacy capacity for the local association, including Board and staff training; Participating in YWCA National Advocacy initiatives (for example, sharing action alerts); Communicating policy developments and advocacy actions to the Board and National Advocacy team; and, Determining coalition partners. Building the Advocacy Committee s base of knowledge is an important first step for new members. Primarily, the Committee must understand the fundamentals regarding nonprofit guidelines and limitations for lobbying, the basics of how government functions, and election activity guidelines for nonprofits. With these bases covered, other professional development opportunities will also be helpful for the Advocacy Committee. For example, the YWCA USA webinars on the essentials of advocacy, social media and online organizing trainings, and in-person meetings with Members of Congress can increase the skill level and confidence of Committee members. Appoint an Advocacy Point of Contact (POC) A central member of the Advocacy Committee will be the association s Advocacy (POC). Each local association has an Advocacy POC who acts as a liaison between YWCA USA and the association regarding advocacy work, provides leadership for advocacy efforts at the local association, and has been designated by the CEO/ED to fulfill other duties that are associated with the POC role. Some CEO s/ed s serve as the association s Advocacy POC. Define the Responsibilities of Advocacy POC The specific responsibilities of the Advocacy POC include: Communicating YWCA national advocacy initiatives to their local association s Board, CEO/ED, staff and membership; Reporting local advocacy activities and initiatives to the YWCA USA National Advocacy team; Leading the efforts of local associations to fulfill the standards of basic advocacy work; Staying abreast of the YWCA s national public policy priorities and attending bi-weekly legislative calls when available; Serving as the point person to convene or develop the local association s Advocacy Committee and agenda; and, Serving as the point person for the local association s participation in other coalitions. Develop a Local YWCA Advocacy Agenda Local associations are strongly encouraged to focus their work around the YWCA s top three national policy priorities, and to choose additional legislative priorities based on capacity and the most critical advocacy issues for their community. A dedicated Advocacy Committee can and should play a key role in developing an association s advocacy agenda. Conduct Research The National Advocacy team is available to provide up-to-date resources and information on legislation of importance. Contact the National Advocacy team (advocacy@ywca.org) if you need assistance finding upto-date research on legislation, statistics and data/research from think tanks that are credible and nonpartisan. Commonly-used research engines include: Federal government resources: o o The United States Census (factfinder2.census.gov) o A Toolkit for Advocacy 13

14 Federal agencies that have both federal and state information: o Department of Health and Human Services ( o Department of Housing and Urban Development (portal.hud.gov) o Department of Justice ( o Department of Labor ( Your State Senator s Office will have information and names of federal agencies that may help you locate relevant information. State government agencies, legislative reference bureaus, and legislative budget offices will have information on how federal programs operate in a certain state, as well as information on state policies and programs. Contact your Governor s or state legislator s office for information, and for the names of state agencies that may help locate information. A city council member will have information and names of city and county agencies that may help locate city/county data. These agencies are particularly helpful regarding housing issues. Universities and researchers who work on social justice issues are listed in the Scholars Strategy Network ( Identify Your Opposition When taking a public position on an advocacy issue, either as an individual organization or a coalition, it is important to know the opposition s position on the issue. This will help you be better prepared when communicating with policymakers, stakeholders and the media. It will also help to better mobilize your grassroots support and, ideally, win a potential victory on a key issue. As your Advocacy Committee researches an issue, it is recommended that they identify opposition groups. The Committee should be familiar with organizations that differ or are opposed to the YWCA s position on an advocacy issue, and what their arguments are, so that the Committee is prepared to refute them. The Committee should also research and be aware of the plans of opposing organizations or coalitions. For example, are they planning a Lobby Day or any other advocacy event? Is the opposition looking to publish editorial pieces in the local The following criteria can be helpful for the CEO, Advocacy Committee, or relevant decision-maker in determining which policy positions or initiatives should be part of their agenda: Does the policy directly affect the clients, staff, directors or Board of the local association? How does the issue affect women and girls, families, people of color, YWCA clients and associations, young women under 30, or other populations important to the YWCA? Does the policy position clearly and substantially relate to the YWCA s mission of eliminating racism and empowering women? Does the policy position substantially relate to any programs the local YWCA operates, including housing, economic empowerment, youth development, child care, addressing violence against women, or others? Will advocating for or against the issue give the YWCA and its mission credibility, respect and visibility at the national, regional, state or local level? Are other women s or civil rights organizations vocal on this issue on the national, state, or local level? o If so, do we add a unique perspective to the issue? o If other organizations are not engaged, why aren t they vocal or active? Does this lack of engagement signal an opportunity to take a position? Will not supporting this policy position leave the YWCA at a disadvantage compared to other, similar organizations? Does the YWCA s position on the policy add value or an alternative perspective that other organizations do not? For example, based on the composition of the organizations involved in the chosen campaign, would lawmakers benefit from hearing from the YWCA in some way? Will the role of the YWCA in this campaign build affinity for the organization among other organizations, the media, current or potential funders, or other external stakeholders? 14 YWCA USA

15 paper? The Committee should be prepared to respond with messaging, press outreach or statements in response. Know Your Allies and Coalition Partners Associations often collaborate with like-minded organizations and community partners, in order to pool their resources and coordinate on advocacy issues of common concern. Coalition-building helps raise the visibility and credibility of the YWCA in the media, with policymakers and with other relevant stakeholders on key policy issues. A local association can consider recruiting community partners, like other service providers, organizations, institutions or businesses, as potential advocacy allies. For example: Social service providers: These groups support issues related to the populations that they serve in local communities. For example, issues related to poverty and housing and homelessness are often top priorities for service providers. Other issues of interest may be those that impact youth, victims of violence, elderly and disabled individuals, and/or veterans and military families. Businesses: As a rule, businesses tend to be supportive of issues that advance pre-k and early childhood education, higher education, and job training among youth and adults, because these issues directly impact their ability to hire educated and capable employees. Immigration reform also tends to be an issue that businesses support, because it directly impacts their ability to attract, hire and retain qualified workers. Many businesses also support financial literacy for children, youth and adults. Unions: In general, unions tend to support issues that relate to social services, such as funding for those services and state and federal budget appropriations, and tax policy that supports funding for social services. They also support entitlement programs, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and SNAP/food stamps. Unions are also strong proponents of ensuring economic security, like equal pay, minimum wage and job protections for women. State-based advocacy organizations: These organizations can provide information on state and/ or federal legislation and the impact of it on women, children and families in a certain state. National organizations often provide general information on issues, analysis of federal legislation and, in some cases, state-level data. The YWCA National Advocacy team keeps an updated list of national partners who have state and local affiliates. A one pager about and extended list of national coalitions and national partners can be found in the Appendix. Engage Your Grassroots Network A grassroots network consists of the clients, stakeholders, families and community members who are affected by legislation at all levels of government. Engaging with these populations can mean a more effective message and broader support for the issues that are important to the YWCA. Reaching out to the grassroots network around a local YWCA association s advocacy issue can also have the additional positive effect of educating the community about what services YWCAs offer. Coalition allies and other key advocacy stakeholders already look to the YWCA leadership on critical advocacy issues. Before committing to an advocacy program that directly engages with a grassroots network, consider if your network is ready to do the following: Respond to calls to action, for example, calling elected officials about specific legislation or sharing alerts with their friends? Work together with your Board and staff on legislative priorities? Work with other coalition partners to advance a broad position? Develop the tools and resources to engage a broad cross spectrum of partners? Collaborate with Other Local Associations Sister YWCAs (for example, YWCAs that are located in the same state) can and should become partners. The nature of advocacy necessitates state-based collaboration in order for an association to be an effective and respected advocate on the federal and state level. Working together, YWCAs can: Monitor, track, and share information; Identify and fund a state advocacy staff person; Create an advocacy agenda that all YWCAs in the state can support and work on at the local and state level; Help to pool resources in order to respond to requests for information; Share best practices; A Toolkit for Advocacy 15

16 Build strong partnerships; Facilitate a State Lobby Day; Involve members, clients, volunteers, and other potential advocates; and, Build a stronger, more visible movement! Comply with the Laws on Nonprofit Lobbying Nonprofit organizations have enormous potential to improve the United States laws and shape public policy by tapping into their networks. 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations are legally allowed to influence legislation and/or participate in lobbying activities, although there are certain limitations. Lobbying is an appropriate way for YWCAs to shape legislation that affects the issues that they care about in their community. If a local YWCA association engages in lobbying, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has provided guidelines and regulations to help them follow the letter of the law. It is important to remember that 501(c)(3) organizations must follow the IRS limits ( Profits/Lobbying) for lobbying, or they risk losing their tax-exempt status. To read more about IRS rules about lobbying, see the Appendix. Understand the Election Rules for 501(c)(3) Organizations Similar to federal and state limitations on nonprofit lobbying activities, there are also rules that detail what nonprofit organizations can and cannot do during election time. To read more about what a 501(c)(3) can and cannot do during elections, see the Appendix. Consider Filing the 501(h) Election The 501(h) Election gives clearer definitions regarding spending limits and reporting requirements. Adopting this guideline also simplifies the IRS reporting. It is important to note that this IRS election does not affect your 501(c)(3) status. Your auditor and/or nonprofit attorney can help inform your decision. Check with other YWCAs about their experiences with the 501(h) Election. To file, download the IRS Form 5768 from Learn more about the 501(h) Election in the Appendix. Learn Your State and Local Laws In addition to federal lobby laws, local associations should check state and city/county governments for additional legal requirements, including registration requirements for individuals who lobby on state or city/county policies. The National Conference of State Legislatures also has a list of state statutes on lobbying, ( legislatures-elections/ethicshome/50-state-legislativeethics-and-lobbying-laws.aspx). If you need help researching your state or local lobbying requirements, contact advocacy@ywca.org. Adopt a Compliance Policy Be sure that your local association s Board has set the stage for lobbying efforts with a policy that institutionalizes the association s commitment to lobbying, states the overall policy goals and the kinds of policy activities in which your organization will and will not engage, and determines how decisions about advocacy activities will be governed. Getting the Board engaged in and properly informed about lobbying will accelerate an association s ability to engage in these activities. Alert your association s auditor and attorney prior to increasing lobby activity to ensure proper compliance with all federal, state and local lobbying laws and requirements. The IRS rules for nonprofit lobbying and how much lobbying a nonprofit can do are both vague and largely unchallenged. There is a strong case to be made for YWCAs to take the guesswork out of the rule by filing the 501(h) Election and opting for their lobbying activities to be measured in a different way. 16 YWCA USA

17 IV. communicating your advocacy agenda Effective policy and advocacy work requires clear and consistent communication with elected officials, grassroots supporters, and the national, state and local media. Consistent communication with the public and the press will also set the tone for your local association as a thought leader and a credible representative of the needs of your community. An effective advocate must know who her/his top internal and external audiences are, and must be able to identify other key stakeholders. Here are some effective approaches for advocacy communications: Develop press statements that are disseminated to the public and the media, and that reflect the priorities and needs of the local community; Generate a story bank of compelling narratives that illustrate how the decisions made by legislators impact the lives of the women and families in the local community; Develop relationships with editors, reporters, producers and bloggers who cover your issues; Thank press and elected officials regularly and publicly for their support of your YWCA, and its issues, by sending thank you letters and through public channels like social media; Integrate advocacy positions into existing public-facing messaging, like newsletters, websites, and social media, to show the association s commitment to advocacy and, when possible, linking the association s direct service work to its advocacy priorities; Update local, state and federal legislators regularly about the communities served by the association, any recent trends, and any unmet needs that should be brought to the attention of government officials; Invite legislators to tour the association s facilities, and to keep the lines of communication open during congressional recess periods (when Members of Congress are in-district and meeting with constituents); Participate in local town hall meetings to raise the visibility of the YWCA; and, Offer praise to legislators who support initiatives that benefit the women and families served by the YWCA A Toolkit for Advocacy 17

18 and voice concerns about harmful legislation. If you aren t sure what the most pressing legislative priorities are and/or what questions should be asked, contact the National Advocacy team at advocacy@ywca.org. Engage the Media Work with your local association Communications staff to identify your top media targets in local and state press; Cultivate relationships with key media contacts by sending them regular updates about upcoming events that fit their beat, that outline the YWCA s position on federal or state legislation that the journalist covers, or that tell the story of YWCA clients who have found success through YWCA programs that are relevant to the journalist s areas of interest; Develop a roster of articulate spokespeople who can make the case for your issue or legislative initiative, and prepare them to answer critique and arguments from the opposition; Support your pitches to the media with statistics, both local and national, that demonstrate your points; Reinforce that you are an expert by writing regular, thoughtful and timely op-eds and Letters to the Editor that leverage the issues that concern your association; Include reporters and local media on your distribution lists for annual reports, research reports and invitations to special events (but ONLY if the subject matter fits with their interests/beat); Create a blog on your website that is regularly updated with stories and insight about the work your local association does, and that highlights policy concerns and takes a clear position on key legislation; and, Use social media to promote your blog to current allies and new audiences, and follow other bloggers who both share and oppose your views. Integrate Social Media Even if your association does not currently use social media for outreach, there is an opportunity to use it for your advocacy work. Integrating social media into your strategic plan is highly encouraged, as social media is a new and powerful tool. It is often the quickest and most effective way to reach legislators and partner organizations directly with your advocacy messages and positions. It is also an effective way to build grassroots support (sometimes referred to as netroots, meaning online supporters) for your issues and your local YWCA. Common social networks include Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Google+. Each of these platforms has advantages and disadvantages for advocacy messages. It is advised that a local association research these platforms carefully in tandem with their Communications staff, and use only the number of social media networks they have the capacity to effectively build. Another way to get your message to the public is to work with local or community bloggers, who sometimes have more influence than the local press. Search for bloggers who focus on your town or city, or even a specific neighborhood, and treat them in the same way you would treat a journalist. Send them stories and calls for action, let them know about your work and the YWCA s priorities, invite them to events, and ask if they could share your information with their audiences. If a blogger takes a special interest in your issue or campaign, it can create an even bigger impact. To see more tips on how to deliver your advocacy message through social media, view the Appendix. See Guide to Write A Letter to Editor: Ten Effective Tips, Sample LTE, and Sample Op-Ed in the Appendix. 18 YWCA USA

19 V. understanding how government works Understand the Process Anyone, including staff from local YWCA associations, can offer ideas for a bill and even draft legislation, but only a sitting member of a legislative body can introduce a bill. Legislatures employ technical drafters who will take ideas for new policies and laws and translate them into legislative language. When you are taking on an issue, it is important to work with an elected official who sits on a Committee that has jurisdiction over that issue. For example, if you are working to draft legislation on an early care and education proposal, seek out a Member of Congress or elected official who sits on the Health, Education, or Labor Committee. Once you have identified the Member of Congress, work with the appropriate staff to craft legislation. Once a draft bill is introduced, it is assigned to a Committee (based on its subject matter), and the Committee Chair then assigns it to a Subcommittee. Normally, hearings are held first in the Subcommittee, followed by debate, discussion, and a process known as mark up, when members review the bill and, literally, mark the bill up. The bill s language and content is changed through amendments and the Committee process. Committee action is particularly susceptible to citizen influence; any advocate can testify, provide information, work with the media, and support/ oppose amendments to the bill. If a majority of a Subcommittee votes to report the bill out, it goes before the full Committee, and the process begins again: hearings, debate, discussion, mark-up, and vote in Committee. If a majority of the Committee votes in favor, the bill then goes to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives or the Senate. In the House of Representatives, and in most state legislatures, bills often go to the Rules Committee and this Committee determines terms of the debate and the amendments that will be considered. Detailed bill reports usually accompany the bills and reflect what the legislators intended. Executive agencies and courts later rely on them in drafting regulations or resolving any conflicts that arise. There is an opportunity for local associations to influence the process at every stage of the process, from Committee action to floor votes. For example, once the Committee holds hearings or mark-ups on a particular bill, it is important for a local association to help draft questions for Members of Congress to ask witnesses in the hearing, or to help craft/ take a position on amendments during the Committee A Toolkit for Advocacy 19

20 mark up phase. The moment a bill has reached the floor of the Chamber for a vote is a critical time to engage your grassroots and grasstops to call or write their Members of Congress to support a specific position on the bill. Once the bill has moved through Committee(s) and floor action has occurred in both Chambers, then the differences between the House and Senate bill versions need to be resolved. A Conference Committee is appointed, with members drawn from the relevant Committees of both Chambers. Conferees are responsible for reconciling any differences between the two versions, and the results of their deliberations go back in identical form to each Chamber to be voted on once more. It is only after the Conference Committee version of the bill has won a majority in both Chambers that the bill goes to the President or Governor. If the bill is not vetoed and is signed, it becomes law. Read more on how a bill becomes a law in the Senate: legprocessflowchart.pdf. Read more on how a bill becomes a law in the House of Representatives: legislative_process. Get Key Legislation Noticed While 10,000 or more bills are introduced in Congress in a two-year cycle, very few bills will ever become law. In Congress, as well as in the majority of state legislatures, approximately 10 15% of the bills introduced ever become law. A majority of bills that are introduced are referred to Committee and die there. Some key factors that are likely to improve a bill s chances of success include: Early Introduction: If your state allows legislation to be pre-filed before the session formally begins, doing so will mean more time for Committees to consider the legislation, hold hearings on it, build support for it, and raise and answer questions about it. On the federal level, early introduction is less important; the priority in that case is timing, and how the legislation aligns with the priorities of Committee leadership, Chamber leadership, and the President. Multiple Co-Sponsors: A bill that has several sponsors from the outset increases the likelihood that it will move in Congress. Bills with only one sponsor, by contrast, are often viewed as not-serious legislative proposals, even if they contain good policy. Multiple sponsors increase the bill s credibility, and also the number of advocates who are working for its success. Bi-Partisan Co-Sponsorship: It is not uncommon to see bills that have strong Democratic or Republican support. However, a bill that has chief sponsors from both parties and is able to garner bi-partisan support is considered more credible and has a higher likelihood of seeing Committee and floor action. Influential Sponsors: To avoid a bill from sitting in Committee once it is introduced, it is helpful if the Chair or highest-ranking minority members of the Subcommittees and Committees are sponsors of the bill. If they or other highly-respected senior members become sponsors and can use their influence on behalf of the bill, it can ensure that the bill will not die in Committee. Hearings: Even if a bill has a significant number of sponsors or has high-ranking supporters, it is especially important for hearings to be held. Hearings include expert third-party opinion, allow elected officials to ask questions about the pending legislation, give advocates a rallying point, and (if enough attention is drawn to the hearing) increase the likelihood it will be covered in the media. Amendments: Some advocates think their proposal will be enacted exactly as they conceived it. That rarely happens. In fact, bills that are not amended tend to die. A key part of advocating for a particular piece of legislation is not negotiating too quickly and working with coalition partners and supportive members of Congress to ensure your bill doesn t become too watered down. Be prepared for potential modifications or compromises. 20 YWCA USA

21 VI. taking action! When developing an advocacy work plan, Advocacy Committees should consider a variety of methods for accomplishing their legislative priorities. Successful advocacy is not necessarily a step-by-step or linear process; often, organizations that engage in advocacy find they must take a variety of approaches based on the comfort level and expertise of their staff, their available resources, and the types of advocacy initiatives on which they are working. Basic Advocacy Know Your Members of Congress The United States Congress is made up of 100 Senators, 435 Representatives and 6 Delegates. There are several ways to locate the congressional Members who represent your district: Look up your Member s contact information through the Library of Congress THOMAS Resource website (thomas.loc.gov). Visit and look up your Senators by typing in your zip code or viewing them by state. Visit and look up your Representatives by state/district, last name or searching by zip code. Access the YWCA Legislative Directory (capwiz.com/ ywca/dbq/officials/). Learn What Motivates Your Elected Officials Before meeting with an elected official or establishing a relationship with them, it is important to do some homework. You will be better positioned to advance key priorities or know what motivates your elected official if you do your research ahead of time. Start by going directly to the elected official s website and reading their biography or About page, reviewing what committees they sit on (an important step, as they might be able to more effectively help with your policy priorities if their personal priorities are the same), finding out the Caucuses they are members of, reading their recent press statements, and studying their niche issues. Another important step is to stay up-to-date about the elected official s most recent press and media coverage. Use Google News (news.google.com) and enter various key words about the official and your chosen issue to find A Toolkit for Advocacy 21

22 out the latest and use Google Alerts ( alerts) to have breaking news or updates sent directly to your . Get Contact Information for Key Staff Every congressional Member has offices both in their respective state and/or districts and in Washington, D.C. While it is important to get to know the staff in the D.C. offices, it is equally important to get to know the staff in home district offices as well. Having regular contact with the Chief of Staff or State District Director is highly recommended. To read more about how to stay connected with elected officials, see the Advanced Advocacy section. Know Your Own Legislative Priorities & Expertise The Advocacy Committee should be familiar with the YWCA s top policy priorities and be prepared to clearly articulate those priorities (along with the local association s additional priorities, when necessary) with Senators and Representatives. Never assume that they already know your priorities, as Senators and Representatives meet with thousands of constituents and advocacy groups every year. Finding the right opportunities to share the YWCA s position and emphasize the YWCA s priorities will help raise our visibility. Read on to learn how you can leverage opportunities to share your stories! Create Materials to Build Your Case One of the best ways to educate and advocate is to create materials that link your local YWCA association s direct service work to its advocacy priorities. Consider creating a one-page fact sheet about your association that includes information on your mission, your size, the programs and services you offer, and the clients you serve. Keep the fact sheet simple make it easy to see the most important information quickly and make it visually appealing. Consider including: National, state and/or local facts, as appropriate, about the issue at hand (the scope of the issue/problem); The direct impact of current and/or proposed legislation on women and girls in your community, and those whom you serve (potential positive benefits or detriments of the proposal); and, Stories or quotes from YWCA clients (who can illustrate a personal connection to the issue) because policymakers like to hear how their constituents are personally impacted by policy decisions or legislation, and often use these stories in their statements or speeches. Contact the National Advocacy team for more suggestions or assistance and for resources like talking points, sample letters, sample press releases and sample take actions. A customizable fact sheet about the YWCA USA and its history, mission, and programs, can be found in the Appendix. Share Your Story The YWCA has a unique perspective and voice because our local associations are direct service providers and can highlight successful client stories and/or programs that are making a difference. Service providers play an important role in the community and are often the first to notice trends or community problems before other agencies and elected officials detect them. Stories and examples of the experiences of YWCA clients and staff can make a strong case for the YWCA s agenda and can help Members of Congress better understand the issues facing their communities. Take the time to talk to your association s clients, staff, volunteers and supporters, and build your story bank with powerful testimonials about your community s issues, needs and priorities. Calling for stories publicly (through social media, for example) will also let the public know that the needs of the community are a constant priority for your YWCA. These stories can also serve as powerful public-facing communications to your grassroots supporters, especially if your supporters can empathize with the problem or issue. When sharing these stories publicly, be sure to include a call to action for supporters to complete after reading the story. For example, ask supporters to call their elected officials after reading a story about how a public program helped a YWCA client. Intermediate Advocacy Call or Write Your Elected Officials Communication from constituents is very important to Members of Congress. There are multiple ways to reach out to congressional offices, including phone calls, , fax messages, handwritten letters, social media, and more. However, it is important to remember that elected 22 YWCA USA

