title subtitle budget and policy advocacy and mentoring programs
TRANSCRIPT
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Budget and Policy Advocacy and Mentoring Programs
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Agenda
Overview of Massachusetts State Government
Two Guiding Principles of Lobbying
Mentoring Legislative Agenda
Mentoring Matching Grants line item
FY15 Budget Ask
Youth Mentoring Day Meetings
Where are we now and What’s Next?
How you can be an effective advocate
Key Points
Resources
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Like the federal government, the government of the State of Massachusetts has three branches: the Executive, Legislative and Judicial.
Overview of MA State Government
Governor = Deval Patrick This branch includes the Executive Office of Administration and
Finance and the 14 State Departments led by its own Secretariat
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Legislature has 200 members (40 Senators, 160 Representatives) The Senate President = Therese Murray- Sen. Rosenberg will
succeed The Speaker of the House = Robert DeLeo. Each chamber has its own Ways and Means Committee
House Chair Ways and Means = Brian Dempsey Senate Chair Ways and Means = Stephen Brewer
Overview of MA State Government
Two Guiding Principles of Lobbying*
Principle 1Elected and appointed officials as well as community leaders make different decisions when they are being watched by the residents who live in their districts.
*Adapted from Lobbying on a Shoestring, Meredith, Judith.1989.
Two Guiding Principles of Lobbying
Principle 2 In order to influence policy you have to get the right information (a compelling problem and an effective solution) to the right person (individual that has the power to get you what you want) at the right time (before a formal decision needs to be made).
Mentoring Legislative Agenda
Budget ItemFund Mentoring Matching Grants (7061-9634) at $500,000
Policy ItemsAn Act Relative to Dropout Prevention and Recovery (Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz S208) An Act Creating a Task Force to Protect Massachusetts Children against Child Sexual Abuse (Sen. Clark S47/ Rep. Keenan H3803)
Mentoring Legislative Agenda
Policy ItemsAn Act Relative to Dropout Prevention and Recovery (Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz S208)Raises the mandatory school attendance age from 16-18Expands the DESE Early Warning Indicator Index to help better identify students at risk of dropping outCreates the Massachusetts Graduation Coach Initiative Charges schools and graduation coaches to create individualized family engagement plans Why this is important: Further incorporates informal mentoring into targeted schools, helps identify youth in need of mentoring services and provides a connection point within schools for formal mentoring programs.
Mentoring Legislative Agenda An Act Creating a Task Force to Protect Massachusetts Children against Child Sexual Abuse (Sen. Clark SD 1364/ Rep. Keenan HD 2078)Establishes a task force with a focus on sexual abuse prevention in the context of child and youth serving programs.Will review current prevention initiatives, mandates and guidelines for child and youth serving organizations, and make recommendations for enhancing prevention efforts Includes MMP as one of the organizations that will sit on the task force
Why this is important: Safety is of paramount importance to mentoring organizations. Being part of this process will provide a vehicle for mentoring programs to share their best practices around screening with other youth development organizations and ensure the voice of the field is heard.
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FY15: The “Ask” for FY15 We are requesting $500,000 for the Mentoring Matching
Grants line item. This is an increase of $150,000 over last year.
This level of investment will:•Create and support at least 1,300 new and existing mentoring relationships across Massachusetts•Leverage $500,000 from the private sector through a dollar-for-dollar match requirement•Support 25-30 jobs at youth mentoring programs•Yield an almost 3:1 return on investment of $1,360,000, through dollars saved in reduced juvenile delinquency and crime, and youth engagement in risky behaviors such as drug, alcohol and tobacco use
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Your Youth Mentoring Day Meeting
Before the meeting:
Decide what you want to communicate about your experience with your program
If you are meeting as part of a group, determine who is going to talk about what
Put together materials – include relevant outcome data and visual aids about your program that help make your case
Research the legislators you are meeting with Bring a camera! Be prepared to meet with staff instead of your
legislator
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Your Youth Mentoring Day Meeting During the Meeting:
Introduce yourself Frame the meeting as both an opportunity to talk
about your mentoring program AND the value of mentoring statewide
Give an overview and/or update of your program, be sure to highlight the number of youth you serve in their district
Walk through the legislative agenda Provide an overview of the Mentoring Matching
Grants, how much your program has received and what you have been able to accomplish
Make the FY15 budget ask Ask that your legislator make funding the Mentoring
Matching Grants at $500,000 a budget priority Leave behind your program materials, the FY15
Budget Request and the FY13 Summary Report
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Your Youth Mentoring Day Meeting
After the meeting: Email me at [email protected] to let us
know what happened Send thank you notes to everyone you met with Follow-up on any action items and send any pictures
you took, newsletter articles, blog or Facebook posts about the visit
Keep the relationship going by inviting them to visit, speak at events or just add them to your mailing list
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FY15 Budget: Where are We Now and What’s Next? December-January
MMP to submit a formal request to the Governor to fund the Mentoring Line item at $500,000
Programs will meet with their legislators as part of Youth Mentoring Day, Jan 23
The Governor will have released his budget proposal for FY15 on January 22
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FY15 Budget: Where are We Now and What’s Next? Late January/ Early February
MMP asks legislators to include the Mentoring Matching Grants line item at $500,000 on their list of priorities for the FY15 budget
Mid February-end of March
Legislators set budget priorities and meet with Ways and Means Committees to communicate those priorities
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FY15 Budget: Where are We Now and What’s Next? April
House Ways and Means Committee releases its budget
House members file and cosponsor amendments Rep. Smitty Pignatelli will file amendment for
MMP MMP organizes programs to gather support for
amendment House debates amendments and passes budget by
the end of April May
Senate Ways and Means releases its budget Senators file and cosponsor amendments MMP organizes programs to gather support for
amendment Senate debates amendments passes budget by the
end of May
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FY15 Budget: Where are We Now and What’s Next? June
A six member conference committee is appointed to negotiate the difference between the House and Senate budgets
MMP will organize field to advocate for the higher amount as needed
Conference committee determines the final budget for the legislature by June 30
July The budget goes back to the Governor for vetoes Final budget is approved
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Set the foundation Know the major steps of the budget process Know legislators and staff Build relationships, educate and be a resource
Act! Lobby Directly and Organize In person meetings- Youth Mentoring Day or In-
District Make calls Letter/ Email campaigns Organize friends, other mentors, mentees and
families, use social media Provide good information and make it personal!
How You Can Be an Effective Advocate!
Key Points to Remember
1. Building relationships with your legislators outside of the budget
process is critical. Introduce your program and keep in touch!
2. The budget process has many opportunities for programs and mentors to advocate, so keep an eye out for alerts from MMP which will tell you when to act and how.
3. Use Youth Mentoring Day as an opportunity to tell your story and help get more funding for mentoring programs across the state.
4. Make the most of MMP resources. Use our fact sheets, templates, and me!
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Nonprofits and LobbyingAlliance for Justice- http://www.afj.org/for-nonprofits-foundations/resources-and-publications/about-advocacy-lobbying.html
Massachusetts General Courthttp://www.malegislature.gov/ (Legislator Profiles, Contact Info, Leadership, Educational Resources for Teachers and Youth)
Who are My Elected Officials (Individuals)http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php
Who are My Elected Officials (Programs)http://www.malegislature.gov/People
Resources for Mentoring Programs on MMP’s Website http://www.massmentors.org/advocacy
Advocacy Resources