23 officials receive a very high volume of letters and calls every day. Take steps to make sure that your messages and those of your fellow advocates will be noticed. If your legislative issue is timely, it is more effective to place direct calls to your Member s office particularly on the day of an important vote. The National Advocacy team regularly shares alerts that provide background on the legislative issue, as well as talking points to prepare you for making calls or writing letters. To stay connected to the YWCA USA National Advocacy team, see the Appendix. In addition, find a list of Ten Helpful Tips for Calling your Legislator, and How to Write your Elected Official in the Appendix. Visit Your Elected Officials To meet with a Member of Congress, the best method is to contact their office and get the Scheduler s and phone number to prepare a meeting request. Most congressional offices require that scheduling requests be submitted in writing via , an online form, or by fax. It is important to include all relevant information in your request, such as: Name Organization name Address Schedule availability What you wish to discuss Given the high volume of requests, you should always follow-up your written request with a phone call. Find a scheduling request template in the Appendix Schedule an In-District Meeting During Recess Members of Congress and key staff visit their districts during congressional recesses. These dates are planned well in advance and are public information. During these times, legislators raise funds or meet with advocacy organizations like the YWCA. This is a prime time for you to invite elected officials to your YWCA facility, discuss your legislative priorities, and share what kind of programs you deliver to the community. You can also invite Board members, coalition partners and others, depending on the goals of your meeting. Before meeting with your Members of Congress, read about Six Effective Tips for Lobbying and Important Things to Know for Meeting with an Elected Official in the Appendix. Coordinate a Virtual Lobby Day One way to get the attention of your Senators and Representative is to coordinate a virtual lobby day with YWCA advocates. Have your advocates send s, make phone calls and post social media messages to targeted congressional Members on the same day and (if possible) at the same time. Make it easy for them to take action in this way by providing all of the tools ( , phone and social media accounts, suggested messages, other need-to-know information) in a one-pager that can be easily distributed. In this way, YWCA advocates can educate elected officials and their staff about important legislative issues and create a network of supporters without having to leave their hometowns. Circulate a Petition Petitions are effective tools for advocates to use in order to rally support on an issue. A petition usually centers on a specific topic and has a concrete ask. Collecting signatures not only helps raise the visibility of the issue, but also serves as a tool for education in the community. Online petitions are a popular way to collect and deliver signatures, although they may not have the same effect that an in-person collection could have on community members. However, online petitions can be sent to a wider range of people more quickly, and can be useful when combined with external messaging on the same issue. Signing an online petition can be a quick action for someone to take after seeing your messaging or posts about an issue. Tools to create and deliver online petitions: Change.org: Popular platform with a strong activist community ( ipetitions: Free and easy-to-use tool ( Care2 The Petition Site: Platform for nonprofit activists ( Once the signature collection is over, advocates often find creative ways to deliver the petition to the elected official s A Toolkit for Advocacy 23

24 office or hold special events to discuss the campaign. You can publicize the delivery of the petition through photos and updates via social media, sending those photos and a press release to the media, or inviting advocates and the public to join you at the delivery. Online petitions can be sent to elected officials via and social media. Host a Candidate Forum Another way to get the attention of your elected officials is to host a candidate forum. These forums also help prepare voters to make informed choices about their votes. Remember, as a 501(c)(3) and as part of a non-partisan organization, you have an obligation to invite candidates from every party and to invite moderators who are nonpartisan, like professional journalists. Make sure your moderator is prepared, knows each candidate s position on the issues, and has a good grasp of the intricacies of the relevant subject matter. See more on how to organize a Candidate Forum in the Appendix. Advanced Advocacy Provide Testimony in Congress or in State Legislature Many YWCAs have a deep-rooted history connecting them to their local communities, and they often advocate on a range of legislative issues. As a go-to organization that serves women and people of color, a local association may be asked to testify in Congress or in a State Legislature on a specific bill. This often requires presenting testimony that highlights the organization s position on an issue, explains how the issue relates to YWCA s programs, services and clients, and explains what would happen in the absence of or as a result of the legislation. If a YWCA advocate is invited to provide testimony, it is valuable to have a simultaneous advocacy communications plan in place, and a mechanism through which to share the testimony or the event with relevant internal and external stakeholders. Many congressional hearings are live-streamed online, or you can ask if a video or transcript of the hearing can be provided later for sharing. As the advocate provides their stories or testimony, live updates via social media or a blog post summarizing the event can be helpful to draw attention to an issue. Work with Elected Officials on Signature Legislation The YWCA has on-the-ground expertise, and, therefore, our advocates can offer policy ideas that can be translated into legislation. Working with elected officials on drafting signature legislation can help the YWCA achieve our advocacy priorities. This legislation could build off from existing legislation, or be entirely new, and can even be drafted in honor of a specific person. To do this, start by targeting a specific Member of Congress based on their committee of jurisdiction or support of an issue. Contact their office and work with the Member s Committee or personal staff to introduce your ideas about the issue. Then translating ideas into signature legislation based on strategic conversations will follow. Even if your idea does not become a bill, reaching out in this manner is a valuable way to connect with your congressional offices. Attend and/or Participate in a Town Meeting During congressional recesses, especially in August each year and during election season, Town Meetings are important forums for Members of Congress to hear directly from their constituents. Coordinating a YWCA delegation to travel to a town meeting can translate into a great opportunity to ask legislative and policy questions of elected officials. This type of public forum also presents the YWCA to the general public as a thought leader and an organization that cares about the community. Wearing your persimmon and asking questions on behalf of the YWCA is a good way to get noticed by local media and potential coalition partners. The YWCA National Advocacy team can help you craft questions for town meetings and other events like these. See Suggested Town Meeting Questions in the Appendix. 24 YWCA USA

25 Co-Host a Community Forum with Local Partners Many YWCAs are busy delivering critical services to their communities. However, a dedicated Advocacy Committee can help with events that connect elected officials to the direct service work of the YWCA and to key legislative priorities. Organizing community forums with local partners is an important way to reach a broad, public audience and educate them about the key legislative issues that affect the work of your local association and the community at-large. You can invite local coalition partners, businesses, college and university students, YWCA leadership, and elected officials to come together and discuss the legislative issues that matter the most to them. By convening the dialogue, the YWCA association takes on the role of thought leader and conversation starter, and encourage others to look to them for future opportunities to make connections. Issue a Public Statement/Press Release Organizations issue public statements or press releases to announce news, such as a new strategic partnership, to publicize an event or award, or, in the case of advocacy, to make a statement on a hot issue. There are times when issuing a statement or press release is definitely warranted, such as when a new or controversial bill is introduced one that your YWCA feels strongly about supporting or opposing. However, there are times when it would be better to respond to news like this in a different way, such as a take action campaign or through a coalition partner. Think carefully and work with your Communications team to determine when would be the best time for a statement or press release. See a sample of a press release in the Appendix. See the Appendix to learn more about How to Host a Community Forum. Grassroots Lobbying consists of communication to the public, asking them to contact Congress or their state/local official about an issue. A Toolkit for Advocacy 25

26 VII. connecting with elected officials As a leading voice on advocacy issues in your community, staying in contact with congressional and state legislative offices is advised. Some of the key ways you can stay connected are by: Monitoring the legislative positions and key votes of congressional Members and reaching out to them at appropriate times (expressing thanks for votes that reflect your YWCA s policy priorities, or expressing disappointment when they vote against those priorities); Making policy recommendations on specific legislation that is in Committee; Sharing your newsletter and key announcements, like awards or program outcomes, with congressional staff; Inviting Members of Congress or their staff to serve on your Board (It is an allowable activity for Members of Congress and staff to serve on a local association Boards, as long as they do not receive compensation for their service). To learn more about the ethics rules governing this, review House ethics rules at ethics.house.gov/outside-employment-income/ restrictions-outside-employment#emp_serving_board, and Senate ethics rules at public/index.cfm/conflictsofinterest); Working on signature legislation with congressional staff; Sharing articles from your local newspaper and connecting it to your advocacy work; Inviting Members of Congress and their staff to visit the YWCA facility during congressional recesses; or, Attending key events that Members of Congress will attend and cultivating your relationship in person. 26 YWCA USA

27 VIII. engaging in voter education and mobilization The YWCA has a rich history of mobilizing voters, especially women, young voters and disenfranchised communities. In the most recent election, YWCAs held voter registration drives at their facilities to register new voters. YWCAs that serve survivors of violence registered women during intake at domestic violence shelters and urged them to update their addresses so that they could vote in the elections. YWCAs also successfully registered community members at voter registration drives, hosted voter education events, held voter ID events, and distributed materials about voter registration and voter education. In 2012, dozens of YWCAs across the country participated in the first ever National Day of Voter Registration (nationalvoterregistrationday.org). The YWCA also launched a website: which included an issue guide ( site/c.kqlliuoekrf/b /k.bddb/home.htm) and relevant resources about the right to vote. To learn more about the YWCA s historical involvement in voter rights issues, and to read about election Do s and Don ts, see Appendix. A Toolkit for Advocacy 27

28 IX. conclusion As local associations continue to deepen their commitment to advocacy, this Toolkit for Advocacy is designed to help further the YWCA s mission of eliminating racism and empowering women and to help you see even greater results in your advocacy outreach. For over 150 years, the YWCA has been a constant force in communities across the country, providing much-needed direct services to women and their families. As a national organization, the YWCA has a rich legacy of advocacy, strong community partnerships, relationships with Members of Congress from all political parties and respect from community members. Together, our advocacy efforts and success will make this legacy even stronger. 28 YWCA USA

29 appendix Early Historical Highlights Historical Firsts and Milestones Memo Outlining 7 priorities in YWCA USA Legislative Priorities Survey Letter Outlining Top 3 Legislative Priorities Press Release: Top National Legislative Priorities for the 113th Congress Sample Board Resolution for Advocacy...76 Sample Advocacy Committee Description National Coalitions and National Partners One pager National Coalitions and National Partners Extended List...79 Rules of Lobbying What 501(c)(3)s Can Do During Elections (h) or expenditure test Sample List of Townhall Questions Guide to Writing a Letter to Editor Sample Letter to Editor Sample Op-Ed Advocacy through Social Media Tips YWCA Customizable Fact Sheet Stay Connected to YWCA USA Advocacy Ten Tips for Calling Your Legislator Writing to an Elected Official Sample Scheduling Request Letter Six Practical Tips of Lobbying Meeting with An Elected Official Organizing A Candidate Forum Hosting a Community Forum Sample Press Release YWCA USA History of Voting Advocacy Election Do s and Don t s A Toolkit for Advocacy 29

30 Early Historical Highlights Economic Empowerment In 1870, the YWCA of New York City opened the first typewriting classes for women, and, two years later, the first sewing machine classes and the first employment bureau to support women s needs for economic independence. In 1893, the first training school for practical nursing opened in Brooklyn. The YWCA has long lobbied for equal pay, pay equity, and women s access to unconventional jobs. Immigrants Rights The Industrial Revolution accelerated the move of Immigrants from Europe to America, and many single women and girls traveled in steerage along with men on steamships, in When YWCA women in New York heard of the experiences of immigrant women, they marched to Cunard Line headquarters and demanded that chaperones be added to the liners crews to protect women. By 1910, 57 YWCA branches had been established to help immigrant women, and, a year later, the YWCA established International Institutes, featuring bilingual education for immigrant families. World Relations The YWCA of the USA joined Great Britain, Sweden and Norway in 1894, to found the World YWCA, and sent YWCA workers to India and China to help build new YWCAs. In the 1960s, the YWCA USA supported the work of indigenous leaders to open YWCAs throughout Africa as they emerged from colonialism. In 1965, student YWCAs voted to oppose apartheid in South Africa. In 1968, many YWCAs worked on divestment in South Africa and wrote letters to the leadership. Racial Justice Building on its experience opening the first African-American YWCA branch in 1889, the first YWCA for Native-American young women in 1890, and the first interracial conference held in the South in 1915, the Convention voted in 1932 to foster public opinion against the menace of lynching and mob violence in every form. In 1933, the National Board sent a member to Decatur, AL to assess the administration of justice in the Scottsboro case. In 1936, the YWCA convened the first co-ed, intercollegiate, interracial student conference held in the South. And, in 1946 the YWCA adopted its Interracial Charter eight years before the US Supreme Court decision against segregation. YWCA members and student members joined in the struggle for civil rights during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1965, the national YWCA opened its Office for Racial Justice and hired Dorothy Height as Director. In 1970, the YWCA adopted the One Imperative: to eliminate racism, wherever it exists, by any means necessary M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

31 Workers Rights In 1917, during World War I, the YWCA served more than 1.5 million women at industrial sites as women replaced men going oversees. YWCAs became acutely aware of conditions in factories, like low wages, long hours, and no protective rights for workers. At the 1920 Convention, resolutions were introduced calling for the 8-hour day, prohibition of night work, collective bargaining, and the right to organize. Recognizing the need for retirement funds for women, the YWCA founded the first women s retirement fund for its staff in Women s Health The YWCA convened a six-week International Conference of Women Physicians in They came from 32 countries to discuss women s physical and emotional health, and sex education. In 1934, the YWCA called for legislation to provide the dissemination of birth control information. In 1967, the Convention adopted resolutions for freedom of choice. In 1985, the Convention voted for resources and assistance to support public measures to prevent unwanted teen pregnancy and childbirth among women of all ages and economic levels.! 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 31

32 YWCA Historic Firsts and Other Milestones 1858 First Women s organization forms: Ladies Christian Association : New York City 1859 YWCA name first used: Boston 1860 First boarding house for female students, teachers and factory workers: New York City 1864 First U.S. day-nursery: Philadelphia 1866 First travelers aid initiative: Boston 1869 The Retreat, first unwed mothers residence: Cleveland 1870 First typewriting instruction for women: New York City 1872 First sewing machine classes: New York City First employment bureau: New York City 1873 First student YWCA: Normal University, Normal, IL 1874 First (and only) low-cost summer resort for employed women: Philadelphia; dedicated by President Ulysses S. Grant 1889 First African-American YWCA branch: Dayton, OH 1890 First YWCA for American Indian young women: Chilocco, OK 1891 First public cafeteria: YWCA, Kansas City 1893 First training school for practical nursing: Brooklyn, NY 1894 YWCA of the U.S.A. joins Great Britain, Sweden and Norway to found the World YWCA; YWCA extends to India and China, and first American Secretary (director) to work abroad arrives in India 1898 Seven African-American Student Association affiliates formed 1903 First home study courses, in Southern cotton mills 1906 YWCA of the U.S.A. National Board incorporates in New York 1908 First industrial federation of clubs to train girls in self government 1909 First Secretary (director) works with African-American colleges; in under a year, such student YWCAs double in number 1910 Fifty-seven branches created to help immigrant women 1911 Bilingual instruction featured in new YWCA International for immigrant families 1913 YWCA National Board creates Commission on Sex Education First national conference grounds for women: 30-acre YWCA Asilomar Conference Grounds opens in Pacific Grove, CA, designed by architect Julia Morgan 1915 First interracial conference in the US South: Louisville, KY 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

33 Hollywood Studio Club, YW residence for aspiring actresses, opens in Los Angeles, CA 1916 First English-as-a-second-language classes: New York City 1917 First women s organization permitted in a U.S. Army camp First group to send professionals (433) overseas to provide administrative support for US armed forces (Europe) 1918 Woman s Press, a YWCA publishing house, established to cultivate an attitude of honest, open, scientific interest in the subject of sex ; YWCA s Social Morality program becomes the official Lecture Bureau of the Division of Social Hygiene, U.S. Department of War U.S. Ordinance Department invites YWCA to help 1.5 million women working in war plants; 20 service centers set up near munitions factories Seventeen YWCA-run hostess houses operate as recreation and service centers for segregated African- American troops YWCA consolidates girl s work into single movement, Girl Reserves 1919 YWCA convenes and finances first meeting of women doctors: International Conference of Women Physicians. For six weeks, these physicians from 32 countries consider women s physical condition, emotional health, and immature attitude toward sex YWCA Convention votes to work for an eight-hour law, prohibition of night work, and the right of labor to organize 1921 Grace Dodge Hotel completed: a Washington, D.C. residence initially designed to house women war workers 1922 First National Assembly of Industrial Women: Hot Springs, AR 1924 First women s pension fund: YWCA Retirement Fund First African-American woman elected to YWCA National Board 1930 First National Conference on Unemployment: New York City 1932 Local YWCAs urged by YW Convention action to foster right public opinion which shall be effective against the menace of lynching and mob violence in every form 1933 YWCA National Board sends Board member to Decatur, AL to assess administration of justice in the Scottsboro case 1934 YWCA calls for legislation to provide for disseminating birth control information under authorized medical direction YWCAs are urged by Convention to encourage/support federal policies of interracial cooperation rather than segregation, and efforts to protect African-Americans exercise of basic civil rights 1936 First co-ed, intercollegiate, interracial student conference held in the South: Shaw University, Raleigh, NC National Student Conference calls on YWCA to reaffirm support of anti-lynching bill in Congress 1938 Students at YWCA Convention call for investigation of segregation and discrimination in YW and community life 1942 YWCA extends services to Japanese-American women and girls incarcerated in World War II Relocation Centers 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 33

34 1946 Convention adopts Interracial Charter: commits YWCA to work for end to racial injustice and full integration of African-American women in the mainstream of Association life 1949 Sharing common problems, business and industrial women form National Employed Women s Coordinating Assembly 1955 Convention commits local YWs and National Board to review progress toward inclusiveness of all women and decide on concrete forward steps to be taken by 1958 Convention YWCA National Student Assembly votes to try to persuade their college administrations to outlaw fraternities and sororities that discriminate along racial lines 1960 Atlanta YWCA Cafeteria opens to African-Americans, becoming the city s first desegregated public dining facility National Board reaffirms support of non-violent civil rights movement and of Student YWCA members involved in sit-ins 1963 YWCA participates in March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom 1965 YWCA sets up Office of Racial Justice Student YWCA votes to oppose apartheid in South Africa and urges National Board to investigate YWCA investments 1967 Convention adopts constitutional amendment disaffiliating any YW not fully integrated in policy and practice National YWCA elects first African-American President: Helen W. Claytor Convention adopts first of three abortion resolutions leading to freedom of choice 1968 Associations support grape boycott, Operation Breadbasket, university disinvestment in South Africa, boycotting war machine companies 1970 Convention adopts One Imperative: to thrust our collective power towards the elimination of racism wherever it exists and by any means necessary 1974 YWCA sponsors Conference para Mujeres de Puertorriquenas Study begun to interpret dimensions of international racism 1975 YWCA starts ENCORE program; exercise and support for women who have undergone breast cancer surgery 1976 Convention mandates empowerment of women, Third World people and youth 1978 First grant given to a voluntary agency by U.S. Department of Commerce enables 250 YWCAs in 44 states to form network publicizing jobs for women in local public works projects Convention approves key programs for the 80s; multicultural concerns, affirmative action, and societal conditions affecting women and Third World persons 1980 YW continues working for Voting Rights Act, and preservation of federal, state and local affirmative action programs 1981 For three years, National Board led a service advocacy project for endangered teen women, involving six other youth-serving agencies and 21-plus YWCAs 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

35 1983 YWCA of the USA Leadership Development Center, conference, meeting, national training facility and media center, completed in Phoenix, AZ YWCA of the USA celebrates 125 th Anniversary 1985 Convention votes resources and assistance to support public measures to prevent unwanted adolescent pregnancy, and childbirth among women of all ages and economic levels 1988 YWCA is first women s organization invited to join U.S. Olympic Committee, Multi-Sport Division 1989 YWCA leads pro-choice demonstration, March for Women s Equality/Women s Lives 1990 Key civil rights leaders, public officials, and university and college representatives develop blueprint for racial justice training, at YWCA of the USA Racial Justice Convocation 1991 YWCA of the USA begins to expand ENCORE. The program now includes early detection and screening, via a pilot program conducted with technical assistance from the National Cancer Institute 1992 YWCA organizes first National Day of Commitment to Eliminate Racism, responding to Rodney King beating/ Los Angeles riots YWCA is first women s organization chosen by the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to launch a breast cancer partnership 1993 Second Annual National Day of Commitment to Eliminate Racism is observed with a Capitol Hill press conference and activities by YWCAs nationwide 1994 YWCA expands ENCORE, adding Avon Products as a new partner 1998 At a pre-convention forum hosted by the National Association of YWCA Executives (NAYE) an overwhelming number of representatives call for a radical restructuring of the YWCA of the USA; the YWCA Change Initiative is launched 1999 Over 500 representatives from community and student YWCAs attend an Open Space meeting in Dallas to begin to design the new YWCA 2000 Convention votes to adopt the Framework for Change and to continue to move toward national restructuring 2001 Convention meeting in Albuquerque adopts Steps to Absolute Change, mandating new national by-laws, and moving from national to regional governance and elect representatives to the NCB 2004 Igniting the collective power of the YWCA to eliminate racism, the YWCA USA s Summit on Eliminating Racism, was held in Birmingham, Ala YWCA of Trenton, N.J. and YWCA Princeton, N.J. establish the Stand Against Racism campaign, which spreads to 39 states with over a quarter million participants The YWCA celebrated its Sesquicentennial Anniversary, 150 years of service, with the launch of the Own It campaign. The campaign focused on igniting a new generation of 22 million young women aged 18 to 34, inspiring them to get involved with important issues facing women and the country today Restructuring and Bylaws change 2013 Today over 2 million people participate in YWCA programs at more than 1,300 sites across the United States M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 35

36 Attachment B POLICY POSITIONS: MEMO FROM THE ADVOCACY COMMITTEE TO: FROM: SUBJECT: YWCA Regions and Local Associations Advocacy Workgroup Status of National Policy Positions The Advocacy Committee was charged by the NCB in 2003 with reviewing the standing national policy position statements and reporting the results of the review to the NCB at the February 2004 meeting. These 100+ positions have been known as The National YWCA Public Policy Program, which was adopted and amended at previous national YWCA conventions. They were designed to establish the authority by which the National Board acts on matters of public policy that are important in the realization of the mission and goals of the YWCA. The Committee worked with National YWCA Advocacy staff to design and complete the review of positions. Based on the Advocacy Committee s recommendations, the NCB agreed, at the February 2004 meeting, to make no changes to the positions at this time. Following is the status of the issues. The standing policy positions (from the 100+) that relate to the 7 current policy priorities will be used to supplement advocacy work on these issues. They provide historical background for the YWCA s involvement in the issues. Policy positions (from the 100+) that do not clearly relate to the 7 current policy priorities still stand as positions but will not drive national advocacy work. They may be called upon, as needed, to respond to national-level policy developments that impact the elimination of racism and the empowerment of women. This will be determined by the Advocacy Committee and National Staff or as directed by the NCB. Attached is a document that reorganizes the positions to be more useful to regions and associations. Was approved by the National Coordinating Board (NCB) in February of YWCA

37 Attachment B YWCA of the U.S.A. SUBJECT CATEGORIES WITH ASSOCIATED POLICY POSITIONS This document reorganizes the standing public policy positions under the subject categories listed below. Seven of the subject categories are the current 7 National Policy Priorities approved at the end of Additional other categories were developed to accommodate the remaining positions. 7 Policy Priorities Other Elimination of Racism Children and Youth Issues Affirmative Action Civil Liberties Hate Crimes Criminal Justice Violence Against Women Constitutional Other Increasing Women s Income Education Welfare Reform Environment Early Childhood Education Food and Nutrition Global Issues Health Housing Reproductive Rights Many of the positions apply to more than one subject category. They are, therefore, italicized and listed under each category to which they apply. Affirmative Action Achieve full compliance with affirmative action programs to assure equal access to employment, upgrading and advancement of women and persons of color by business, industry, employer associations, trade unions, voluntary organizations and local, state and federal governments. Programs to assure quality education non-racist, non-sexist, non-ageist, multilingual, multicultural and participation of citizens in the decisions affecting their local schools. Measures to expand affirmative action programs to assure opportunity without barriers based on sex, race, creed, or nationality, for all persons to share equitably in employment, education, housing, health facilities, and all services financed to any degree by governmental tax funds. Measures to assure opportunities for those who have been discriminated against because of their age, marital status, parenthood or sexual orientation to share equitably in employment, education, housing, health facilities and all services financed to any degree by governmental tax funds. Measures to assure opportunities and to expand affirmative action programs for mentally and physically disabled persons to share equitably according to their ability in employment, education, housing, health facilities and all services financed to any degree by governmental tax funds. Affirmative action as a means to address the current effects of past discrimination. 2 A Toolkit for Advocacy 37

38 Attachment B Elimination of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, age, religion, disability and sexual orientation. Elimination of institutional racism and sexism. Child Care and Early Education Federal aid for public education. Immediate establishment of quality, affordable, accessible child care services with strong licensing standards and a network of dependent care resource and referral agencies. Elimination of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, age, religion, disability and sexual orientation. Elimination of institutional racism and sexism. Hate Crimes Measures to assure swift and equal justice for all persons through court and penal reforms including improved provisions for selection of juries, trial procedures, bail, parole and other law-enforcement practices. Programs to improve the range and quality of police-community relationships and responsibilities. Programs to build communities in which all people are assured equal protection and safety with justice under law. Measures to assure the protection of persons from violence and effective legal safeguards against intimidation by reprisal. Measures providing for the licensing of all gun purchasers, users and owners and the registration of all firearms, including ammunition and all other of their component parts, and for the banning of the production, assembly, sale and possession of all hand guns not used for such purposes as law enforcement, military and licensed guard use, sport shooting and hunting. Measures to provide improved legal services to the poor in both civil and criminal proceedings in order to protect their legal rights, including access to public benefits and protection. Elimination of harassment, battering, emotional abuse, violence and other forms of victimization of women, people of color and children. Elimination of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, age, religion, disability and sexual orientation. Elimination of institutional racism and sexism. Increasing Women s Income Uphold the mutual rights and responsibilities of management and labor YWCA

39 Attachment B Assure full and open membership in trade unions and participation in apprenticeship programs of all workers. Give economic support to businesses owned by persons of color, including those whose workers are denied membership in unions of their trade. Support the economic empowerment and development of persons of color in self-determined social change, embracing ownership, management and community control. Assure women equal pay for equal work and maintain conditions necessary to protect health and safety. Provide adequate guidance and counseling services, training and retraining opportunities at every level for women and girls confronted with new demands and new opportunities in the work world. Secure higher living standards for migrant workers and extension to them of social, educational, health and legal benefits available to other workers. Secure a minimum wage adequate for health and decency and the extension of fair labor standards to all low-income workers. Provide aid, information and the necessary training to permit workers to move to occupational areas where they are needed. Expand work opportunities and economic development, especially in regions where the present level of economic functioning is not realizing the full potential of the area or meeting the needs of the population. Assure just tax laws which distribute the tax burden equitably according to the ability to pay. Recognize women's volunteer services through tax benefits, vocational credits and in-kind contributions. Full-employment, training and public welfare programs that offer quality training; support services, including enforcement and collection of child support; adequate income supports; and opportunities for meaningful employment. Assure women equal pay for work of comparable value. Programs that provide access to non-traditional jobs. Extension and improvement of programs of social insurance which protect all workers and their families, through adequate cash benefits against loss of income due to age, retirement, temporary and permanent disability, premature death of the family breadwinner, divorce, unemployment and, where appropriate, provision of payment for health care. 4 A Toolkit for Advocacy 39

40 Attachment B The YWCA of the U.S.A. shall advocate for programs, resources and research addressing the unique retirement planning issues of women. A federal system of income maintenance adequate for health and decency, tied to the Consumer Price Index and based on national standards of eligibility without regard to residence and other arbitrary requirements. A sufficient range of supporting social services to protect the well-being of children, strengthen the family and assist those persons requiring special aid. Free and low-cost food and nutrition programs for persons in need. A program of rehabilitation and other aids for the disabled to strengthen their capacity for work and the full enjoyment of life. Measures to strengthen institutions of higher education, provide resources to assure the availability of higher education to qualified young women, provide specialized services and opportunities for women wishing to resume their education and assure support for the humanities comparable to that given for scientific education. An effective public employment service with specialized counseling for young people and a means to assist workers and their families to move to a new job location where appropriate. Programs that provide access to non-traditional jobs, job training, retraining and vocational education at every level. Programs to assure the availability of adequate and decent housing for all persons of low or moderate income, including single, elderly and persons with handicaps. Public aid for the training of professionals and auxiliary personnel in all these areas. Measures to provide improved legal services to the poor in both civil and criminal proceedings in order to protect their legal rights, including access to public benefits and protection. Elimination of housing discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, age, family status, disability, religion or sexual orientation. Access to low- and moderate-income housing subsidies to provide persons of color maximum freedom of choice of neighborhood; increased production and preservation of safe, affordable housing. Adequate, safe shelter, support services and transitional housing for those in need of temporary or emergency shelter. Measures to further the bilingual education and job training opportunities of Spanishspeaking Americans to assure their full participation in the economic and cultural life of our nation YWCA

41 Attachment B Programs to assure greater involvement of women in the development of public policy and in elective and appointive positions of leadership at all levels of government. Elimination of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, age, religion, disability and sexual orientation. Elimination of institutional racism and sexism. Racial Justice Give economic support to businesses owned by persons of color, including those whose workers are denied membership in unions of their trade. Support the economic empowerment and development of persons of color in self-determined social change, embracing ownership, management and community control. Secure higher living standards for migrant workers and extension to them of social, educational, health and legal benefits available to other workers. Comprehensive, culturally sensitive education that promotes literacy and preparation for full participation in society. Improvement and expansion of research programs into the prevention and treatment of diseases that primarily affect women, children and people of color, public health services, including those related to maternal and child health, services for children with handicaps, school health programs, community health services, community mental health services, public funding for abortions and pre-and post-abortion counseling in opposition to mandatory parental consent and notification laws. Measures to provide improved legal services to the poor in both civil and criminal proceedings in order to protect their legal rights, including access to public benefits and protection. Measures that will preserve the proper investigative powers of Congress while preventing abuse of these powers, and that will require such procedures of Congressional investigation committees as will fully protect the rights of all individuals. Measures to strengthen the implementation of the Voting Rights Act of Extension of the franchise to residents of the District of Columbia, including full voting representation in the United States Congress and self-government. Measures to remove arbitrary residential and other restrictions to assure voting rights to qualified citizens. Measures to assure the principle of fair representation in state legislative bodies and of an equal distribution of voting power to all citizens. Programs to assure the full enforcement and implementation of federal civil rights laws. 6 A Toolkit for Advocacy 41

42 Attachment B Measures to assure the full compliance and vigorous enforcement of laws requiring desegregation of the public schools. Elimination of housing discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, age, family status, disability, religion or sexual orientation. Access to low- and moderate-income housing subsidies to provide persons of color maximum freedom of choice of neighborhood; increased production and preservation of safe, affordable housing. Rigorous enforcement of laws requiring that facilities serving the general public be open to all without discrimination. Programs to aid American Indian communities in recognizing their right to live and act within the framework of their culture and to improve further their economic, health, education, social and political status. Measures to further the bilingual education and job training opportunities of Spanishspeaking Americans to assure their full participation in the economic and cultural life of our nation. Measures to remove all barriers to full and free participation by citizens in the political process: in voting, selection of candidates, hold elective and appointive office and influencing public policy. Elimination of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, age, religion, disability and sexual orientation. Elimination of institutional racism and sexism. Violence Against Women Measures to assure swift and equal justice for all persons through court and penal reforms including improved provisions for selection of juries, trial procedures, bail, parole and other law-enforcement practices. Programs to improve the range and quality of police-community relationships and responsibilities. Programs to build communities in which all people are assured equal protection and safety with justice under law. Measures to assure the protection of persons from violence and effective legal safeguards against intimidation by reprisal. Measures providing for the licensing of all gun purchasers, users and owners and the registration of all firearms, including ammunition and all other of their component parts, and for the banning of the production, assembly, sale and possession of all hand guns not used for such purposes as law enforcement, military and licensed guard use, sport shooting and hunting YWCA

43 Attachment B Measures to provide improved legal services to the poor in both civil and criminal proceedings in order to protect their legal rights, including access to public benefits and protection. Measures to assure fair and just treatment of rape victims and reform of unfair laws affecting them. Elimination of harassment, battering, emotional abuse, violence and other forms of victimization of women, people of color and children. Elimination of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, age, religion, disability and sexual orientation. Elimination of institutional racism and sexism. Welfare Reform Provide adequate guidance and counseling services, training and retraining opportunities at every level for women and girls confronted with new demands and new opportunities in the work world. Secure higher living standards for migrant workers and extension to them of social, educational, health and legal benefits available to other workers. Secure a minimum wage adequate for health and decency and the extension of fair labor standards to all low-income workers. Expand work opportunities and economic development, especially in regions where the present level of economic functioning is not realizing the full potential of the area or meeting the needs of the population. Full-employment, training and public welfare programs that offer quality training; support services, including enforcement and collection of child support; adequate income supports; and opportunities for meaningful employment. Programs that provide access to non-traditional jobs. Extension and improvement of programs of social insurance which protect all workers and their families, through adequate cash benefits against loss of income due to age, retirement, temporary and permanent disability, premature death of the family breadwinner, divorce, unemployment and, where appropriate, provision of payment for health care. A federal system of income maintenance adequate for health and decency, tied to the Consumer Price Index and based on national standards of eligibility without regard to residence and other arbitrary requirements. A sufficient range of supporting social services to protect the well-being of children, strengthen the family and assist those persons requiring special aid. 8 A Toolkit for Advocacy 43

44 Attachment B Free and low-cost food and nutrition programs for persons in need. A program of rehabilitation and other aids for the disabled to strengthen their capacity for work and the full enjoyment of life. Measures to strengthen institutions of higher education, provide resources to assure the availability of higher education to qualified young women, provide specialized services and opportunities for women wishing to resume their education and assure support for the humanities comparable to that given for scientific education. An effective public employment service with specialized counseling for young people and a means to assist workers and their families to move to a new job location where appropriate. Programs that provide access to non-traditional jobs, job training, retraining and vocational education at every level. Programs to assure the availability of adequate and decent housing for all persons of low or moderate income, including single, elderly and persons with handicaps. Public aid for the training of professionals and auxiliary personnel in all these areas. Measures to provide improved legal services to the poor in both civil and criminal proceedings in order to protect their legal rights, including access to public benefits and protection. Measures to assure the protection of religious liberty. Adequate, safe shelter, support services and transitional housing for those in need of temporary or emergency shelter. Measures to further the bilingual education and job training opportunities of Spanishspeaking Americans to assure their full participation in the economic and cultural life of our nation. Elimination of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, age, religion, disability and sexual orientation. Elimination of institutional racism and sexism. Children and Youth Issues Protect children against premature employment through extension and enforcement of child labor legislation, particularly in agriculture, and at the same time secure better employment opportunities for young people entering the labor market. A sufficient range of supporting social services to protect the well-being of children, strengthen the family and assist those persons requiring special aid. Programs for the prevention, diminution, control and treatment of juvenile delinquency YWCA

45 Attachment B Federal aid for public education. Support for students, parents, teachers and others working with youth in finding new ways to develop, administer and fund relevant education accessible to all. An effective public employment service with specialized counseling for young people and a means to assist workers and their families to move to a new job location where appropriate. Assistance to schools in accepting the responsibility for providing sound education in human sexuality as an integral part of the school curriculum. Realistic school substance-abuse education programs beginning at the elementary level, initiated by state and local school authorities. Measures to assure the full compliance and vigorous enforcement of laws requiring desegregation of the public schools. Civil Liberties Measures that will preserve the proper investigative powers of Congress while preventing abuse of these powers, and that will require such procedures of Congressional investigation committees as will fully protect the rights of all individuals. Measures to assure the right to express unpopular ideas in accordance with the guarantees of the Constitution of the United States. Measures to assure the protection of religious liberty. Continued opposition to the Selective Service System, and study and recommendations of peace-keeping alternatives to military conscription. Measures to protect persons from arbitrary interference with their privacy in families, homes, occupations and associations. Measures to remove all barriers to full and free participation by citizens in the political process: in voting, selection of candidates, hold elective and appointive office and influencing public policy. Measures to safeguard the people's rights in, and responsible use of the airwaves in the public interest. The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and its ratification by the states as an instrument in overcoming discrimination, racism and injustice, especially on behalf of those women who continue to be the most disadvantaged in our society. Constitutional /Other Oppose constitutional amendments which limit the separation of powers as set forth in the United States Constitution 10 A Toolkit for Advocacy 45

46 Attachment B Measures to safeguard the people's rights in, and responsible use of the airwaves in the public interest. Criminal Justice Expanded federal programs to control illegal importation and trafficking in narcotic drugs and legislation defining penalties for drug sale, possession and use commensurate with the offense. Programs to build communities in which all people are assured equal protection and safety with justice under law. Measures to assure the protection of persons from violence and effective legal safeguards against intimidation by reprisal. Measures providing for the licensing of all gun purchasers, users and owners and the registration of all firearms, including ammunition and all other of their component parts, and for the banning of the production, assembly, sale and possession of all hand guns not used for such purposes as law enforcement, military and licensed guard use, sport shooting and hunting. Comprehensive reform of the federal criminal code to protect the constitutional rights of all citizens. We also firmly support the abolition of capital punishment. Education Comprehensive, culturally sensitive education that promotes literacy and preparation for full participation in society. Federal aid for public education. Equal access for women to comprehensive, culturally sensitive education that promotes literacy and preparation for full participation in society. Support for students, parents, teachers and others working with youth in finding new ways to develop, administer and fund relevant education accessible to all. Measures to strengthen institutions of higher education, provide resources to assure the availability of higher education to qualified young women, provide specialized services and opportunities for women wishing to resume their education and assure support for the humanities comparable to that given for scientific education. Assistance to schools in accepting the responsibility for providing sound education in human sexuality as an integral part of the school curriculum. Measures to assure the full compliance and vigorous enforcement of laws requiring desegregation of the public schools YWCA

47 Attachment B Programs to assure quality education non-racist, non-sexist, non-ageist, multilingual, multicultural and participation of citizens in the decisions affecting their local schools. Environment Programs to overcome community blight and work effectively through community and regional planning for adequate housing, transportation systems, waste disposal, noise abatement, slum clearance and urban development, and the development of land use policies to create a balance among industrial, residential and recreational use and preservation of open spaces, wilderness and wild life. Programs to restore the purity of our air and our water resources and to provide adequate safeguards against all forms of environmental pollution. Programs to reduce personal destruction of the environment through reform of consumption habits of individuals and groups, mobilizing every possible resource for education. Programs of traffic safety and national standardization of traffic regulations. Programs to develop and conserve the beauty of our man-made and natural resources, including public acquisition of accessible recreational areas, preservation of wilderness areas and wildlife and the protection from disfigurement of public places, including highways. Programs, both in the U.S. and on a world scale, to achieve an ecological balance. Programs to protect the resources of the seabed and outer space for the benefit of all life. (See also 1, A. 2.) Programs to advance the cultural life of the nation through encouragement of the arts, music, architecture, the humanities and the preservation of our more significant historic sites. Programs to advance the cultural life of the nation through encouragement of the arts, music, architecture, the humanities and the preservation of our more significant historic sites. The development of national and local programs and policies to assure a variety of new nondepletable source of energy that are safe, pollution-free, assure maximum protection of the environment and are available at the lowest possible cost. Training in demography, research on human fertility and the interplay of biological, psychological and socioeconomic factors influencing population change. Programs of education to assure the widest possible sharing of knowledge to develop citizen awareness of the long-term consequences of an expanding population. Food and Nutrition Issues Protect the consumer through food and drug regulations, ensure consumer representation in government councils and government regulatory agencies and further consumer education. 12 A Toolkit for Advocacy 47

48 Attachment B Global Issues Comprehensive peace building among nations and conversion from a military to a socially and ecologically responsible world economy. Agreements by all nations to the abolition of weapons of mass destruction nuclear, chemical and biological from the earth, the sea and outer space; and to the control and limitation under proper safeguards of armaments and nuclear testing. Use and protection of the resources of the seabed and outer space for the benefit of humanity and for peaceful purposes only. The de-emphasis on bilateral military alliances and spheres of influence in favor of strengthening the international peacekeeping role of the UN. The maintenance of an international peace force. Financial support for the UN, which recognizes the obligation of all members to contribute their fair share in the financing of its operations and to abide by the decisions of the authorized and appropriate UN bodies on all matters regarding the expenditure of funds. Elimination of world poverty through the contribution by industrialized nations of at least one percent of their gross national product to world social and economic development, preferably through the UN and other multilateral channels. An expanded flow of international trade with developing countries through policies which support economic and social development goals. An increase in U.S. development aid while reducing military aid and discontinuing the sale, transport and disposal of arms to developing nations. Advocate for a foreign policy applying principles of justice, equity, and human dignity to United States political and economic relations to have an impact on: Global systems to eradicate institutional racism, classism, sexism, ethnocentrism and other dehumanizing forces The social, economic and political structures which disproportionately entrap women and children in poverty; and Newly emerging and self-governing peoples and others aspiring to achieve their liberation. Promote human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Achieve ratification of the Conventions on Genocide, the Political Rights of Women, the Abolition of Forced Labor and the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination. Promote universal membership in the UN YWCA

49 Attachment B Secure revision and liberalization of immigration and naturalization legislation to correct inequities. Strengthen programs with all nations to promote international exchange of persons and exchange of information through all possible channels. A change in federal priorities from military spending to programs that eradicate poverty and meet human needs, coupled with measures to assist workers and communities dependent on military spending to convert to a peace-time economy. Continued opposition to the Selective Service System, and study and recommendations of peace-keeping alternatives to military conscription. Health Improvement and expansion of research programs into the prevention and treatment of diseases that primarily affect women, children and people of color, public health services, including those related to maternal and child health, services for children with handicaps, school health programs, community health services, community mental health services, public funding for abortions and pre-and post-abortion counseling in opposition to mandatory parental consent and notification laws. Programs of grants and low-interest loans to expand, improve and organize those facilities and services needed for implementation of such health programs as Medicare and medical assistance. A national plan of health care services which assures comprehensive and equal access and benefits to all citizens, basic reforms in our health delivery systems and significant consumer involvement in all levels of administration, planning and evaluation. A national plan that also respects the right of all women, adults and teens, to make reproductive choices free of all government intrusion and consistent with their own religious traditions and ethical values. Programs to address the health needs of women with HIV/AIDS and women at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS through programs for education, prevention and treatment. Immediate training programs, with the help of available government and other specialized resources, to enable aggressive action in education, prevention and treatment of substance abuse. Realistic school substance-abuse education programs beginning at the elementary level, initiated by state and local school authorities. Extensive quality research on dangerous non-narcotic and narcotic drugs, including not only heroin, cocaine, marijuana and other illegal substances, but also, among others, barbiturates, tranquilizers, alcohol and nicotine. 14 A Toolkit for Advocacy 49

50 Attachment B Comprehensive treatment and facilities for narcotic and non-narcotic drug users directed to their social, medical and psychological needs, together with the review and reform of existing facilities. Research on sociological patterns producing a drug-oriented society. Housing Programs to assure the availability of adequate and decent housing for all persons of low or moderate income, including single, elderly and persons with handicaps. Elimination of housing discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, age, family status, disability, religion or sexual orientation. Access to low- and moderate-income housing subsidies to provide persons of color maximum freedom of choice of neighborhood; increased production and preservation of safe, affordable housing. Adequate, safe shelter, support services and transitional housing for those in need of temporary or emergency shelter. Rigorous enforcement of laws requiring that facilities serving the general public be open to all without discrimination. Reproductive Rights Improvement and expansion of research programs into the prevention and treatment of diseases that primarily affect women, children and people of color, public health services, including those related to maternal and child health, services for children with handicaps, school health programs, community health services, community mental health services, public funding for abortions and pre-and post-abortion counseling in opposition to mandatory parental consent and notification laws. A national plan that also respects the right of all women, adults and teens, to make reproductive choices free of all government intrusion and consistent with their own religious traditions and ethical values. Assistance to schools in accepting the responsibility for providing sound education in human sexuality as an integral part of the school curriculum. Encouragement of research with adequate funding to find new methods for limiting family size. Programs to make family planning information and aids available to all economic levels. Programs to assure that individuals and governments are enabled to obtain family planning and the availability of safe and affordable reproductive services to all women worldwide. Repeal of all laws restricting or prohibiting abortions performed by a duly licensed physician YWCA

51 Attachment A Advocacy Policy Priorities Issue Area Position The Elimination of Racism The YWCA supports policies that contribute to the elimination of racism. This includes but is not limited to policies that eliminate racial profiling, increase immigrant rights, retain and strengthen affirmative action, reduce hate crimes and result in increased education on racism and its elimination. Because every issue in the advocacy agenda connects to both prongs of our mission, the YWCA understands that success for all agenda priorities relies on an approach that incorporates both the empowerment of women and elimination of racism. The YWCA supports additional, focused work on the elimination of racism as a priority of its own. Proposed Strategies/Actions and Outcomes Relationship to Mission Need for Advocacy Strategies: The YWCA will be a catalyst for change in this arena, aggressively pushing for policies that eliminate discrimination on the basis of race and improves the lives of people of color. The YWCA can introduce and advocate for the passage of legislation that Results in increased rights for immigrants Reduces racial profiling in theory and practice Encourages education on the topics of oppression and justice Supports affirmative action and a reduction in hate crimes. Supports human rights internationally. Enforces human rights locally. Outcomes: Laws passed that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race Increased understanding of continued racism and the need for policies to eliminate it (See also Hate Crimes and Affirmative Action) The YWCA has, historically, been a leader in the field of racial justice, often breaking new ground and pro-actively changing societal norms in its quest for the elimination of racism. The YWCA of the USA policy agenda for fiscal year 2004 seeks to restore and maintain the YWCA s position as a leader in this field in accordance with the One Imperative of our mission--to thrust our collective power towards the elimination of racism wherever it exists and by any means necessary. The elimination of racism is not a priority of the current administration and policy-makers despite the fact that racial discrimination in employment, housing, voting, health care, education and other areas is an unfortunate reality in our country today. Undermining our ability to provide remedies for discrimination whether by attacking affirmative action or appointing federal judges who are opposed to basic principles of civil rights enforcement is a huge step backwards for our country. Racial and ethnic disparities in loan denial rates are consistently found in data collected as part Was approved by the National Coordinating Board (NCB) in November of A Toolkit for Advocacy 51

52 Attachment A Will Give YWCA visible presence in Women s Rights, Racial Justice Pertinent to all Regions Will Make a Difference in the lives of Women Will Have a Positive World Impact of the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) across income categories, loan types, and markets. A study of the federal death penalty by the U.S. Department of Justice released in September, 2000 found 80 percent of federal defendants who faced capital charges were members of racial minorities, as were 74 percent of convicted defendants for whom prosecutors recommended the death penalty. There are many more examples that illustrate the fact that racism continues to operate in the U.S. (See also Affirmative Action and Hate Crimes). The YWCA s commitment to the One Imperative sets it apart from other women s organizations. Many members and constituents speak of beginning their work with the YWCA because of its commitment to anti-racism. Emphasizing the YWCA s unique position as a leader in both the women s rights and racial justice movement can only increase our visibility and draw more people to us. Anti-discrimination was the focus of six regions in an initial feedback process, with two more regions at least mentioning anti-discrimination/racial justice. Five regions suggested the YWCA prioritize affirmative action specifically. Four regions dealt with hate crimes specifically. Two regions suggested the YWCA work on racial profiling; two regions also suggested the YWCA work on human rights both nationally and internationally. One region focused on immigrant rights. Three regions mentioned the use of education around diversity. In the 2000 census, people of color made up 31 percent of the U.S. population and 42 percent of all births. The YWCA cannot make a difference in the lives of these women without addressing. Actively working to eliminate racism will have an impact on the lives of women of color, who face daily challenges due to this form of oppression. Working to eliminate racism will also strengthen the relationships between European heritage women and women of color. A U.S. society that does not tolerate racism is better equipped for fair, honest, diverse world leadership. In this globally connected age, the U.S. has a responsibility to the world to ensure its systems operate in such a way that they protect and provide justice for all communities and people YWCA

53 Attachment A Advocacy Policy Priorities Issue Area Position Proposed Strategies/Actions and Outcomes Affirmative Action The YWCA supports the maintenance and strengthening of affirmative action laws to protect people from discrimination on the basis of race and gender. Strategies: The YWCA will aggressively lobby to restore and maintain effective affirmative action legislation. YWCAs will speak out and organize with other women s and civil rights coalitions to preserve and strengthen these policies at local, state, and federal levels. Specific actions may include: File friend of the court briefs on behalf of universities and institutions whose affirmative action policies are under attack Work with universities to institute affirmative action programs for admissions and employment Lobby the private sector to incorporate effective affirmative action programs into business models Counter federal judicial nominees who do not support affirmative action Ensure that local associations and regions collectively take action regarding affirmative action via affirmative action campaigns etc. Outcomes: No further erosion of affirmative action policies and laws in the public or private sector Increase and strengthen affirmative action legislation and goals Increase awareness of the need for and impact of affirmative action policies Relationship to Mission Need for Advocacy The YWCA has worked towards diversity since its founding, bringing together women of all ages, racial, cultural, economic, social, and religious backgrounds to work toward a common goal of peace, justice, freedom, and dignity. Affirmative action is a crucial tool in this historic struggle. By taking a strong position with affirmative action, the YWCA will re-affirm its role as a leader in the movements to empower women and eliminate racism. Affirmative action policies have been under attack at all levels for many years. A significant loss occurred in 1996, on a California ballot measure known as Proposition 209, which banned affirmative action in that state. Affirmative action faced its biggest legal challenge in decades in U.S. Supreme Court cases dealing with admissions policies at the University of Michigan and its law school. Affirmative action, couched as racial preferences by those who would end it, will continue to be a political issue and to remain at significant risk in the foreseeable future. 3 A Toolkit for Advocacy 53

54 Attachment A Will Give YWCA visible presence in Women s Rights, Racial Justice Pertinent to all Regions Will Make a Difference in the lives of Women Against ongoing assaults, affirmative action continues to receive a fair amount of national attention. Joining the lawsuit on behalf of the University of Michigan were about 300 organizations, including 60 corporations, many labor unions, other universities, student groups, three former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and two former defense secretaries. Our mission lends credibility to our support of affirmative action and our stance on the issue will bring additional attention to the one imperative. The issue is also well aligned with our new brand image. Anti-discrimination was the focus of six regions in an initial feedback process, with two more regions at least mentioning anti-discrimination/racial justice. Five regions suggested the YWCA prioritize affirmative action specifically. During a second feedback process, all nine regions agreed, in writing and through their representatives that they could contribute to affirmative action policy. Affirmative action helps to accomplish the One Imperative, which is pertinent to all regions. In 1995 the Glass Ceiling Commission released a report revealing that 97 percent of top managers in the largest U.S. companies are still white men, and that women and people of color are still disproportionately represented among the working poor (Federal Glass Ceiling Report, Department of Labor, 1995) While women owned nearly 40 percent of this country's businesses, they received only 2.5 percent of the federal government's contract dollars in Black men earn, on average, 74 percent of what white men earn; white women earn 70.8 percent. For black women, the figure is 63.7 percent; for Latino men and women, 64.8 percent and 53.9 percent, respectively (U.S. News and World Report, Feb. 13, 2002). These disparities demonstrate the work that remains in order to create a fair and equitable society. Affirmative action policies help to accomplish this goal. Will Have a Positive World Impact In order to be a responsible world citizen, the U.S. needs diverse, equitable leadership. Affirmative action is essential to accomplishing these goals YWCA

55 Attachment A Advocacy Policy Priorities Issue Area Position Proposed Strategies/Actions and Outcomes Hate Crimes The YWCA supports the passage of Hate Crimes legislation that protects people from harassment, violence and other crimes on the basis of race, sex, gender, religion, ethnicity, age, disability, or sexual orientation. Strategies: Comprehensive hate crimes legislation must be passed at the federal and state level as well as in local jurisdictions that do not already have such laws. Additionally, YWCAs should lobby for the addition of gender, sexual orientation and disability to criteria for hate crimes. Specific actions may include: Lobby Congress to cosponsor and support the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act (formerly the Hate Crimes Prevention Act) Push for state and local hate crimes legislation Lobby for the inclusion of sex, gender, and sexual orientation to criteria for hate crimes Form relationships with local law enforcement officials responsible for hate crime investigations Create policies in partnership with different sectors and institutions, including public schools, religious institutions, etc. Increase education and awareness to break patterns of hate crime violence. Outcomes: State and local legislation on hate crimes is passed. Gender, sexual orientation, and disability are included in hate crimes legislation. Relationship to Mission Need for Advocacy Hate crime policies are essential to the empowerment of women and the elimination of racism because hate crimes limit the participation of people of color and women in broader society via systematic intimidation of entire communities. Hate crimes diminish the health and safety of victims and undermine the human decency of our society. By working to stop hate crimes, we promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all people. Most states have hate crimes laws that address crimes motivated by prejudice against race, religion, and other personal factors. But only 27 states and the District of Columbia have laws that address hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation, 19 states address hate crimes based on sex 1, and only six states and the District of Columbia have laws that address hate crimes motivated by prejudice against gender identity. The addition of sex to criteria for hate crimes will skyrocket the number of reported incidents, especially if sexual assault is seen as a qualifying factor. 1 Anti-Defamation League, 5 A Toolkit for Advocacy 55

56 Attachment A The current federal law is also inadequate. In addition to requiring that the harassment or violence be based on one of the stated categories, it requires that the hate crime occur while the target is trying to exercise a federally protected right, like voting or going to school. Sex, sexual orientation and disability are not covered. Finally, the law does not provide any resources to investigate or combat hate crimes but provides only for reporting of hate crimes by local and state law enforcement agencies. Will Give YWCA visible presence in Women s Rights, Racial Justice Pertinent to all Regions Will Make a Difference in Women s Lives Will Have a Positive World Impact As an organization whose mission is the empowerment of women and elimination of racism, the YWCA is in a unique place to impact hate crimes policy from a broader lens than organizations with a purely race-based, orientation-based, or sex-based approach. The YWCA can add great value to an issue that will remain current in the movements for racial justice and women s rights. Equal Access was the focus of six regions in an initial feedback process, with two more regions at least mentioning anti-discrimination/equal access. Four regions dealt with hate crimes specifically. During a second feedback process, all nine regions agreed, in writing and through their representatives that they could contribute to hate crimes policy. Research has shown that hate crimes are neither random nor inevitable. According to the FBI, 9,730 hate crime incidents were reported in percent of the incidents were motivated by racial bias; 21.6 percent were driven by prejudice against an ethnicity or national origin, 18.8 percent resulted from a bias against a particular religion, 14.3 percent involved a bias against sexual-orientation, and 0.4 percent were motivated by a disability bias. Ten hate crime victims were murdered in of these homicides were attributed to a bias against an ethnicity or national origin, 4 involved racial bias, and 1 was driven by bias against a sexual orientation. 2 Increased awareness and education around these issues can seriously impact the frequency of their occurrence, thereby improving the lives of women and people of color dramatically. Hate crimes distinguish themselves from other forms of violence because they are driven by prejudice against a perceived difference. A U.S. society that does not tolerate violent expressions of prejudice is better equipped for fair, honest, non-violent world leadership. In this globally connected age, the U.S. has a responsibility to the world to ensure its systems operate in such a way that they protect and provide justice for all communities and people. 2 Hate Crime Statistics, 2001, Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI's) Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program 6 56 YWCA

57 Attachment A Advocacy Policy Priorities Issue Area Position Proposed Strategies/Actions and Outcomes Violence Against Women The YWCA supports anti-violence policies that protect victims, hold perpetrators accountable, and work to eradicate sexual assault and domestic violence, trafficking of women, and dating violence. Specifically, we support the continuance and increased funding for the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The YWCA also supports legislation that ensures employment stability and economic security for victims of violence against women. Strategies: Track legislative voting records on issues of violence against women Form coalitions with other anti-violence and women s organizations Introduce amendments to current legislation that will better benefit victims of violence against women Monitor and improve the justice system to improve prosecution records involving violence against women Carefully monitor justice and police systems to eliminate race as a factor in the prosecution of cases involving violence against women Work with the Department of Justice on the issue of the trafficking of women Promote multi-lingual, multi-cultural education for the prevention violence against women Outcomes: Cap on VOCA funding lifted by Congress Restore and increase victim assistance funding under VOCA restored and increased Funding for all VAWA programs restored and increased Relationship to Mission A continuum of violence means that women are limited in their freedom of movement and face inhibited access to resources and power. Because assault and abuse are dis-empowering acts based on the need to control or exact power over another human being, our very mission is at stake in this issue. Because of systemic racism, women of color face even more barriers to their access to resources and power. Therefore the trauma of an assault, trafficking, or abuse is compounded by racism in the medical, legal and social institutions with which a survivor may interact. Violence against women marks an intersection of racism and sexism whereby violence is the weapon used to subordinate a target group. Eliminating violence is a key element of the fight to eliminate racism. Need for Advocacy Given the current political atmosphere, it is likely that appropriation levels for VOCA and VAWA will continue to decline. Funding cuts at the federal and local levels place women and girls at risk for continued abuse. 7 A Toolkit for Advocacy 57

58 Attachment A Will Give YWCA visible presence in Women s Rights, Racial Justice Pertinent to all Regions Will Make a Difference in the lives of Women With the current budget crises and reductions in spending to support essential victim services programs, the collective voice of the YWCA as an advocate for anti-violence policies will serve the dual purpose of drawing attention to a critical issue and garnering visibility for the YWCA. Furthermore, because these issues dramatically mark the intersection of racism and sexism, the YWCA is well poised to change cultural norms that allow sexual violence to be used as a tool of power and control. Violence Against Women was the primary focus of six regions in an initial feedback process, with seven of eight responding regions at least mentioning the issue. Five regions suggested the YWCA prioritize VOCA and VAWA specifically. During a second feedback process, all nine regions agreed, in writing and through their representatives that they could contribute to issues involving Violence Against Women. Persons age twelve and over experience an annual average of 140,990 attempted rapes and 109,680 completed rapes. 94% of all victims of rape are female (National Crime Victimization Survey, ). It is estimated that two thirds of all rapes remain unreported (Ringel 1997, 3). The Department of Justice documents 700,000 incidents of domestic violence each year. FBI data further show that in the last 25 years almost 57,000 individuals have been killed in domestic violence situations. In 1998, one third of all murdered females were killed by an intimate partner (Rennison and Welchans May 2000). While the above statistics illustrate the prevalence of violence against women and children, it is impossible to measure the loss of human potential due to these traumas. Resulting financial burdens on health care systems and limited law enforcement resources demand that violence against women be addressed as a social, economic, and political issue. Will Have a Positive World Impact A U.S. culture that refuses to tolerate violence against women can communicate standards of respect for women and girls to the rest of the world. In this globally connected age, the U.S. has a responsibility to the world to ensure its systems operate in such a way that they protect and provide justice for all communities and people. By modeling a peaceful and just mode of leadership and creating a culture that is safe for everyone, the U.S. can positively impact its own residents and the world YWCA

59 Attachment A Advocacy Policy Priorities Issue Area Position Proposed Strategies/Actions and Outcomes Increasing Women s Income The YWCA supports the implementation of initiatives to increase the income of women via living wage campaigns, support for equal pay/pay equity, overtime campaigns, appropriate and informed social security reform, and maintenance of earned income tax credits. Strategies: Lobby aggressively for legislation that results in improved income for all women and especially for women of color Organize with other coalitions to preserve and strengthen related initiatives at local, state, and federal levels Conduct awareness campaigns focused on these issues Track the impact of U.S. compensation practices on women outside the U.S. Outcomes: Minimum wage increased Social security laws are more favorable to women Pay inequities decreased for all women and especially women of color Awareness of income disparities increased Relationship to Mission Tackling issues of poverty and economic justice has a direct and highly meaningful impact on the growth, leadership, and power of women. We can ensure that a livable wage, at the least, will be paid to all persons, regardless of gender or ethnicity/race. Because of systemic racism in our institutions, government, and businesses, the wage gap/pay disparity impacts people of color especially. The gap marks the intersection of race, class, and sex in such a dramatic way that we cannot accomplish the work of our One Imperative without addressing issues of poverty. Need for Advocacy Will Give YWCA visible presence in Women s Rights, Racial Justice Pertinent to all Regions Current legislation does not address the fact that minimum wage fails to keep pace with inflation and the income gap between the rich and the poor continues to grow. Additionally, massive cuts in welfare law combined with a downward pressure on wages have forced former welfare recipients into the labor market with no promise of a job. Still, laws on pay equity have yet to be passed. Increasing women s income remains a critical issue in the movements for women s rights and racial justice. The YWCA will garner visibility by ensuring its place at the forefront of this work. Women s economic empowerment was the primary focus of five regions in an initial feedback process, with seven of eight responding regions at least mentioning the position. Five regions suggested the YWCA 9 A Toolkit for Advocacy 59

60 Attachment A prioritize equal pay and the wage gap specifically. During a second feedback process, all nine regions agreed, in writing and through their representatives that they could contribute to the economic empowerment of women through increasing women s income. Will Make a Difference in the lives of People of Color and Women Will Have a Positive World Impact A woman working full-time at minimum wage earns approximately $10,700 a year--$4,300 below the 2002 poverty line for a family of three and $7,400 below for a family of four. 3 Women who worked outside the home in 2001 were almost 40% more likely to be poor than men who worked outside the home, with a poverty rate of 6.6% compared to 4.8% for men. 1 out of every 15 working women was poor, compared to 1 out of every 21 working men. Women comprise the majority of low-wage workers in this country, with women making up 59% of workers earning no more than $7.91 an hour in The economic status of women of color is even more disparate. Consider the following. Less than 3 percent of all working women earn more than $75,000 a year and 60 percent earn less than $25,000 a year. Less than 2 percent of African American women earn more than $75,000 a year and 62 percent earn less than $25,000. About 1 percent of working Latinas earn more than $75,000and 75 percent earn less than $25,000. In 2000, women were paid 73 cents for every dollar men received. That's $27 less to spend on groceries, housing, child care and other expenses for every $100 worth of work. African American women only earn 67 percent of what men earn. Latinas earn 55 percent of what men earn. Asian Pacific American women earn only 84 percent of men's pay. African American female workers earned a median of just over $16,000 in Latina workers earned just over $12,000. In 1999, 4.3 percent of whites who were in the labor force for 27 weeks or more were classified as working poor, compared with 10.2 percent of African Americans and 10.7 percent of Hispanics. In 1999, women were one-third more likely than men to be among the working poor, and African Americans and Latinos were two to three times more likely than white workers. Given our increasingly global world, advocacy work on women s income cannot be limited to US women, nor occur at the expense of our sisters outside the US. We must ensure that any work with employers to improve their practices extends to their business in countries beyond the US NOW Legal Defense Fund, Good Paying Jobs in Non-Traditional Fields. NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, Welfare Reform: After Five Years, Is It Working? YWCA

61 Attachment A Advocacy Policy Priorities Issue Area Position Proposed Strategies/Actions and Outcomes Reauthorization and Reform of TANF/Welfare The YWCA supports the economic empowerment of women through the reauthorization and reform of TANF/welfare to make TANF more accessible and egalitarian as part of a larger anti-poverty strategy. The YWCA supports an anti-poverty approach to welfare reform and opposes marriage promotion/incentives and any other policies or regulations that reduce a woman s rights or autonomy. Strategies: Introduce regulations that recognize the existence of the working poor Block marriage promotion/incentives Educate on the impact and support elimination of barriers to TANF: i.e. domestic violence, discrimination in the system, access to child care, substance abuse, the federal drug ban, mental health, lack of transportation Lobby to improve compliance requirements of TANF/welfare recipients Lobby to extend TANF time limits, increased access to TANF/welfare for legal immigrants, increased education for TANF participants Outcomes: Increased funding by the federal and state government Improved regulations so they do not in any way reduce women s rights or autonomy Widened eligibility requirements for TANF/welfare recipients Marriage promotion/incentives not enacted TANF time limits extended Access to education for TANF participants broadened Provisions and funding for increased child care services safe and affordable Relationship to Mission Need for Advocacy TANF/welfare reform is essential to the economic empowerment of women. Advocating for changes in TANF/welfare will create opportunities for women s growth, leadership, and power. Additionally, because two thirds of people on welfare are people of color, TANF/welfare reform directly impacts our one imperative to eliminate racism. TANF law has never been fair to women and measures have been introduced that will make it worse. In 1996, welfare reform was passed to provide economic relief to poor women through food stamps etc. This law abolished many social service programs that benefited women and children. These were replaced with the "Temporary Assistance for Needy Families" (TANF), 11 A Toolkit for Advocacy 61

62 Attachment A which imposed strict work participation requirements for recipients of welfare, implemented time limits on cash assistance and further required cuts in federal assistance to legal immigrants. Although many reports proclaim that there has been a dramatic reduction in welfare caseloads since 1996; what is still questionable is if the 1996 law has improved measurably the lives of the nation's poor. Will Give YWCA visible presence in Women s Rights, Racial Justice Pertinent to all Regions Will Make a Difference in the lives of Women With over 100 years of expertise and a comprehensive perspective representing women and children throughout the country, the YWCA can gain visibility by aggressively advocating for continuation of current welfare policy and provision, and/or the reform of welfare policy and provision in the United States. As expert service providers in this area, the YWCA is in a unique position to be a leader in this movement. Women s economic empowerment was the primary focus of five regions in an initial feedback process, with a total seven of eight responding regions at least mentioning the position. Six regions suggested the YWCA prioritize TANF/welfare reform specifically. During a second feedback process, all nine regions agreed, in writing and through their representatives that they could contribute to the economic empowerment of women through the reauthorization and reform of TANF/welfare. Between the enactment of the welfare law in 1996 and March 2001, welfare caseloads fell over 50%, from 12.2 million recipients in 4.4 million families to 5.5 million recipients in 2.1 million families. However, a 1999 study found only 64% of parents who had left welfare were employed, with a median hourly wage of $ % of former TANF recipients lived in poverty. Over 70% of former welfare families experienced at least one of the following economic hardships: daily concern about sufficient food, missed rent or mortgage payment, reliance on emergency room as main source of medical care, or inadequate childcare arrangement. Over 30% of these families missed meals, faced eviction, disconnected utilities, or a lack of needed medical care. 6 Due to increasing unemployment, the number of people on welfare may now be growing, with racial and ethnic minorities making up more than twothirds of the caseload. 7 Will Have a Positive World Impact The U.S. can demonstrate how federal and state governments can work together on anti-poverty strategies that improve the lives of all people. If the U.S. can develop respectful strategies for empowering poor women in our own country, our approach to other countries with people living in poverty will improve. Additionally, the U.S. can learn a great deal from the rest of the world about these issues. 5 NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, Welfare Reform: After Five Years, Is It Working? 6 Ibid. 7 NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, Welfare Reform: After Five Years, Is It Working? YWCA

63 Attachment A Advocacy Policy Priorities Issue Area Position Proposed Strategies/Actions and Outcomes Affordable Accessible Child Care/ Early Childhood Education The YWCA supports quality, affordable and accessible early childhood education that will empower adults and children towards economic and emotional self-sufficiency. Strategies: Lobby states to set eligibility levels at the maximum allowed by federal law Lobby in the private and public sectors to make early childhood education a profitable field of employment Lobby to support the federal program that allows providers who have earned a degree in early childhood education and have worked for two years in a low income area to have a portion of their student loans forgiven Lobby for improved funding for child care resource and referral agencies Outcomes: At least the current level of services and funding maintained Access to early childhood programs (child care, head start, etc.)expanded Relationship to Mission As is the case today, providing early childhood education to women and families late in the 19 th century emanated from the YWCA s mission to empower women to enter the workforce. From its inception, early childhood programming in the YWCA was innovative and responsive to the needs of mothers and other guardians. 8 Currently, two-thirds of YWCA local associations are involved in providing early childhood education. Quality, affordable care has a direct impact on the empowerment of mothers and developmental growth of the child. Because of systemic racism in the workplace and in our culture, mothers of color face additional barriers to receiving high quality early childhood education and high paying jobs. An emphasis on increased funding for these services will help to equalize their affordability, accessibility and quality for all individuals regardless of race or ethnicity. Need for Advocacy Despite the clear need for quality care, 600,000 children will lose early childhood education and after- school services under the President s 2004 budget. 9 The Senate has voted to implement nearly a 3% cut in all programs, including child care, Head Start and after-school care. Head Start will be cut by an estimated $63 million below last year s levels and will serve 22,000 fewer children. Childcare will be cut by $60 million and will serve 38,000 fewer children than last year. The Senate bill will fund the 21 st Century 8 YWCA Cares for Children: A Guidebook for YWCA Child Care Centers, p. 6 9 Children s Defense Fund 13 A Toolkit for Advocacy 63

64 Attachment A Community Learning Centers after-school program at $25 million below the levels for the 2002 fiscal year. Will Give YWCA visible presence in Women s Rights, Racial Justice Pertinent to all Regions Will Make a Difference in the lives of Women At the federal level, women s organizations are working primarily on forgiving loans for early childhood education providers and attaining the support and resources necessary for women to earn degrees in the field. Other groups, for example Latino advocacy groups, are working on increasing access to head start for migrant workers. The YWCA is in a unique position to work in this field because of its devotion not only to the empowerment of women but also the elimination of racism. As a leader in this movement, the YWCA can unite different efforts to be more effective advocates, achieve change, and increase YWCA visibility. Early Childhood Education was the primary focus of four regions in an initial feedback process, with six of eight responding regions at least mentioning the issue. During a second feedback process, all nine regions agreed, in writing and through their representatives that they could contribute to the issues involving early childhood education. The need for early childhood education has outpaced the supply. In FY 2000 only 1 out of 7 federally eligible children received child care subsidies. There are an increasing number of states with waiting lists as well as states who are not accepting applications for early childhood education. Nationally, only 12 percent of children eligible for child care assistance under federal law receive any help. The need for child care is especially important for women, many of whom are working mothers: 65% of women with children under 6 and 78 % of women with children ages 6-13 are in the labor force. Fifty-nine percent of women with infants are in the workforce. These women s earnings are essential to the success of their families: %55 of working women bring home half or more of their families incomes. %71.5 of single mothers have jobs. Will Have a Positive World Impact If the U.S. commits to raising its children well and enabling mothers to achieve economic self-sufficiency, it can be a leader for children s rights around the world and thereby positively impact the lives of women and children in a meaningful way YWCA

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oolkit for Advocacy 65

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`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a2"D#-=#$%&.&#2..-+,2$,-".#%2<&#,"9,+2$&9#$%2$#2#*-..#-=#=&9&82*#2"9T-8#.$2$&#=:"9,"7#0-:*9#*,E&*D#8&.:*$#,"#$%&#+*-.:8&#-=#+8,$,+2*#> ,"7#$%2$#>8-<,9&.#1:+%#"&&9&9#.&8<,+&.#=-8#0-1&"#2"9#+%,*98&"#,"#$%&,8#+-11:",$,&.4##!"#82"E,"7#$%&#$->#$%8&&#&+-"-1,+#&1>-0&81&"$#,..:&#28&2./#*-+2*#2..-+,2$,-".#-<&80%&*1,"7*D#*,.$&9#2>>8->8,2$,-".# 2"9#=&9&82*#=:"9,"7#=-8#66KYb/#6KYb#2"9#cHGH#2.#$%&,8#$->#*&7,.*2$,<&#>8,-8,$D#=-8#$%&#))I $% #6-"78&..4##H.#6-"78&..# $2+E*&.#9&=,+,$#8&9:+$,-"#2"9#$%&#9&;$#+&,*,"7/#$%&#2;,*,$D#-=#-:8#*-+2*#2..-+,2$,-".#$-#9&*,<&8#.&8<,+&.#+-:*9#;&#"&72$,<&*D#,1>2+$&9#,=#=:"9,"7#.-:8+&.#28&#8&9:+&94##C%&#FG6H#,.#2028&#$%2$#-:8#2..-+,2$,-".#.&&#$%&#*,"E27&.#;&$0&&"#9&=,+,$# 8&9:+$,-"#2"9#$%&#>-$&"$,2*#.X:&&U&#,$#+-:*9#%2<&#-"#.&8<,+&#9&*,<&8D4##d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d&&9D#[21,*,&.#SCHd[N#2"9#.-+,2*#.&+:8,$D#2.#$%&#*&2.$#+8,$,+2*#*&7,.*2$,<&#,..:&.#$-#=-+:.#-"#,"#$%& # "&0#6-"78&..4##G%,*&#$%&.&#,..:&.#,1>2+$#$%&# +-11:",$,&.#$%2$#0&#.&8<&/#.:8<&D#8&.:*$.#,"9,+2$&#$%2$#$%&#$->#>8,-8,$,&.#-=##>8-7821#.:.$2,"2;,*,$D/#2++&..#$-#X:2*,$D# 2"9#2==-892;*&#+%,*9+28&#2"9#&9:+2$,-"#2"9#2++&..#$-#&X:2*#>2D#2"9#;&$$&8#\-;.#28&#,"#=2+$#0%2$#$%&#0-1&"#2"9#+%,*98&"#.&8<&9#;D#FG6H.#1-.$#"&&94### # 66 YWCA

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a&9,+2,9#2"9#a&9,+28&#;&"&=,$.Q#=,*,"7#<,.2# >&$,$,-".#2"9#,11,782$,-"#9-+:1&"$2$,-"Q#2"9#-;$2,","7#X:2*,$D#2"9#2==-892;*&#+%,*9+28&#->$,-".4##!"#82"E,"7#$%&#$->#$%8&&#0-1&"O.#%&2*$%#2"9#.2=&$D#,..:&#28&2./#*-+2*#2..-+,2$,-".#,"9,+2$&9#$%2$#$%&#8&2:$%-8,U2$,-"#-=# $%&#c,-*&"+&#h72,".$#g-1&"#h+$#schghn#02.#$%&,8#$->#*&7,.*2$,<&#>8,-8,$d#=-8#$%&#))i $% #6-"78&..4#C%&#H==-892;*&#628&# H+$#SH6HN#82"E&9#.&+-"9/#=-**-0&9#+*-.&*D#;D#8&>8-9:+$,<&#%&2*$%#2"9#8,7%$.4### ;D%C+3-)97)%$*.+9,/%"3J)9%$7/%?C$"$DU#XX<XZ%?;[[%03/),D## ED%$II32:.P-)%#.2)%$7/%?$#$DU%K[<NZ%?M_%03/),D# KD%F)=23:47/+0)%O).-/G%.9:%F+*G/,U%EN<;Z%?M;%03/),D## C%&#.:8<&D#8&.:*$.#,**:.$82$&#$%&#"&&9#=-8#$%&#FG6H#$-#+-"$,":&#29<-+2$,"7#=-8#cHGH#8&2:$%-8,U2$,-"#2$#$%&#"2$,-"2*# *&<&*#2"9#$-#&".:8&#0-1&"O.#2++&..#$-#2==-892;*&#%&2*$%+28&/#,"+*:9,"7#8&>8-9:+$,<&#%&2*$%+28&4# A Toolkit for Advocacy 67

68 #G.2/%3I%/G)%!"#$%$,,37+./+39,%F.98+9*%3I%/G)%R3=%$:037.75%L,,4),%+9%"3J)9^,%O).-/G%.9:%'.I)/5% # /5%KU%F.7+.-%`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a4.-%R2.II+78+9*U#EY<EZ%?MX%03/),D## ED%#3J=2)G)9,+0)%LJJ+*2./+39%F)I32J%?#LFDU%EK<KZ%?\K%03/),D# KD%O./)%#2+J),U%EX<EZ%?\\%03/),D## H.#1&"$,-"&9#>8&<,-:.*D/#.:8<&D#>28$,+,>2"$.#82"E&9#?:12"#2"9#5&W:2*#C82==,+E,"7#2.#$%&#%,7%&.$#*&7,.*2$,<&#>8,-8,$D#2$# 'A`/#=-**-0&9#;D#!11,782$,-"#B&=-81#2$#'I`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

69 +-"$,":&#$-#29<-+2$&#=-8#\:.$#2"9#,"+*:.,<&#*&7,.*2$,-"#$%2$#0-8E.#$-#&"9#+8,1&.#1-$,<2$&9#;D#82+,2*/#8&*,7,-:./#&$%",+/# 7&"9&8/#27&#-8#.&W:2*#-8,&"$2$,-"#;2.&9#;,2.4##### % #G.2/%3I%!"#$%$,,37+./+39,%F.98+9*%3I%/G)%R3=%$:037.75%L,,4),%+9%F.7+.-%`4,/+7)% e&d#sb,7%$n@##v8,-8,$d#d:1;&8#)#?t2.9*)d/#v8,-8,$d#d:1;&8#'#s@.28%6-4)nq#v8,-8,$d#d:1;&8#i#s142=-)n## # '420)5%"2+/)bL9%F),=39,),%!"#299,$,-"#$-#82"E,"7#,..:&#28&2#>8,-8,$,&./#.:8<&D#>28$,+,>2"$.#0&8&#7,<&"#$%&#->>-8$:",$D#$-#08,$&#,"#.>&+,=,+#8&.>-".&.# =-8#,..:&#28&2.#$%&D#=&*$#.%-:*9#;&#,"+*:9&9#$%2$#0&8&#-$%&80,.&#"-$#*,.$&94##')f#-=#$%&#'I_#>28$,+,>2"$.#Sf'`N#>8-<,9&9# =&&9;2+E4##d:1&8-:.#<2*:2;*&#.:77&.$,-".#0&8&#>8-<,9&9#=-8#,..:&#28&2.#$%2$#$%&#FG6H#+-:*9#>-$&"$,2**D#299#$-#,$.# 29<-+2+D#>-8$=-*,-#2"9#.&<&82*#E&D#$%&1&.#.:8=2+&94##H9<-+2$,"7#=-8#0-1&"#,"#$%&#1,*,$28D/#.$:9&"$#*-2"#=-87,<&"&../# %-:.,"7#"&&9.#=-8#<,+$,1.#-=#9-1&.$,+#2"9#.&W:2*#<,-*&"+&#2"9#7:"#+-"$8-*#0&8&#$%&#+&"$82*#,..:&.#$%2$#.:8<&D# >28$,+,>2"$.#,"9,+2$&9#2.#1-.$#>8&..,"74## A Toolkit for Advocacy 69

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72 January 31, 2013 Dear Member of Congress: On behalf of the YWCA USA, one of the nation s oldest and largest women s organizations in the United States, we are writing to you to present our top three national legislative priorities for the 113th Congress that we would like to accomplish with your leadership and support. We are pleased to share with you that our national office and local associations will be advocating for the swift and immediate passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), national immigration reform, and a fair and balanced approach to deficit reduction that helps women and families. Founded over 150 years ago, the YWCA currently serves more than two million participants and employs 66,000 staff and volunteers in over 1,300 locations. In small towns and major cities, YWCAs offer women job training, housing, anti-violence programs and more. Our clients are women of all ages and backgrounds, including the elderly, survivors of domestic and sexual violence, military veterans and low-income and homeless women and their families. Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization YWCA is deeply committed to legislation that is comprehensive in its reach to improve the lives of women and families. Therefore, the YWCA strongly supports the immediate passage of a bipartisan Violence Against Women s Act (VAWA) (S.47), similar to (S.1925) which passed the Senate in the 112th Congress. For nearly 18 years, VAWA has provided a national, streamlined response to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. Nearly 2,600 women have been murdered as a result of domestic violence and sexual assault since VAWA expired. The YWCA urgently calls upon Congress to move towards swift passage of S.47, a bill that is trauma- informed, victim and community-centered and evidence-based. The YWCA supports all women and victims of abuse regardless of sexual orientation, immigration status or race, and does not stand for isolating subsets of the community that face unique barriers to accessing services. As a leading provider of services for victims of domestic violence, the YWCA is opposed to any provisions that force victims to negotiate their safety when seeking assistance from abusive situations. National Immigration Reform According to the 2010 Census, the population of the United States is becoming increasingly diverse, with over half of all children under the age of one classified as non-white or minority. For over 150 years, YWCAs across the country have served the needs of their communities, providing vital intervention and prevention services for immigrant women, victims of domestic violence, children, and young women. Last years Presidential election demonstrated that immigration was overwhelmingly a mobilizing issue for Latino, Asian American and new American communities, bringing out voters in droves to voice their concern about our broken immigration system. Similarly, YWCAs across the country are deeply committed to advocating for a common sense immigration process that keeps families together here in the U.S., provides adequate protections for immigration victims of sexual 2025 M Street, NW Suite 550 Washington, D.C YWCA

73 violence and trafficking and that creates a roadmap for citizenship for 11 million new Americans who aspire to be citizens. Deficit Reduction that Protects Women and Children YWCAs across the country have witnessed firsthand the impact that the struggling economy has had on the well-being of the women and families. Job loss, stagnant wages, rising income, and wealth inequality have taken a terrible toll on single moms, communities of color, the disabled, and other vulnerable populations. Our local associations nationwide have been asked to do more to help those in need during a time of decreased donations and less government funding. The Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG), the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) are three sources of domestic discretionary funding that enable YWCAs to the provide vital services to women and families nationwide including childcare, job training, transitional housing and domestic violence and sexual assault services. As you know, domestic discretionary funding has been subjected to numerous cuts over the years including the Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Budget, the debt ceiling agreement when FY 2012 funding was capped, and, most recently, the Budget Control Act of 2011 (P.L ), which instituted statutory caps on spending. As we begin 2013, domestic discretionary funding is already subjected to caps through 2021, and to possible sequestration later this year. The continued cuts, coupled with those already enacted into law, are proof that discretionary programs and the YWCA clients who rely on them have already shouldered the brunt of deficit reduction. We therefore ask Congress to protect discretionary spending including CCDBG, CDBG, and VAWA as Congress works on the FY 2013 and FY 2014 appropriations, and determines how to best address the sequester and advance long-term debt reduction. It is also our hope that Congress will continue to ensure that Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP/food stamps are not subject to harmful cuts such as changes to benefit levels or eligibility, which could further harm YWCA clients and others. In summary, we urge you to develop a fair and balanced approach to addressing our nation s debt and deficit that places military spending and revenue on the table, and protect the most vulnerable in our nation and the vital social programs that serve them. We look forward to working with you and your staff on these issues in the 113th Congress. If you would like more information about the YWCA USA, please visit our website at Please call or Desiree Hoffman, Director of Advocacy and Policy at the YWCA USA at or dhoffman@ywca.org if you would like to discuss our legislative agenda further or have questions. Sincerely, Dara Richardson-Heron, M.D. Chief Executive Officer Desiree Hoffman Director of Advocacy and Policy 2 A Toolkit for Advocacy 73

74 For Immediate Release January 31, 2013 Media Contact: Robin Scullin ( ); James Grant ( ); YWCA USA Announces Top National Legislative Priorities for the 113th Congress Leading Women s Organization to Focus on Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), Immigration Reform and a Fair Budget Washington, D.C.! As one of the leading organizations dedicated to empowering women and eliminating racism, the YWCA USA has selected its top three advocacy priorities for the 113th Congress. Today, the YWCA is sending a letter outlining the top three national advocacy priorities to the U.S. House and Senate, and to the White House. The YWCA, which serves more than 2 million women, children and families nationwide in more than 1,300 locations across the U.S., will focus its national advocacy efforts on legislation to: 1. Reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) 2. Enact National Immigration Reform 3. Support a Fair Budget that Protects Women and Families* *see detailed legislative platform on Page 2 With over 230 YWCAs nationwide, the YWCA recently surveyed its local associations about the most pressing issues they would like policymakers to address. Specifically, local leaders were asked about their top legislative concerns regarding women s health and safety, women s economic empowerment and racial justice the three broad issue areas in which the YWCA offers programs. Survey respondents included YWCA association executive directors, program directors, advocacy specialists and staff. Strategically identifying key legislative priorities for the upcoming year allows the YWCA to more effectively advocate around the issues of economic empowerment, comprehensive immigration reform and freedom from violence that are before our new Congress, said Dara Richardson-Heron, MD, CEO of the YWCA USA. There is tremendous power to be gained by collectively mobilizing around a common YWCA issue platform. The legislative priorities identified are vitally important to and potentially life-changing for the millions of women, children and families who count on our local associations and National office to advocate on their behalf, she added. We are pleased that the new Congress has already demonstrated a reinvigorated commitment to pass vital pieces of legislation like National Immigration Reform and VAWA, which will directly address hardships faced by women and families across the country, said Desiree Hoffman, Director of Advocacy and Policy at the YWCA USA. Hoffman added, Our goal is to ensure that legislators know the real impact of this legislation on the communities we serve. Here is the YWCA letter outlining the top three national advocacy priorities to the U.S. House, Senate and the White House. The White House will also be encouraged to cover these issues in the President s State of the Union Address on February 12. -more M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

75 YWCA s Top Three Legislative Priorities for the 113th Congress: 1. Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA): As the largest provider of domestic violence shelters in the U.S., serving over half a million women each year, the YWCA is deeply committed to initiatives that promote safety and security for women and families. YWCA anti-violence programs include: emergency shelters; 24-hour hotlines; transitional and supportive housing for victims of violence; non-residential counseling and therapy; sexual assault response teams, and court advocacy and case management. In ranking the top three women s health and safety issue areas, local associations indicated that the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is their top legislative priority for the 113th Congress. The YWCA USA is calling for the swift and immediate passage of the reintroduced VAWA bill, S National Immigration Reform: Historically, the YWCA has advocated for racial justice and for equitable and just laws in communities across the country. Local associations nationwide provide racial justice programs to more than 330,000 clients annually, including: assisting immigrant victims of violence in navigating the justice system; providing racial justice training to the community; working with victims of human and sexual trafficking; voter education and mobilization; affirmative action, and working to end hate crimes. YWCAs across the country are deeply committed to advocating for a common sense immigration process that keeps families together here in the U.S., provides adequate protections for immigration victims of sexual violence and trafficking and that creates a roadmap for citizenship for the 11 million aspiring to be citizens.! 3. A Fair Budget that Protects Women and Families: The YWCA is greatly invested in programs and legislation that foster opportunities for women to achieve economic and financial security and stability. Many YWCAs nationwide that help women pursue these goals, rely, at least in part, on federal funding to ensure the sustainability of their programming. Key funding streams like the Child Care Development Block Grant (CDBG), Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Violence Against Women Act, allow local associations to serve countless women and families. With policymakers in Washington D.C. focused on cutting spending, including deficit reduction and the sequester, the YWCA is concerned that cuts to non-defense discretionary spending and benefit and eligibility changes to of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security would negatively impact the women and families we serve. About the YWCA USA The YWCA is the voice for every woman. For more than 150 years, the YWCA has spoken out and taken action on behalf of women and girls. The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Over 2 million people participate each year in YWCA programs at more than 1,300 locations across the U.S.!!!! 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 75

76 Board Resolution for Advocacy Our belief: Public Policy, or Advocacy, has often been called the conscience of the YWCA. Coupled with the mission of the YWCA, to eliminate racism and empower women, Advocacy addresses the underlying issues affecting women and persons of color and moves into action. Advocacy attempts to change the conditions that lead to inequities and injustice and to bring about systemic change. Scope: YWCAs at both the national and world level adopt multi-faceted platforms at their periodic gatherings of member associations. Local YWCAs take action in support of this platform within their own communities, based on their particular community s needs and grounded in the programs that identify the needs of their members. Local YWCAs also join with other YWCAs in taking action at the state and national level and join with the YWCA USA and World YWCA on action on issues. Taking action on advocacy includes: 1) Identifying the issue, doing research, presenting the findings, developing position papers, and recommending action. 2) Getting appropriate YWCA approval by the Board of Directors or President and CEO/ED of action to be taken. The Board may authorize the Advocacy Committee to take action on its behalf for generic issues; or the President and CEO/ED may authorize action for underlying issues without going to the Board each time. 3) Taking action which might include: a. Community education, such as providing a panel presentation, a forum, a speaker; b. Public testimony at city councils, school boards or the state capitol; c. Letter-writing to Senators, Representatives, the President, corporations, school boards, the newspaper; and, d. Personal calls to elected officials. 4) Ensuring that action will follow 501(c)(3) regulations and will be non-partisan and neither support nor oppose any political candidate or political party. 5) Designating who will speak on behalf of the YWCA. Individuals may speak on their own behalf without identifying the YWCA. Approval: The Board of Directors recognizes the importance of Advocacy in carrying out the Mission of the YWCA in eliminating racism and empowering women and approves the methods for taking action as described above. Date: Signed by: *Originated: YWCA of the Mid-Peninsula, in Palo Alto, CA 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

77 Advocacy Committee Description Purpose: To support the mission of the YWCA to eliminate racism and empower women by identifying issues, gathering information, developing policies and facilitating action in order to bring about social change. Qualifications of members: Committee should include diverse members with a commitment to the YWCA's mission, goals and programs; knowledge of the local community; the ability to analyze information on issues; and who can communicate clearly. Accountability: Committee reports directly to the Board of Directors. The Chair is a member of the Board; members of the committee may include Board and non-board persons. Roles and Responsibilities of the Committee: 1. Serves as the key resource for advocacy policies and action for the Association. 2. Identifies and studies issues appropriate to the Association, its membership, and the nationally-adopted YWCA positions. 3. Develops fact sheets and position papers: a. Collects basic information on the issues and related legislation, or other proposed action steps, including materials provided by the YWCA USA. b. Discusses and analyzes the information. c. Recommends action and forwards it to the Board of Directors. d. Action recommendations might be at the local, state or national levels and include letters to government representatives, testimony at hearings, visiting elected officials. e. Gets approval of the proposed action steps by the Board. 4. Designates the spokespersons, identifies who is authorized to speak on behalf of the Board or Committee, and ensures that the Board and staff are advised. 5. Distributes information to the YWCA members and the public through mailings/ s, forums, displays, or Letters to the Editor. 6. Takes action at the designated level. 7. May join in coalitions with agencies that have parallel positions, upon approval of the Board. 8. Knows and follows 501(c)(3) regulations, is non-partisan, and does not endorse candidates *Originated from Kay Philips, Pacific Region Advocacy Committee 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 77

78 National Coalitions and National Partners The YWCA USA currently belongs to the following coalitions: Coalition on Human Needs (CHN) is an alliance of national organizations working together to promote public policies that address the needs of low-income and other vulnerable populations. The Coalition's members include civil rights, religious, labor and professional organizations and those concerned with the well-being of children, women, the elderly and people with disabilities. Health Care for America Now (HCAN) is a national grassroots campaign of more than 1,000 organizations in 46 states, representing 30 million people who are dedicated to winning quality, affordable health care we all can count on in 2010 and beyond. HerVotes Coalition was created in recognition of the anniversary of the ratification of the 19 th Amendment granting women the right to vote, and the anniversary of the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington. The goal is to mobilize women voters around preserving women's Health and Economic Rights (HER rights). Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. Through advocacy and outreach to targeted constituencies, the Leadership Conference works toward the goal of a more open and just society an America as good as its ideals. The National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education (NCWGE) is a nonprofit organization of more than 50 groups dedicated to improving educational opportunities for girls and women. Our mission is to provide leadership in and advocate for the development of national education policies that benefit all women and girls. The National Committee on Pay Equitv (NCPE), founded in 1979, is a coalition of women's and civil rights organizations; labor unions; religious, professional, legal, and educational associations, commissions on women, state and local pay equity coalitions and individuals working to eliminate sex- and race-based wage discrimination and to achieve pay equity. The National Council of Women's Organizations (NCWO) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit umbrella organization of more than 200 groups, which collectively represent over 10 million women across the country. It is the only national coalition of its kind M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

79 The Coalition on Human Needs (CHN) is an alliance of national organizations working together to promote public policies which address the needs of low-income and other vulnerable populations. The Coalition's members include civil rights, religious, labor and professional organizations and those concerned with the well being of children, women, the elderly and people with disabilities. Members include: AFSCME Alliance for Children and Families American Association of People with Disabilities American Association of University Women American Friends Service Committee American Humane Association American Jewish Committee American Network of Community Options and Resources American Psychological Association Americans for Democratic Action The Arc and UCP Disability Policy Collaboration Association for Career and Technical Education Bread for the World Campaign for America's Future Campaign for Youth Justice Catholic Charities USA Center for American Progress Center for Community Change Center for Economic and Policy Research Center for Law and Social Policy Center for People in Need Center on Budget & Policy Priorities Child Welfare League of America Children's Defense Fund Church Women United Cities for Progress/Cities for Peace Citizens for Tax Justice Community Action Partnership Congressional Hunger Center Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Corporation for Enterprise Development Council for Opportunity in Education Easter Seals, Inc. Economic Policy Institute Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Every Child Matters Foundation Families USA Feeding America First Focus Food Research & Action Center Franciscan Action Network Friends Committee on National Legislation General Board of Church & Society, United Methodist Church General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church Generations United Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania Human Services Coalition of Oregon Institute for Women's Policy Research " Jewish Council for Public Affairs Joni B Goodman, Washington Consultant Legal Momentum Lutheran Services in America Mennonite Central Committee National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd National Alliance to End Homelessness National Association for State Community Services Programs National Association for the Education of Young Children National Association of Social Workers National Center for Housing and Child Welfare National Child Support Enforcement Association National Coalition for the Homeless National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare National Community Action Foundation National Community Reinvestment Coalition National Consumer Law Center National Council of Jewish Women National Council of La Raza National Disability Rights Network National Education Association National Employment Law Project National Energy Assistance Directors' Association National Head Start Association National Housing Trust National Immigration Law Center National Low Income Housing Coalition National Partnership for Women and Families National Priorities Project National Skills Coalition National WIC Association National Women's Law Center National Youth Employment Coalition NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby OMB Watch Oregon Food Bank Poverty and Race Research Action Council Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office Religious Action Center Research Institute for Independent Living RESULTS Salvation Army, National Social Services Office Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law Seekers Church Service Employee International Union Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Inc Southeast Asia Resource Action Center!" A Toolkit for Advocacy 79

80 The Jewish Federations of North America U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops United Church of Christ - Justice and Witness Ministries United Way of America Voices for America's Children Volunteers of America WAND Education Fund, Inc. Wider Opportunities for Women World Knowledge Bank YouthBuild USA YWCA USA Health Care for America Now (HCAN) is a national grassroots campaign of more than 1,000 organizations in 46 states representing 30 million people dedicated to winning quality, affordable health care we all can count on in 2010 and beyond. Members include: 9 to 5, National Association of Working Women Abundant Children and Family Services Adventists Community Services AFL-CIO AIDS in Action Alliance for Retired Americans American Academy of Family Physicians American Academy of Nursing American Academy of Pediatrics American Family Voices American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) American Federation of Teachers (AFT) American Federation of Television and Radio Artists American Medical Student Association American Nurses Association Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) Americans United for Change AskSlim.org Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum Association for Better Insulation Black Women s Health Imperative Brave New Films Bus Federation Cafemom.com Campaign for America s Future Campaign for Community Change (CCC) Campus Progress Action CareTALK Center for American Progress Action Fund Center for Rural Affairs Center for Science in the Public Interest Center for Social and Economic Justice Child Advocate Network Children s Defense Fund Action Council Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU Healthcare Commonwealth Institute Communications Workers of America (CWA) Community Action Partnership Community Service Society Clergy Strategic Alliances, LLC CREDO Mobile Democracia Ahora Democracy for America Direct Care Alliance Eagle Medical Services Future Majority Generational Alliance Health Care for the 21st Century Consulting Healthcare United HIV Medicine Association Holman Healthcare Consulting Hope for Hepatitis C Human Rights Campaign Independent Staff Union International Federation of Black Prides, Inc. International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace & Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) Jobs With Justice Latinos for National Health Insurance Leadership Center for the Common Good Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) MDI Imported Car Service, Inc Moms for Universal Health Care on cafemom.com MoveOn.org Muscular Dystrophy Foundation for Independent Living My Rural America (Action Fund) NAACP National Abortion Federation National Alliance on Mental Illness National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum National Alliance of Professional Psychology Providers National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance National Association of Certified Professional Midwives National Association of School-Based Health Care National Association for State Community Services Programs National Association of Hepatitis Task Forces #" " 80 YWCA

81 National Association of Social Workers (NASW) National Beauty Culturists League, Inc. National Cervical Cancer Coalition National Coalition for LGBT Health National Community Action Foundation National Consumers League National Council of La Raza National Council of Urban Indian Health National Council of Jewish Women National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) National Education Association (NEA) National Foundation for Celiac Awareness National Institute for Reproductive Health National Korean American Service & Education Consortium National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health National Minority Quality Forum National Partnership for Women and Families National Physicians Alliance National Women's Health Network National Women s Law Center Northwest Federation of Community Organizations Out with Cancer, Inc Paint Lick Family Clinic, Inc PHI/Health Care for Health Care Workers Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health Planned Parenthood Federation of America Progressive Action Network Progress Now Progressive Future Progressive States Network Raising Women s Voices for the Health Care We Need Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Rock the Vote Roosevelt Institution Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Single Stop USA Sister Song Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective The Congressional Black Caucus Health Brain Trust The Healthcare Coverage Post The League of Young Voters OWL -The Voice of Midlife and Older Women The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring True Majority United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Universal Health Care Action Network (UHCAN) Union for Reform Judaism United Professionals USAction USPIRG Votehealthcare.org White Crane Billing Solutions Women's Health Foundation Woman s National Democratic Club Women s Universal Health Initiative Women s Voices for the Earth Women's Voices. Women Vote. Working America Working Families Win Work Place Fairness Young Invincibles YWCA Young Women s Christian Association Her Votes Coalition was created in recognition of the anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote, and the anniversary of the 1963 civil rights march on Washington. The goal is to mobilize women voters in 2012 around preserving women s Health and Economic Rights (HER rights.) Members include: American Association of University Women Linda Hallman, Executive Director/CEO Advocates for Youth James Wagoner, President Black Women s Health Imperative Eleanor Hinton Hoytt, President Black Women s Roundtable, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation Melanie Campbell, Executive Director Business and Professional Women s Foundation Deborah L. Frett, Chief Executive Officer Coalition of Labor Union Women Karen J. See, President Dolores Huerta Foundation Dolores Huerta, President " Fem2.0 Abigail Collazo, Editor Feminist Majority Foundation/Ms. Magazine community Eleanor Smeal, President General Federation of Women s Clubs Natasha L. Rankin, Executive Director Hadassah, The Women s Zionist Organization of America, Inc. Marcie Natan Jewish Women International Loribeth Weinstein, Executive Director MomsRising Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director NARAL Pro-Choice America $" A Toolkit for Advocacy 81

82 Nancy Keenan, President National Asian Pacific American Women s Forum Miriam Yeung, Executive Director National Association of Social Workers Dr. Elizabeth Clark, Executive Director National Coalition of 100 Black Women Dee Dee Strum, President National Conference of Puerto Rican Women Vivian Ortiz, National President National Congress of Black Women Dr. E. Faye Williams, Chair National Council of Negro Women Avis Jones De-Weever, Executive Director National Council of Women s Organization Susan Scanlan, Chair National Council of Jewish Women Nancy K. Kaufman, CEO National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, Incoming Executive Director National Organization for Women Terry O Neill, President National Partnership for Women and Families Debra L. Ness, President National Women s Health Network Cindy Pearson, Executive Director National Women s Law Center Marcia Greenberger, Co-President National Women s Political Caucus Linda Young, President Planned Parenthood Federation of America Cecile Richards, President Raising Women s Voices for the Health Care We Need Cindy Pearson, Co-Founder Sister Song Loretta Ross, National Coordinator Wider Opportunities for Women Donna Addkison, President and CEO Women s Information Network Carla Reed, Chair Women s Research and Education Institute (WREI) Susan Scanlan, Executive Director YWCA USA The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. Through advocacy and outreach to targeted constituencies, The Leadership Conference works toward the goal of a more open and just society an America as good as its ideals. Members include: " A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) AARP ADA Watch Advancement Project African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church) Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) Alaska Inter-Tribal Council (AITC) Alliance for Retired Americans Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. American Association for Affirmative Action American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) AAUW (formerly known as the American Association of University Women) American Baptist Home Mission Societies, American Baptist Churches USA American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) American Council of the Blind (ACB) The American Ethical Union (AEU) American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO (AFGE) American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO (AFSCME) American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO (AFT) American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) American Islamic Congress (AIC) American Jewish Committee (AJC) American Nurses Association (ANA) American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) Amnesty International USA Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Appleseed Asian American Justice Center (AAJC) Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) The Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. (AJLI) The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) B Nai B rith International (BBI) Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law %" 82 YWCA

83 Building & Construction Trades Department, AFL- CIO (BCTD) Center for Community Change (CCC) Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) Center for Women Policy Studies Children's Defense Fund (CDF) Church of the Brethren - World Ministries Commission Church Women United (CWU) Citizens' Commission on Civil Rights (CCCR) Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) Common Cause Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO, CLC (CWA) Community Action Partnership Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) DC Vote Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. DEMOS: A Network for Ideas & Action Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) Division of Homeland Ministries - Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Epilepsy Foundation of America Episcopal Church - Public Affairs Office Equal Justice Society Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) FairVote Families USA Federally Employed Women (FEW) Feminist Majority Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) The General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church (GBCS) Global Rights Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers International Union (GMP) Hip Hop Caucus Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Human Rights First (HRF) Immigration Equality Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) International Association of Official Human Rights Agencies (IAOHRA) International Brotherhood of Teamsters International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) Jewish Community Centers Association (JCC Association) Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) Jewish Labor Committee (JLC) Jewish Women International (JWI) Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law (Bazelon Center) The Justice Project Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) Lambda Legal LatinoJustice PRLDEF Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law League of Women Voters of The United States (LWV) Legal Aid Society Employment Law Center (LAS-ELC) Legal Momentum Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Matthew Shepard Foundation Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) NA'AMAT USA NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) NALEO Educational Fund National Alliance of Postal & Federal Employees (NAPFE) National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) The National Association of Colored Women's Clubs, Inc. (NACWC) National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA) National Association of Human Rights Workers (NAHRW) National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) National Association of Negro Business & Professional Women's Clubs, Inc. (NANBPWC) National Association of Neighborhoods (NAN) National Association of Social Workers (NASW) National Bar Association (NBA) National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) &" " A Toolkit for Advocacy 83

84 National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) The National Center on Time & Learning National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD) National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP) National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP) National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) The National Conference for Community and Justice National Conference of Black Mayors, Inc. (NCBM) National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights (NCPRR) National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.(NCC) National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) National Council of La Raza (NCLR) National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) National Education Association (NEA) National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) National Farmers Union (NFU) National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) National Gay and Lesbian Task Force National Health Law Program (NHeLP) The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) National Immigration Forum National Immigration Law Center (NILC) National Institute for Employment Equity National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC) National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health National Lawyers Guild (NLG) National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) National Organization for Women (NOW) National Partnership for Women & Families National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. National Urban League (NUL) National Women's Law Center (NWLC) National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC) Native American Rights Fund (NARF) The Newspaper Guild - Communications Workers of America (TNG-CWA) 9to5, National Association of Working Women OCA (formerly known as Organization of Chinese Americans) Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ, Inc. (OC Inc.) Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Open Society Policy Center (OSPC) Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) People For the American Way (PFAW) Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA) PolicyLink Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC) Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Pride At Work Progressive National Baptist Convention (PNBC) Project Equality, Inc. Project Vote Public Advocates Inc. Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC) Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) Secular Coalition for America Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) The Sierra Club Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) Sikh Coalition South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) Teach for America TransAfrica Forum Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) UNITE HERE! United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC) United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries (JWM) United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO (UFW) '" " 84 YWCA

85 United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) United Mine Workers of America, AFL-CIO (UMWA) United States International Council on Disabilities (USICD) United States Students Association (USSA) United Steelworkers of America (USW) United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ) Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) Women's American ORT Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) Workers Defense League Workmen's Circle YMCA USA YWCA USA Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. The National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education (NCWGE) is a nonprofit organization of more than 50 groups dedicated to improving educational opportunities for girls and women. Our mission is to provide leadership in and advocate for the development of national education policies that benefit all women and girls. Academy for Educational Development American Association for the Advancement of Science American Association of School Administrators American Association of University Women American Civil Liberties Union: Women's Rights Project American Civil Liberties Union American Federation of Teachers American Psychological Association Association for Gender Equity Leadership in Education Association for Women in Science Association of American Colleges and Universities Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. Association of Teacher Educators Business & Professional Women USA Center for Advancement of Public Policy Center for Women's Policy Studies Council of Chief State School Officers Resource Center on Educational Equity Dads and Daughters Equal Rights Advocates Federation of Organizations for Professional Women Feminist Majority Foundation Gallaudet University Women's Basketball Coach Girl Scouts of the USA Girls Incorporated Girlstart Healthy Teen Network Institute for Women s Policy Research Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Ms. Foundation for Women Myra Sadker Advocates for Gender Equity National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity National Association for Girls & Women in Sport National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators National Center for Lesbian Rights National Council of Administrative Women in Education National Council of Negro Women National Council of Women s Organizations National Education Association National Girls Collaborative Project National Organization for Women National Partnership for Women and Families National Women's History Project National Women's History Project National Women's Law Center National Women's Political Caucus Legal Momentum Parent and Teacher Association Partners of the Americas Society of Women Engineers U.S. Student Association Wider Opportunities for Women Women's Edge Women's Law Project Women's Research and Education Institute Women's Research and Education Institute Women's Sports Foundation YWCA (" " A Toolkit for Advocacy 85

86 The National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE), founded in 1979, is a coalition of women's and civil rights organizations; labor unions; religious, professional, legal, and educational associations, commissions on women, state and local pay equity coalitions and individuals working to eliminate sex- and race-based wage discrimination and to achieve pay equity. Members include: Action 4 Equality Scotland AFL-CIO* Alliance for Retired Americans A. Philip Randolph Institute* American Association of University Professors AAUW* AAUW Montgomery, AL American Federation of Government Employees* American Federation of Government Employees Local 1501 American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees* American Federation of Teachers* American Library Association* American Physical Therapy Association Asian Pacific-American Labor Alliance Association for Women in Science Boca Massage & Day Spa Business & Professional Women, USA* Buying Influence Inc. Civil Service Employees Association, Inc. Clearinghouse on Women's Issues Coalition for Equal Pay Coalition of Black Trade Unionists* Coalition of Labor Union Women* Communications Workers of America* Delta Zeta Sorority, Kappa Beta Chapter The Democratic Tribune Dialogue on Diversity* DOL-W Media Distribution Division DuPage County NOW Equal Rights Advocates Feminist Majority The Feminist Vox of West Los Angeles College Financial Women International Gender Action Grand Rapids Women's Resource Center Greater Boston Chapter NOW Hadassah, Women's Zionist Org. of America Job Search Intelligence Labor Council for Latin American Advancement Leadership Greater Syracuse Legal Momentum Louisville Metro Office for Women Lovely Life Magazine Maggie's Poetic Delights MANA: A National Latina Organization* MomsRising.org Muncie Human Rights Commission NAACP National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity National Association of Commissions for Women* National Capital Area Union Retirees* National Council of Women of Republic of Macedonia National Council of Women's Organizations National Education Association* National Gay and Lesbian Task Force National Organization for Women National Partnership for Women & Families National Treasury Employees Union National Women's Law Center* Nebraska Democratic Women's Caucus New Hampshire Women's Lobby and Alliance 9to5, National Association of Working Women OWL, The Voice of Midlife and Older Women Office & Professional Employees Intl Union Pride At Work Religious Action Center Second Chance Alternatives, Inc. Sierra Recycling & Demolition Single Moms Alliance for Resources and Tools Sisters in the Building Trades Soroptimist International of the Americas, Inc. Tucson Unified School District African American Studies Department United Auto Workers United Auto Workers L.1853 Women's Committee United Food & Commercial Workers Union* The WAGE Project Washington Public Emp. Assn/UFCW L.365 West Virginia Women's Commission Wider Opportunities for Women Woman's National Democratic Club Women Employed Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement Women Networking in Southern Delaware, Inc. Women on the Job Women on the Job Project of the Long Island Fund for Women & Girls Working Mothers Italy The Women's Center of Shippensburg University Women's Sports Foundation* and its GoGirlGo campaign YWCA of the USA* )" " 86 YWCA

87 The National Council of Women's Organizations (NCWO) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit umbrella organization of more than 200 groups, which collectively represent over 10 million women across the country. It is the only national coalition of its kind. 9 to 5 National Association for Working Women Abortion Care Network Alexandria Commission for Women Alice Paul Institute, Inc Alliance for National Defense Alliance for Women in Media Alliance of Faith and Feminism American Association of University Women American College of Nurses and Midwives American College of Women's Health Physicians American Forum American Medical Women's Association American Nurses Association American Psychological Association American Social Health Association Aquinas College Women's Studies Center Association for Women in Science Association of Academic Women's Health Programs Association of Reproductive Health Professionals Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses Belo Rural Women Association Black Women in Sports Foundation Black Women United For Action Black Women's Health Imperative Break the Chain Campaign Business and Professional Women s Foundation California State University Stanislaus Catholics for Choice Center for Advancement of Public Policy Center for Ethics and Action Center for Health and Gender Equity Center for Reproductive Rights Center for the Child Care Workforce Center for Women Policy Studies Center of Concern: Global Women's Project Chellis House/Middlebury College Chicago Foundation for Women Choice USA Christian Women of Elegance Church Women United Claremont Graduate University, Applied Women's Studies Clearinghouse of Women's Issues Coalition of Labor Union Women Coast Guard Family Organization, Inc Code Pink Commonwell Institute International Communication Consortium Media Center Cornell University Institute for Women and Work Counseling for Women DC Rape Crisis Center Dept. for Professional Employees Dialogue on Diversity, Inc Digital Sisters Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy, and Action Economists' Policy Group on Women's Issues Educators for Progressive Instructional Change Equal Rights Advocates Equal Visibility Everywhere, Inc Equality Now ERA Campaign Network Fair Fund Fairfax County Commission for Women Federal Aviation Administration Federally Employed Women Feminist Majority Foundation Financial Women International First Freedom First Florida Women's Consortium Friends of Missouri Women's Council Gender Action General Federation of Women's Clubs Girls Incorporated Global Women s Strike Guttmacher Institute H.O.P.E Hadassah Healthywomen Institute for Health and Aging Institute for Women's Policy Research Interaction- American Council for Voluntary International Action International Center for Research on Women International Women's Democracy Center International Women's Media Foundation Jewish Women International Law Students for Reproductive Justice League of Women Voters Legal Momentum LIFETIME Lung Cancer Alliance Maine Women's Lobby MANA, A Natonal Latina Org. Maryland Women's Coalition for Health Care Reform Media Equity Collaborative Menopause Alliance Miami University Women's Center Million Mom March United with the Brady Campaign Missouri Women's Council Moms Rising *" " A Toolkit for Advocacy 87

88 Morgan Stanley Ms. Foundation for Women, INC My Daughter's Keeper, Inc/Project Single Moms Na'amat USA NARAL National Abortion Federation National Alliance for Caregiving National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum National Asian Women's Health Organization National Association for Female Executives National Association of Commissions for Women- MD National Association of Commissions for Women- NM National Association of Mother's Centers National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health National Association of Orthopedic Nurses National Association of Women Business Owners National Capitol Area Union Retirees Club National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease National Committee of Women for a Democratic Iran National Committee on Pay Equity National Congress of Black Women, Inc National Council for Research on Women National Council of Jewish Women, INC National Council of Negro Women National Council of Women of the United States, INC National Crittenton Foundation DBA National Famly Planning and Reproductive Health Association National Foundation for Women Legislators National Gay and Lesbian Task Force National Hispana Leadership Insitute National Hook-Up of Black Women National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health National Network of Abortion Funds National Organization for Women National Osteoporosis Foundation National Partnership for Women and Families National Research Center for Women and Families National Women's Conference Committee National Women's Hall of Fame National Women's Health Network National Women's History Museum National Women's History Project National Women's Law Center National Women's Party National Women's Political Caucus National Women's Studies Association Network Network of East-West Women Nontraditional Employment for Women Northern Illinois University Women's Studies Older Women's League Oregon State University Women's Studies Organization for the Relief of Underpriviledged Women and Children in Africa, Oruwoca Inc Ovarian Cancer National Alliance Peace X Peace Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc Project Kesher Project Kid Smart Project Single Mom's Worldwide, Inc Promise Central (Part of break the chain) Public Leadership Education Network (PLEN) Rachel's Network Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Running Start Second Change Employment Services Sewall-Belmont House and Museum Sister to Sister: Everyone has a Heart Foundation, Inc Sistersong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective Smart Start America Society for Women's Health Research Stanford University Feminist Studies Interdisciplinary Program The Banyan Tree, Inc The Tides Center The Transition Network The Women's Center The Women's Information Network The Women's Museum The Women's Museum: An Institute for the Future The Younger Women's Task Force Turning Anger into Change U.S Women's Chamber of Commerce Ujwala Samant Unifem/USA United American Nurses, AFL-CIO United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society United Methodist Church, General Board of Global Ministries, Women's Division United Methodist Church, Women's Division, General Board of Global Ministries US Women Connect Utah Women's Alliance For Building Community Veteran Feminists of America Vision 2020 Vital Voices Global Partnership Voices of a People's History of the United States Wage Project Wand Education Fund, Inc Washington Area Women's Foundation Wecai Network White House Project Wider Opportunities for Women Women and Politics Institute Women Employed!+" " 88 YWCA

89 Women for Afghan Women Women for Women International Women Graduates-USA Inc Women in Film and Video Women In Government Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation, Inc Women of Color in the Global Women s Strike Women Officials of NACo Leadership Network Women Thrive Worldwide Women Under Forty PAC Women Waging Peace-Hunt Alternatives Fund Women Work! The National Network for Women's Employment Women's Action for New Directions/Women Legislator's Lobby Women's Business Development Center Women's Campaign Forum Women's Caucus for Political Science Women's City Club of New York Women's Committee of 100 Women's Environment and Development Organization Women's Funding Network Women's Information Network Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Women's International News Gathering Service Women's International Public Health Network Women's Law Center of Maryland, Inc Women's National Democratic Club Women's Opportunity Link of Delaware, Inc Women's Ordination Conference Women's Party Women's Power Circles Ltd Women's Research and Education Insititute Women's Social Policy and Research Center at Vanderbilt University Women's Sports Foundation Women's Studies Department at San Diego State University Women's Studies Program: Fairfield Univ. Women's Transportation Seminar Women's Voices, Women's Vote YWCA USA!!" " A Toolkit for Advocacy 89

90 BACKGROUND Rules of Lobbying!!!! Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organizations are legally allowed to devote a non-substantial portion of their time and activities to influencing legislation or participating in lobbying activities without losing their tax-exempt status. Lobbying is a legitimate way for YWCAs to shape legislation that affects the issues that they care about in their community. Lobbying is defined as communications that are intended to influence specific legislation. Legislation includes any action introduced, amended, enacted, defeated, and repealed in Congress, state or local legislatures, as well as any action by the general public in a referendum. Legislation generally does not include action by an executive branch, such as promulgation of rules and regulations, or action by independent regulatory agencies. Additionally, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) views any attempt to influence the confirmation by the Senate of a federal judicial nominee as a lobbying activity. Advocacy covers a broad range of activities that include lobbying. However, advocacy also includes non-partisan issue education, research and analysis, and organizing efforts. These activities are not treated as lobbying activities. Therefore, tax-exempt organizations may also participate in these educational activities without risking their tax-exempt status. If your YWCA does engage in lobbying, the IRS has provided guidelines and regulations for lobbying activities for non-profits. Section 501(c)(3) organizations that want to engage in lobbying must comply with one of two IRS standards. It is important to remember that Section 501(c)(3) organizations must follow the IRS limits for lobbying or risk losing their tax-exempt status. Keep in mind that while a Section 501(c)(3) organization may engage in lobbying activities, there is an absolute prohibition on engaging in any political activities. Political activity is defined as participation or intervention in a political campaign of an individual candidate for public office. The penalty for a Section 501(c)(3) organization that conducts any political activities is revocation of its tax-exempt status. RULES The general standard for tax-exempt organizations is that no substantial part of their activities may be attempting to influence legislation. Therefore, lobbying cannot be a substantial part of your organization s activities if you follow this standard. This is known as the substantial part test and has been the standard since However, this standard is extremely vague. One 1955 case suggested that 5% of an organization s activities devoted to lobbying is not substantial. More recent regulations issued by the IRS have clarified and expanded the rules of lobbying for tax-exempts M! Street, NW Suite 550 Washington, D.C YWCA

91 The newer standard is known as the Expenditure test, or Section 501(h) election. This standard is an alternative to the substantial part test and sets specific dollar limits and definitions for lobbying for Section 501(c)(3) organizations. Your organization must choose to make this election by filing a one-page form with the IRS. If you have not filed this form to make the Section 501(h) election, then by default you must follow the substantial part test standard. It is also important to note that tax-exempt organizations that receive federal funds may not use them to lobby at the federal, state or local level. However, they are not prevented from using the private funds they receive for lobbying purposes. So, if your YWCA receives a substantial amount of federal funding, this fact needs to be considered in assessing your participation in lobbying activities. Below is a comparison of the two sets of lobbying rules for Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations. This information is only intended to give an overview of this subject; please consult your organization s attorney and/or accountant to decide what would be best for your local association. Substantial Part Test Lobbying must be less than a substantial part of organizations activities Lobbying is not clearly defined (however, legislation is clearly defined); lobbying does not include nonpartisan analysis, study and research, as well as responding to a request from a legislative committee to testify (based on an IRS Ruling) Volunteer and cost free activities count towards the lobbying limit All lobbying activities and expenses must be documented The importance of the issue to the organization is a factor to determine if lobbying is substantial Tax-exempt status may be revoked for a single year violation and excise taxes may be imposed Tax Form 990 may require additional reporting Expenditure Test Limit of lobbying is 20% of the first $500,000 of exempt purpose expenditures and decreasing percentages up to $1 million; any excess lobbying expenditures are subject to 25% tax Lobbying is defined and excludes certain specific activities such as invited testimony; non-partisan analysis, study, or research; certain limited self-defense activities; routine comments to government officials and employees Volunteer and cost-free activities do not count towards the lobbying limit Tax-exempt status will not be revoked after a single year violation, but 25% tax will be imposed To elect expenditure test, download IRS Form 5768 from 2 A Toolkit for Advocacy 91

92 What 501(c)(3)s Can Do During Elections The YWCA Can: Conduct nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote campaigns. Conduct nonpartisan candidate forums on issues of concern to our constituency. The forum must be open to all candidates, be conducted in a balanced way, and include a nonpartisan panel of questioners. Make substantive, issue-oriented presentations to platform committees, campaign staff, candidates, media, and the public. Take advantage of the increased attention that policy issues enjoy during an election period to focus public attention on our issues and agenda. Conduct nonpartisan training on issue education and organization skills. Report to its normal constituency, as part of continuing advocacy (lobbying), on votes of all legislators (not just candidates) on issues of interest to the YWCA, and indicate if the legislator supports the position. Allow staff to participate as individuals in political campaigns (on their own time, and not as representatives of the organization). The YWCA Cannot: Give endorsements to candidates for office, either explicitly or implicitly. Make contributions to candidates or parties (including in-kind contributions, publicity, and staff time, use of facilities or assets). Establish, fund, or manage a Political Action Committee (PAC). Evaluate candidate positions (except in certain circumstances where the evaluation pertains to a candidate s position on pending legislation that is the subject of lobbying by the organization). Coordinate activities with an election campaign. Key Points: Activities must be nonpartisan. As a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, the YWCA cannot engage in activities that appear to directly or indirectly influence a campaign for elected public office at any level of government. YWCAs can, however, remind voters that every vote counts and that elected officials decide public policies. Review the voter registration and voter education laws in your state before engaging in any voter registration or education activities. To find information on state laws regarding elections and nonprofit participation, or to find information on recent changes to state laws that may impact voter registration activities, contact the election commission in your state M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

93 Resources: Alliance for Justice: Nonprofit Vote: M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 93

94 501(h) Election or The Expenditure Test The general standard for measuring the amount of lobbying done by nonprofit organizations is that no substantial part of their activities may be attempting to influence legislation. Therefore, lobbying cannot be a substantial part of your organization s activities if you follow this standard. This is known as the substantial part test and has been the standard since However, this standard is extremely vague, and newer regulations issued by the IRS have clarified and expanded the rules of lobbying for non-profits. The newer standard is known as the Expenditure Test, or 501(h) election. This standard is an alternative to the substantial part test and sets specific dollar limits and definitions for lobbying for 501(c)(3) organizations. Your organization must choose to take this election by filing a onepage form with the IRS. If you have not filed this form and made the 501(h) election, you must follow the substantial part test standard. It is also important to note that nonprofits receiving federal funds may not use them to lobby at the federal, state or local level. However, they are not prevented from using the private funds they receive for lobbying purposes. If your YWCA receives a substantial amount of federal funding, that needs to be considered when assessing your participation in lobbying activities. Below is a comparison of the two sets of lobbying rules for non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations- the Substantial Part Test and the Expenditure/501(h) Test. This information is only intended to give an overview of this subject; please consult your organization s attorney and/or accountant to decide what would be best for your local association. Substantial Part Test Lobbying is less than a substantial part of organization's activities. Lobbying is not clearly defined, and no exceptions are specified. Volunteer and cost-free activities count towards the lobbying limit. All lobbying activities and expenses must be documented. The importance of the issue to the organization is a factor to determine if lobbying is substantial Tax-exempt status may be revoked for a single-year violation. Tax Form 990 may require additional reporting. Expenditure Test Lobbying is 20% of the first $500,000 of exempt purpose expenditures and decreasing percentages up to $1 million. Lobbying is defined and includes exceptions such as invited testimony, non-partisan analysis, study or research, or self-defense. Volunteer and cost-free activities do not count towards the lobbying limit. Tax-exempt status will not be revoked after a single-year violation. To elect, download IRS Form 5768 from M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

95 Sample List of Town Hall Questions Affirmative Action What is your position on affirmative action? What will you do to promote and protect diversity within higher education institutions if the Supreme Court rules against affirmative action in Fischer vs. University of Texas? Childcare and Early Education Do you support full federal funding for childcare, Head Start, and pre-kindergarten programs? What will you do in office to ensure that quality childcare is affordable for families? Equal Pay What is your position on equal pay? Do you believe there is a wage gap between male and female income earners? What will you do as an elected official to ensure that women have equal pay for equal work? Hate Crimes What have you done in the past to decrease violence against individuals who are targeted for crimes because of their sex, gender, religion, ethnicity, age, disability, or sexual orientation? If you are elected, what will you do to decrease violence against individuals who are targeted for crimes because of their race, sex, gender, religion, ethnicity, age, disability, or sexual orientation? Do you support the End Racial Profiling Act (H.R. 3618/S. 1670)? Health Care What is your position on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)? Will you oppose efforts to repeal and defund the Patient and Protection Affordable Care Act? Immigrations and Immigrants Rights What is your policy position on comprehensive immigration reform? What is your position on the DREAM Act? What is your strategy for assisting immigrant women who are trafficked into this country against their will? 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 95

96 Why write a Letter to the Editor? Guide to Writing a Letter to the Editor The main purpose of an LTE is to respond to a news story, editorial or op-ed that was already printed in the paper. It is a response mechanism, not a general sounding board, for your views. Make sure that your letter is clearly tied to something you read in the paper. An LTE can be used by advocates to: Respond to, or bring forward information that was not included in a news article, editorial, or opinion piece. Clear up inaccuracies or false information that may have been reported. Make a local issue national, or a national issue local. Reach a large audience to garner support for an issue. Add to your advocacy plan by using the LTE to address the article as well as generate support for your position among the public. Some Things You Should Consider Before You Get Started Most newspapers, when sorting through large piles of letters competing for limited publishing space, look for certain characteristics. You will want to check the paper s specific guidelines but, in general, you should: Be brief many papers have a 200-word limit on LTEs. You will want to follow the newspaper s guidelines in order to ensure that your important points are not edited. Before writing make sure you have thoroughly read the article you are addressing. Stick to one subject; discuss only one news article, issue or message per letter. Be sure you include your name, address and daytime phone number. Most newspapers will call you to verify that you did, in fact, write it. Make sure to get the letter to the paper as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours from the time when the piece you are responding to was published. Be sure to consider local factors, such as Congressional districts, as you plan what you are going to say in your letter. For example, is your letter going to mention your elected official, who may be able to influence the issue? Make sure your letter is professional, contains no spelling or grammatical errors, and that your points are stated in a clear and concise manner. Where Do I Send It? Many news organizations have an online form that you can use to send a Letter to the Editor. Almost all of them post an address, fax number or mailing address on their website. A phone call to the newspaper will help you ascertain the most appropriate staffer to receive the LTE. It is often a good idea to make a follow-up call to the editor to confirm receipt and stress why it is important the newspaper publishes your letter. Many larger newspapers will not confirm receipt of a letter, but those with smaller circulations often will M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

97 Please let us know if your letter is published! the National Advocacy team at Sample Letter to the Editor <Date> <Name> <Organization> (do not imply that you are writing on behalf of that organization without its permission) <Address> <City, State Zip> To the Editor: I could not agree more with yesterday s op-ed expressing disappointment at the Senate s recent activities to add discrimination into the Constitution. While Senator XX is busy playing politics, Rep XX is work on one of the more important pieces of civil rights legislation in our history. The right to vote is the most important tool Americans have to influence the policies that affect every aspect of our lives. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), hailed as our nation s most effective civil rights law, has worked for over forty years to secure that right. It has guaranteed millions of Americans the equal opportunity to participate in the political process and worked to end patterns of discrimination and exclusion in voting for racial, ethnic, and language minorities. That protection now hangs in the balance. Three important provisions of the VRA are set to expire in 2007, unless Congress reauthorizes them. The House of Representatives has held a series of hearings exploring the these important provisions and the role the VRA continues to play in ending discrimination and promoting equal opportunity in voting. These hearings have made evident that many voters, especially in lowincome areas and communities of color, still face discrimination and barriers to voting such as voter intimidation, poorly designed ballots, disinformation flyers, and other tactics aimed at voter disenfranchisement. Congress must not let the promises of the VRA die. Restoring and renewing the Voting Rights Act is crucial to ensuring that minority voters continue to fully and fairly enjoy the most basic of American rights: the right to vote. Respectfully submitted, <Name> <Office held> <Organization> <Address> <Phone> 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 97

98 Sample Letter to the Editor Some notes to remember: If possible, start your letter with a short reference to a recent article (within the last five days) about the issue you d like to address. If you do not know of a recent story, search your newspaper's website for key words about the issue. If there has been recent coverage, start your letter with a reference to the headline and the date it was published. Keep your final letter to less than 200 words. The letter below is a sample letter pertaining to the Violence Against Women Act. To the Editor, In reference to your article, <HEADLINE>, on <DATE>, the <YWCA ORGANIZATION NAME/CITY> is urging our community and our Members of Congress to support and vote for the immediate reauthorization of a bi-partisan Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Last year, despite concerted efforts to pass VAWA before the 112th Congress adjourned, our Representatives failed to ensure that this critical legislation was reauthorized. For the first time since its passage in 1994, VAWA became a partisan issue. We cannot let this happen again. The Senate overwhelmingly passed S.47 to reauthorize VAWA (78-22) on February 12. We must ensure that the House follows suit. The fact is that VAWA saves lives, supports families, and needs to be reauthorized. The Senate has passed a strong, bipartisan bill that makes important improvements to ensure the safety of all victims of violence, including LGBT, immigrant and Native women. The YWCA supports all women and victims of abuse regardless of sexual orientation, immigration status, or race, and does not stand for isolating entire subsets of the community who face unique barriers to accessing services. As a leading provider of services for victims of domestic violence, the YWCA is opposed to any legislation that forces victims to negotiate their safety when seeking assistance from abusive situations. As a result ofvawa funding, YWCA's across the country are able to provide critical services for victims of violence, ranging from 24-hour emergency hotlines, emergency shelters and supportive services for women and children, short-term and transitional housing for women and children, therapy for children who have witnessed or experienced violence in their homes, and prevention and intervention programs for teens. As the YWCA serving <XX [number of those served]> women and families in <TOWN/CITY>, we are strongly opposed to any legislation that excludes protections for some of the most vulnerable victims of violence. The YWCA<of XX> urgently calls upon Congress to immediately work towards crafting a bipartisan bill that is trauma-informed, victim- and community-centered, and evidence-based. It's time to take the politics out of domestic violence and hold Congress accountable for helping ensure that all women are safe and free from fear. NAME TITLE, ORGANIZATION (Include your phone number and address. Some newspapers ask for a physical address as well, but none of that will be published.) 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

99 Sample Op-Ed Consider the following options to make your op-ed stronger and more likely to be published in your local paper: Include a specific story (names excluded or aliases provided) of how the policy or issue has impacted a life (or lives) in your community. Ask your local sheriff/police commissioner/leading law enforcement official to coauthor this op-ed. Give a specific example of a program that will be cut if the policy is not passed/reauthorized/struck down (or a specific example of a woman/family that would benefit/be harmed as a result). Keep the final copy to 700 words. Here is a sample op-ed about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oolkit for Advocacy 99

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

101 Advocacy through Social Media Tips Listen: Take time to find out what your social media followers are interested in, what news is breaking, what other organizations in your issue space are talking about or doing, and what other conversations may be out there that are of interest. To be relevant online and to be effective in spreading YOUR message, know what other messages and conversations are taking place. Think visually: As people scroll through their social media accounts, a catchy photo or video might grab their attention. Spend some time generating eye-catching visuals that reflect your message. If a photo or video is unique or striking, it is more likely to be shared and reach more people easily. Keep messages simple: Text-heavy statuses or posts make it difficult for people to understand what your organization has to say at a glance. Text that is too dense or complicated makes people move on fast. If you want to convey a lot of information at once, write a short, interesting post and provide a link to content where a user can learn more. Do not neglect your page: Post often and regularly, and measure the results of your posts to find out when the best day and time of day is to update your account. This may be a weekend or evening; use scheduling tools to take advantage of those opportune times. Be selective: Bombarding your supporters is never a good idea. When you post something, make sure it conveys your mission authentically, and in a way that the user will appreciate (a genuine, clever or urgent message). Remember: people can always hide your posts or choose not to follow you if you are posting too often and flooding their pages with spam, so be mindful of what you re posting. Personalize your page: Take the time to use your organization s About information and branding to make the page a true reflection of your organization. Customize areas where you can enter links to your other sites, add your mission statement, and make it easy for users to learn more about you. For Facebook pages, update your tabs with the most useful links. Share feedback & successes: If your organization accomplishes an advocacy goal, or is mentioned in a news piece, share it! Be proud of your team and your successes, and your followers will be, too. Ask your followers to share the success, and, if they helped by taking an action or calling their elected officials, thank them for their contributions. Post invitations to and pictures of events: Let your community and users know about upcoming events in which they can participate. The media is also engaged on social media platforms; tag local news stations or journalists and let them know about upcoming events and activities, too M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 101

102 Note: Users may support or not support our issues and priorities. Remember to always monitor replies and comments on your pages, but do not feel compelled to respond to every post particularly if the post is hateful, combative or harassing. Engage in discussion with these users only if it is productive, interesting, and respectful of both sides. Do not engage with users who only want to attack you. If a post is spam, report it using the social network s reporting tools; every network has one. Infographics: Infographics allow viewers to gain a lot of information quickly. Without tools like Adobe Photoshop to create graphics, it can be difficult to make infographics inhouse. You may use graphics produced by the YWCA USA freely. Below is an example of a successful infographic that went viral, and has been used by elected officials in Congress, organizations who share our issue space, Upworthy.com and other sources with large audiences. This infographic was successful because it conveyed information, was graphically appealing, and was easy to share. :! 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

103 Examples of Successful and Unsuccessful Tweets: Successful Tweets: 1. Now it's YOUR turn to take action- call & Tweet your Senators and tell them to cosponsor S.47! bit.ly/vx6yh6 #VAWA #fem2 #YWCA 2. The #YWCA is the largest provider of #domesticviolence shelters in the US. Tell Congress: we need #VAWA! bit.ly/vx6yh6 These Tweets are successful because they encouraged users to take action and share this action with others. They were short, easy to understand, and used hashtags to reach more users on Twitter. These Tweets also used short links to convey more information. Unsuccessful Tweets: Unsuccessful Tweets are vague, don t include links, aren t formatted properly or don t have a call to action. Examples of Successful and Unsuccessful Facebook Statuses: Successful Facebook Status: Caption: An inclusive VAWA has been passed in the Senate - now, on to the House! Read our full statement: This Facebook post is successful because it includes a compelling graphic with a strong quote, has a caption that is short and to-the-point, and has a link for more information. The caption encourages users to take action ( Read our full statement ) and the post is easy to share with others. The bright colors and message of the photo make the graphic easy to understand in a single glance. Finally, the image includes the YWCA logo and a link to our website, for new users who may not know us yet M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 103

104 Unsuccessful Facebook Posts: Unsuccessful Facebook posts are vague or too wordy, aren t formatted properly, don t include a visual or graphic, and don t compel people to share the content or click on an action. More Resources: Social Media Explorer: The Social Media Advocacy Model CC Times: Using Social Media to Improve Advocacy, Fundraising (case studies) AAUW: How to Use Social Media for Advocacy NAMI: Using Social Networking for Advocacy 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

105 ! YWCA Customizable Fact Sheet Facts About the YWCA!!! The Voice for Every Woman The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. The YWCA is where women turn to join a dynamic community united by a passion for positive social change, racial justice and economic empowerment. We work to influence public policies on behalf of women and people of color. We speak out on behalf of women and girls and what they face today: racial, ethnic and gender disparities; domestic violence and sexual assault; a lack of affordable childcare and after-school programs; the urgency for job training in a struggling economy; the shortage of transitional and low-cost housing; and the high cost of health care. A Force for Change The first two YWCA associations were established in the U.S. in Subsequently the YWCA USA was incorporated in 1906 and is one of the oldest and largest women s organizations in the U.S. The YWCA counts more than 2 million participants in 1,300 locations throughout the United States. Worldwide, the YWCA serves more than 25 million women and girls in 125 countries. We are a dynamic grassroots organization committed to social justice through action, advocacy and service delivery. We work to shape public policy and legislation and work with public officials to improve our communities and provide opportunities for women. In small towns and major cities across the U.S., YWCAs offer women of all ages leadership opportunities, job training, life skills, support groups, shelters for safety and recovery, wellness resources and programs focused on empowering women and girls. A Legacy of Leadership The YWCA s 2 million informed and active participants in the U.S. are a united, powerful force for women s rights and equal opportunity. Our programs and activities are supported by more than 47,000 volunteers. For more than 150 years, the YWCA has been at the forefront of most social movements in the United States from the abolition of slavery to voting rights, from civil rights to pay equity, from violence prevention to health initiatives. We are inspiring a new generation to become strong leaders and advocates for opportunity and equity for all women. Leadership programs serve more than 50,000 women each year and one-third of them are young women. Donate. Act. Connect. The YWCA community contributes time, talent, tenacity and financial support for the betterment of women everywhere. The YWCA is a powerful voice for the rights of women. The YWCA is a community united by a passion for positive social change, justice and economic empowerment. We are thought leaders and activists. We aim to shake things up to improve the lives of women and their families and communities everywhere. Association! Address Line Address Line 2 Association Phone Number Website information A Toolkit for Advocacy 105

106 Facts About the YWCA (cont d) Why the YWCA is Needed African-American women in the U.S. are 3 to 4 times more likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth, compared to white women, due to lack of access to prenatal care, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.* Disparities in health care and inadequate health care services continue to adversely affect women s health. o In 2010, the YWCA fought for health care reform that would improve the lives of all women. o The YWCA worked to ensure that any health care bill passed by Congress and signed into law by the President would protect women from discrimination in health care processes and decisions, provide for women s reproductive health care needs and address the large health disparities facing women of color. o Today, the YWCA works to protect vital health care programs including Medicare, Medicaid and the Children s Health Insurance Program. o Nearly 400,000 women participate in YWCA health and wellness programs. 77 cents for every $1 that men received in 2010 is what women in comparable jobs or the same job earned, despite the passage of the Equal Pay Act more than 40 years ago. The averages are even lower for African-American women who earn 67.7 cents and Hispanic women who earn 58.7 cents.** o The YWCA provides economic empowerment and financial literacy programs for women and strongly supports pay equity legislation. In 2009, the YWCA supported the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act which made it easier for women to bring wage discrimination claims against employers. o More than 130,000 participate annually in YWCA women s economic empowerment programs million people in the U.S. (15.1 percent) lived in poverty in 2010, the highest statistic recorded in more than 50 years by the U.S. Census Bureau. The poverty level for African Americans is 27 percent; for Hispanics, it is 26 percent.*** o Yet cuts in programs and services for low-income people are being proposed by federal and state lawmakers. The YWCA advocates programs that provide for the basic needs of the most vulnerable often the women and children in our communities. o We support the Community Development Block Grant program which funds jobcreation, housing and anti-violence programs in cities and towns across the country. That program is threatened with drastic funding cuts by Congress. o YWCA anti-violence and housing programs serve over 650,000 people each year. 1 in 5 women will experience rape or attempted rape during their college years, and less than 5 percent of these rapes will be reported, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.**** o The YWCA is one of the largest providers of domestic violence services in the U.S. and many associations offer sexual assault support. We helped to pass the landmark Violence Against Women Act in the 1990s and we are working to reauthorize and improve the law today. o The YWCA serves more than 550,000 people annually with programs that address violence YWCA

107 Facts About the YWCA (cont d) 21 million eligible Americans may be prevented from voting by onerous ID and documentation requirements and laws being enacted in some states to suppress the vote. Those potentially disenfranchised voters include 18 percent of Americans over 65, 25 percent of African Americans and 15 percent of low-income voters.***** o There are attempts to require women who have voted for years to get copies of birth, marriage or divorce certificates in order to be eligible to continue to vote. o The YWCA stands for full voting participation by all eligible U.S. citizens. o YWCAs will be action central in communities around the country to get out the vote. Women represent a powerful voting force and the YWCA advocates for women to be heard and counted. What s Happening in [Your Community] (Add regional/local stats relevant to local community) The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. If that s the world you want to see, join us and make it happen. Go to Donate. Act. Connect. References: * ** pay-equity.org! *** **** ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/ pdf ***** 3 A Toolkit for Advocacy 107

108 Stay Connected with YWCA USA Advocacy!! Bi-Weekly Legislative Update Calls: The YWCA USA Advocacy Department hosts bi-weekly legislative calls. All are welcome to join. click here!! Capwiz: To view YWCA Take Actions, click here!! Washington Update: To read a round up of current legislative issues and news, click here!" for every woman! 108 YWCA

109 Ten Tips for Calling Your Legislator Making a phone call to your legislator is quick, easy, and can be done at a moment's notice, making it an attractive method for legislative contact. For these same reasons, it is critical that the phone call be effective. You don't need to be an expert on the issue in order to be persuasive; you just need to give your personal perspective. Follow these ten steps for an effective call to your legislator: 1. Plan: Before you make the call, plan what you are going to say. Your phone call will be very brief, so keep your message simple and to-the-point. Take a moment to think about it you might even want to make some notes and you'll find that your call goes more smoothly than if you were to call "off the cuff." Know your request (for example, vote for a specific bill) in as few words as possible. 2. Message: After identifying (and possibly writing down) your request, think about a key point or a personal story that supports your position. 3. Call: Make the call. If your legislator is in your home district on specific days or on weekends, call them when they are in your home district. There is more time and less distraction, and your position as a constituent will be enhanced if you are talking on "home turf." 4. Staff or Message: You may not be able to reach your legislator if you are calling his or her office during the legislative session. Be prepared to talk to one of the legislator's staff or to leave a message instead. Make sure you get the staff person's full name, and treat them with respect. 5. Constituent: Begin by stating that you are a constituent. Legislators are most responsive to the people who can keep them in office-their constituents. If you voted for the legislator, mention that as well. 6. Persuade: Get to the point. Following your plan, state the reason for the call. Try to get the legislator to state their position on the issue, and try to persuade them using the points that you developed. 7. Thank: If the legislator agrees to support your issue, thank them. Regardless of their position, thank the legislator for their time. Let them know that you will be tracking the issue. 8. Recruit: Recruit a like-minded friend, family member, or colleague to make a call as well. Particularly with phone calls, quantity is critical. Legislators pay attention to issues when they believe that many of their constituents care about that issue. 9. Share Legislative Updates With Coalition Partners and National Office: When you are a part of a grassroots effort, any feedback or information you receive about a Member of Congress position on specific legislation, it is valuable to share with trusted coalition partners and the YWCA USA national office in order to achieve a legislative victory. 10. Call Back: Call more than once. Quantity is as important, if not more important, than quality in grassroots advocacy, because a high number of calls indicates to a legislator that many people in their district care about an issue. As you monitor the issue, call back to ask for specific support or action as appropriate to the process M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 109

110 Writing to an Elected Official Address the letter correctly. In the address, members of Congress and elected officials are referred to as The Honorable [Last Name]. The salutation should be Dear Senator or Dear Representative. Include your full name and address. This is to show that you are a constituent, and will allow them to send you correspondence. Limit the letter to one page. Keep it short, if possible. Congressional offices receive thousands of letters a year. The goal is to get the attention of the office, motivate them to share your position by including a personal/compelling story or statistics, and relate it to a specific ask on a bill. Limit the letter to one topic. For example, don t include your views on violence against women and hate crimes in the same letter. Most likely, different people in the office handle those issues. Give the name and number of the legislation about which you are writing. For example, I am writing in support of S. 840, the Fair Pay Act. For a letter addressing funding for a specific program, it is helpful to write, I am writing in support of increased funding for Head Start programs in Fiscal Year [insert year]. Identify yourself as a constituent. For example, My name is [Insert Name] and I live in your district in Chicago. You may also mention that you are a member of the YWCA USA or local YWCA association (however, do not imply that you are writing on behalf of that organization without its permission). If you have first-hand knowledge that is relevant, you should consider using it. For instance, if you are writing to support the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and your local association receives VAWA funding for its domestic violence program, you may say I have seen the importance of VAWA for the last four years through my work on VAWA-funded domestic violence programs. Use statistics and factual information to back up your position. When possible, include local or state specific information that can support your position. If you are seeing local trends or patterns emerging in your community, provide stories or evidence as much as possible. Tell personal stories about communities you serve. If you have a compelling story about the programs you deliver and the clients you serve, tell it! Congressional offices are always eager to hear the human impact that policy has on the lives of their constituents.!!!! 2025 M! Street, NW Suite 550 Washington, D.C YWCA

111 Give examples of how the legislation would impact your community. Always tell the truth and be gracious. Be truthful and do not threaten. Be rational, but passionate. Ask for a specific action related to a specific bill. One of the most important parts of a Congressional letter is the ask. The staffer reading the letter should know your position, whether it is co-sponsor a bill, vote against a bill, or support a bill. Ask for a response from the official. Ask them to explain their position and what they plan to do about the legislation with which you are concerned. 2 A Toolkit for Advocacy 111

112 Sample Scheduling Request Letter [Date] Attention Scheduler The Honorable <Name of Member of Congress> United States <Senate or House of Representatives> <Name> Office Building Washington, D.C. Zip Code Dear < Name>, On behalf of the YWCA of [ ] serving [XX] number of women and girls annually through [XX] programs, I am writing to request a meeting with you in your [LOCATION] office on [DATE] from [ENTER TIMES AVAILABLE] to discuss our key priorities under [ADVOCACY ISSUE]. I will be attending the meeting along with [INSERT names of staff, Board or Coalition partners]. If the <Senator/Rep> is unable to meet, I would appreciate the opportunity to meet the members of your staff who handle this legislation. Please contact me via e- mail at [ENTER YOUR ADDRESS] or [ENTER PHONE NUMBER] to discuss further. I will be following up with you in the next couple of days to discuss availability. Thank you in advance for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Title] [Your Affiliate] 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

113 Six Practical Tips on How to Lobby Your Member of Congress or Elected Official 1) Establish your agenda and goals. Know which subjects you are going to address. Don t overload the Congressmember or Official with information; stick to no more than two or three issues. Decide what you would like to get out of the visit, such as a commitment to vote for your issue, leadership on the issue, or to simply provide information during the visit. Allow time for small talk at the outset, but not too much. Remember that it s your visit. If it is a group visit, decide who will start the discussion and put your agenda on the table. 2) Listen well. Much of lobbying is listening: looking for indications of the elected official s views and finding opportunities to provide good information. If you are meeting with a silent type, draw conversation out of her/him by asking questions and paying attention during the answers. If you are confronted with a long-winded type, look for openings to bring him/her back to the point. 3) Be prepared, but don t feel that you need to be an expert. Most elected officials are generalists, like many of us. Do your homework, but don t feel that you need to know every little detail of an issue. Share personal feelings and experiences where appropriate. Relate the concerns of your friends and members of the community. 4) Don t stay too long. Try to get closure on your issue. If you hear what you had hoped for, express your thanks and leave. If you reach an impasse, thank her/him, even if disappointed, and say so. Leave room to continue the discussion at another time. 5) Remember that you are there to build a relationship. If the elected official is supportive of an issue you ve been involved in or has supported your position in the past, be sure to acknowledge your appreciation during the course of the visit. If the opposite is true, think of the phrase: No permanent friends; no permanent enemies. Someday, on some issue of importance to you, she/he may come through M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 113

114 In the meantime, your visit may prevent the official from being an active opponent. In other words, you may help to turn down the heat on the other side. 6) Follow-up is important. Be sure to send a thank you note after the visit. If commitments were made in the meeting, repeat your understanding of them. If staff members were present, write to them too. They can often be important allies M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

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treet, NW Suite 550 Washington, D.C A Toolkit for Advocacy 115

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117 ORGANIZING A CANDIDATE FORUM Setting up a Candidate Forum or a debate watching party can be fun and simple. Here are some tips to keep in mind if you would like to organize a forum in your community. FIND A GOOD LOCATION Consider hosting the event at your local YWCA, or a local community center. Choose a date and time for your event that you think is most convenient for your community: will evenings generate a better turn out, or weekends? Look for a public transportation-friendly location that also has space available for attendees that will be bringing their children with them. Identify volunteers to assist with child care. CREATE A PROGRAM Determine the purpose of the event and create a program for the evening what matters most to your community? Identify issues that you d like to focus on, and find speakers that are able to speak to those issues. Be sure to have a conversation with each speaker about the goals for the evening, and how much time each speaker will have to share their thoughts. Choose a facilitator for your event that can successfully moderate a variety of opinions and discussion styles, and that will also make sure the program runs on time. Recruit volunteers to assist with various tasks throughout the event. SPREAD THE WORD Contact community members, friends, and family to let them know about your upcoming event. Utilize social media to spread the word: post on Facebook and Twitter with details about the event at least 4 weeks prior, and continue to send out information about the event at least once a week. Create and post fliers throughout your local community: at the library, grocery stores, community centers, and places of worship. Place an ad in your local newspaper with information about your event. PLAN AHEAD Make sure you have enough seating for participants. Create a sign-in sheet to record contact information for attendees so that you can remain in contact for future events. If you are planning to have a discussion after the event, be sure recruit volunteers beforehand to moderate a Q&A session for the audience. Provide pens and paper for attendees to take notes during the event. Provide light refreshments: ask a local restaurant or grocery store to help cover the costs through donations and sponsorships. Set up a resource table in the room to provide information about your local YWCA, as well as other community resources M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 117

118 ISSUE IDEAS Racial Justice Affirmative Action Hate Crimes Immigration Violence Against Women Minimum Wage Social Security Equal Pay Federal Budget/Investments Taxes Health Care Child Care Early Education 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

119 Hosting a Community Forum Determine event location and time: Consider hosting the forum at your local YWCA. Choose a date and time for your event. Determine the purpose of the event, for example: o A dialogue on the importance of health care: what works with the current system, and what needs to be improved to make the system better. o A dialogue about how health care reform benefits women, children and families in your state. Determine speakers: Choose your speakers and the topic you wish them to cover, and the amount of time they will each have to speak. Consider inviting two or three key individuals to speak at your forum. o Key community leaders can include: elected officials, doctors and nurses, civil rights, or women's rights leaders. Choose a non-partisan facilitator for your event. Spread the word: Create a registration page for your forum using a service like Eventbrite or Facebook Events. Direct individuals and groups to register with this service, and put a link to register on the front page of your website. Contact key individuals or groups (via phone or ) and invite them to the forum. Create and hand out fliers to individuals in your community up to a week before the event, to ensure maximum turn out. Make sure the fliers include date, time, location, and link to your website. Place an ad in your local newspaper with information on the purpose, date, time, and location of the forum, and a link to your website. Two or three days before the event, send out an reminder to those who have registered, or place a phone call to key individuals or groups, reminding them of the event and reconfirming their attendance. Create a sign in sheet. On the day of the event, have individuals sign in when they arrive or prior to leaving so you can follow up with them regarding your campaigns and other issues. At the forum: Make sure you have enough seating for participants. During your program, allow for sufficient question and answer time (time for dialogue) between speakers and the audience. Provide information on the issue from credible, reliable sources. Direct people to your website and make sure there are easy ways to take actions and join your social networks listed on your website M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 119

120 Press Release Template For Immediate Release Date: Media Contact: Insert name, & phone number!!!! Headline Announcement of News Subhead that calls out important information or a key statistic First paragraph: Announcement of YWCA news or YWCA s stance on an issue. Second paragraph: Quote from YWCA national spokesperson or local association that explains or supports the leading news. Third paragraph: Additional explanation of the YWCA news why it s relevant and how it ties into the YWCA mission. Fourth paragraph: Highlight relevant statistics relating to the news or issue. Fifth paragraph: Explanation of statistics. Sixth paragraph: Quote from YWCA spokesperson (can be regional or association spokesperson). Seventh paragraph: Call to action regarding issue of the release, how to request more information: For more information about how to give your time, talent, tenacity and financial support to support the YWCA of (location), please contact (info here) or visit (URL here). About the YWCA The YWCA is the voice for every woman. For over a century, the YWCA has spoken out and taken action on behalf of women and girls. The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Over 2 million people participate each year in YWCA programs at more than 1,300 locations across the U.S. Worldwide, the YWCA serves more than 25 million women and girls in 125 countries. ### 2025 M! St., N.W., Ste. 550 Washington, D.C (202) phone (202) fax YWCA

121 World War II Soldier Absentee Voting YWCA History of Voting Advocacy Absentee voting dates back to the Revolutionary War, when the colonies made special provisions for voters who couldn t make it to the polls on Election Day. After the Civil War, absentee measures were dropped during times of peace The YWCA worked during World War II for the passage of the Soldier Voting Act of 1942, which guaranteed soldiers a vote while deployed. This was the first legislation guaranteeing military members a vote in Presidential and Congressional election during wartime. Source: The Past Is Prelude: Fifty Years of Social Action in the YWCA by Elsie D. Harper and Servicemembers to Follow Long Absentee Voting Tradition by Donna Miles Poll Taxes By 1904, all former confederate states had adopted poll taxes as part of Jim Crow Laws. Georgia initiated the first poll tax in 1871; in 1877, Georgia s poll tax became cumulative, meaning citizens who wanted to vote in one election would have to pay for past poll taxes in order to vote. The function of the poll tax was purely to disenfranchise lower income voters, not to raise state revenue. YWCA began to lobby Congress to end the end poll taxes in The YWCA lobbied against poll taxes because it discriminated against those of with a lower income and often of a different race, making it difficult for these individuals to obtain true equality. During the 1950s, YWCA members created a group to help voters learn about the poll tax and how it could be paid. Before this time, many people didn t vote because they thought the poll tax was an impossible barrier to overcome The YWCA encouraged those who could afford the poll tax to vote. This resulted in a Poll Tax Day. YWCA members spoke at area churches and collected the taxes from 1,500 individuals. Members of the Citizens Committee then turned in their taxes to the municipal office. This event allowed many to vote for the first time. The passage of the 24 th Amendment barred the use of poll taxes o The 24 th Amendment passed by Congress on August 27, 1962 o The necessary three-fourths ratification from the states led to the enactment of the 24 th Amendment on January 23, Today the issue of poll taxes once again receives attention in the United States as state legislatures begin to pass Voter ID requirements. 11 states now require voters to show identification when voting, a requirement that has been found to disenfranchise minority groups, college students, and the elderly M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 121

122 Source: The Past Is Prelude: Fifty Years of Social Action in the YWCA by Elsie D. Harper, Race, Voting Rights, and Segregation Direct Disenfranchisement by the Geography of Race in the U.S., and Voter ID: Poll Tax or Common Sense? by Amy Bingham Lowering the Voting Age Following medieval European tradition on adulthood and British common law, the United States established its minimum voting age as 21. The lowering the voting age movement began in 1968, during the Vietnam War. It was argued that, if the drafting age was set at 18, so should the voting age. The YWCA joined the movement to extend the right to vote to individuals between the ages of 18 to 20- year-olds.the movement adopted the slogan Old enough to fight, old enough to vote. The 1970 Voting Rights Act called for the voting age to be 18, but Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional for Congress to mandate the voting age for state and local elections o After the Supreme Court ruling in Oregon vs. Mitchell, it was determined that the only way to lower the voting age was through an amendment to the Constitution. o The 26th amendment was the fastest Constitutional Amendment passed in history.! Congress passed the 26th amendment on March 23, 1971.! Four months later, the 26th amendment received the necessary threefourth ratification from state legislatures on June 30, 1971 to be enacted. Source: The Past Is Prelude: Fifty Years of Social Action in the YWCA by Elsie D. Harper and The 26 th Amendment Lowers Voting Age to 18 by The Leadership Conference Recent Campaigns In 2000, the YWCA USA conducted the We Vote and Our Voices are Heard campaign. These provided training sessions and published materials to encourage voters to register and vote. In 2001, the YWCA successfully ran Institutes for Public Leadership. This provided leadership tools for YWs across the country to help women run for office. The YWCA also partnered with the League of Women Voters (LWV) and the American Association of University Women (AAUW) to promote voter education. In 2012, YWCA mobilized women to vote on reproductive health and economic issues. The YWCA USA partnered with HERvotes, a coalition that is dedicated to harnessing the growing power of women in the United States. o YWCA USA also launched a new voter resource website. o YWCAs engaged in Get-Out-the-Vote Drives to get first time voters registered o YWCAs across the country participated in the first ever National Day of Voter Registration on September 24, M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

123 Current Stances In 1991, at the 32nd National Convention of the YWCA of the USA, the following measures were supported: o Measures to strengthen the implementation of the Voting Rights Act of o Extension of the franchise to residents of the District of Columbia, including full voting representation in the United States Congress and self-government. o Measures to remove arbitrary residential and other restrictions to assure voting rights to qualified citizens. o Measures to assure the principle of fair representation in state legislative bodies and of an equal distribution of voting power to all citizens. o Measures to remove all barriers to full and free participation in the political process: in voting, selection of candidates, holding elective and appointive office and influencing public policy. The YWCA currently opposes practices which discriminate against individuals, such as providing false and misleading information to voters who live in low-income areas, disenfranchisement of former inmates, and acts of intimidation. Source: Public Policy: A Continuing YWCA Program by YWCA USA and YWCA Voter Website 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 123

124 Election Do s and Don ts Q&A on YWCA USA s 501(c)(3) Status The YWCA USA is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization, as determined by the Internal Revenue Service. While this status allows tax advantages for organizations such as the YWCA, it also limits some of the political and lobbying activities in which the organization can engage. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers regarding permissible activity by YWCA and associations during an election year. Can the YWCA, YWCA staff, board members, or volunteers endorse a candidate or party? No; only as private individuals can YWCA staff, board members or volunteers endorse candidates. The role of the individual in the YWCA must be completely distinct from any personal activity endorsing, supporting, or promoting a candidate or party. There is no prohibition on political activities for non-profit employees during their free time. However, staff members and others referenced above cannot be seen as representing the organization on a campaign, nor may they use organizational resources for a candidate. Nonprofit staff may engage in partisan activities, such as supporting, donating, or volunteering, on their own personal time outside of normal work hours. Vacation time and personal time can also be used for the purpose of engaging in political activity. Board members and volunteers should follow the same protocol outlined for staff members described while representing their non-profit organization. Can the YWCA staff, board members, or volunteers use social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, in their personal time to endorse candidates? Yes; it is allowable for nonprofit staff to convey their own personal platform on social media, as long as it cannot be viewed as an organizational representation, and is done in their free time. A personal disclaimer can be used: This position is in a personal capacity and not a reflection of [organization]. Staff should not use official YWCA social media accounts to comment on candidates or for any partisan purpose. For high-level representatives in the organization, such as a CEO, Executive Director, or even Board Member, it is highly encouraged to follow 501(c)(3) guidelines and remain nonpartisan, even when using a personal social media account, during the election season. Usage of a personal account to make a statement about a candidate could be conflated or perceived as the organization s position M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

125 Can the YWCA endorse or work for or against referenda or ballot initiatives? Yes; the YWCA may conduct advocacy for issue-related measures, and local associations are encouraged to do so. The IRS considers activity focused on ballot measures as lobbying activity, and non-profits may do this work depending on their lobbying limits. The IRS makes the distinction because advocacy on ballot measures is an attempt to influence a proposed law or a policy NOT the election or defeat of a candidate. To learn more about what is allowable, refer to this link: Can the YWCA encourage members to vote for candidates with certain views? No; telling members to vote for candidates based on their positions is an endorsement of individual candidates. Can YWCA do candidate questionnaires? Yes, with restrictions. The YWCA must: Distribute the questionnaire to every candidate. Ask a broad range of unbiased questions. Print responses exactly as received from the candidates without edits, editorial comment, and without stating the YWCA s views. Examples of questions that candidates can be asked on questionnaires and at candidate forums: Domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking continue to plague all of our nation s communities, but immigrant women, LGBT victims, communities of color, and native women face particular challenges. What would you do to ensure that all victims of violence receive the protection and services they need? Do you support full federal funding for childcare, Head Start, and pre-kindergarten programs? What is your position on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)? Consider the following when planning Candidate Forums and/or on questionnaires: Avoid Yes or No questions. Ask open-ended questions. It is best to start by framing the question this way: What is your position on XYZ? instead of: Are you supportive of XYZ? Avoid candidate pledges. These pledges ask candidates to promise to support or oppose a particular policy, if elected M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 125

126 Can YWCA host candidate forums? Yes, with restrictions. The YWCA must ensure that: All candidates are invited to participate. A broad range of unbiased questions are asked. Candidates do not solicit contributions. YWCA s views on the issues are not mentioned or available in writing at the event. What if one of the candidates cannot attend, or does not respond to a questionnaire? Ask the candidate to send a campaign representative to participate in the forum. If only one candidate is left to attend the forum, it is advisable to cancel. In the case of questionnaires, make it clear when you release your results that you received no response from a candidate. Again, if only one candidate provides answers, you should cancel the questionnaire. In the case of a multi-candidate race, where some candidates participate and some do not, please contact the National Advocacy team to determine next steps. May we invite someone who is running for office to speak at an event unrelated to the election? It is safest not to invite candidates to speak at any program during the election cycle. If, however, you do invite a candidate to speak as an expert on an issue or as a sitting public official, make it clear to the invitee that they must not refer to their candidacy or election in any way. Clarify in your program materials and event promotion that the appearance does not constitute a political endorsement. In what sort of election activities is YWCA allowed to participate? YWCA members can and should engage in voter registration, conduct public education and trainings about participation in elections, initiate get-out-the-vote drives that are directed at all voters irrespective of their views or party, and publish voting records if guidelines are observed. In short, the YWCA as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit can, on a non-partisan basis, do the following: Register voters Educate voters on the process of voting Create voter guides on candidates and ballot measures 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

127 Host candidate forums and candidate appearances Educate the candidates Encourage voter participation Educate voters about voting rights and election reform Help on Election Day Conduct issue advocacy during an election Support and oppose ballot questions Are there restrictions on publishing voting records? Yes; the YWCA must: Include the entire legislative body/delegation. Ensure that a broad range of issues are covered. Limit distribution of the voting records to YWCA members, if the publication states YWCA s positions on issues and compares those positions with the candidates votes. It cannot be distributed to the general public. What are some basic tips for 501(c)(3) compliance when planning election activities? Always include all candidates. Never state positions or editorialize on any questions asked of candidates. Present a broad and varied array of questions. Never endorse or oppose a candidate or party. Make sure your presentation is unbiased. If you are asked by the media about a candidate s issue platform and how it relates to the YWCA s priorities, how should one respond? Response: The YWCA does not take positions on political candidates. We are an organization dedicated to promoting policies that eliminate racism and empower women. It is important to refrain from commenting on the candidate s platform, as it could be taken as an endorsement or opposition of the candidate. For any media inquiries on candidates and their platform, it is highly suggested that no reference be made to their positions. A comparison of the candidate s position and the organization s issues should not take place. Should you be a key spokesperson for your association, speaking to your Communications Team in advance of events where there could be an election undertone is highly suggested. If 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC A Toolkit for Advocacy 127

128 you are not a spokesperson for the organization, you should know who the correct spokespeople are and refrain from commenting. Can an organization like the YWCA state its position on public policy issues on which candidates for public office are divided? An organization may take positions on public policy issues, including issues that divide candidates in an election for public office, as long as the message does not in any way favor or oppose a candidate. Be aware that the message does not need to identify the candidate by name to be prohibited political activity. A message that shows a picture of a candidate, refers to a candidate s political party affiliations, or other distinctive features of a candidate s platform or biography may result in prohibited political activity. 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "!#$$%&''((()*+,)-./'0#1+*$*2,'0#1+*$1342'1+$*042'566*78"9:;<=655)#$>4!! 2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550 Washington, DC YWCA

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