Spring Point Partners的动态

Join me and this awesome panel at #PolicyInsights24!

A bit of a late post, but I have to shout out the 30+ folks who attended our Big Reveal Event at the Deaconess Center for Child Well-Being! In case you missed it - Transform 314 implemented a campaign from August - October 2023 to help shape our 2024 advocacy priorities. We obtained feedback through surveys and Community Conversations. While we were open to hearing from ALL St. Louisans, we were intentionally working to engage a group that historically is not engaged in collective advocacy efforts - Black St. Louisans under the age of 45. 66% of the 488 participants that completed the survey identified as Black, with a majority of participants identifying as being under the age of 45 The top 5 issues Black participants expressed they were willing to advocate for were: #5: Increasing input on how money is spent in your community #4: Improving street safety #3: Improving access to quality and affordable food #2: Improving access to healthy and affordable housing AND addressing vacancy #1: Improving streets, sidewalks, lighting, etc. So...what's next? In 2024, Transform 314 will be advocating for improving the infrastructure in the City of St. Louis. We will work on this effort monthly at our Community Meetups, with the first one on Wednesday, Jan. 10th at 6pm at High Low (3301 Washington Ave - 63103). You can register here: https://lnkd.in/gqTz5vJQ

Are you affiliated with a program, group, or organization that addresses community needs through volunteer support? We want to hear from you about the specific needs and focus areas that you address in your work. Volunteers are critical to meeting Virginia's most pressing needs. Through the Virginia Community Engagement Index (VCEI), we learned that Virginians identified education, health and well-being, and housing as the top needs in their communities. Now, we're curious to learn more about organizations across the Commonwealth that are engaging volunteers in addressing these and other community needs. By collecting information about the specific needs that organizations and groups address locally, Serve Virginia hopes that we can provide focused resources in the coming year while also helping connect like-minded organizations in Virginia. Take the Volunteer Program Focus Areas Survey: https://buff.ly/3AnQNMX Learn more about the VCEI: https://buff.ly/3ZDkkL1 #VaVolunteers #VirginiaVolunteers #VirginiaCommunities

Getting involved with local government is a great way to contribute to your community and influence policies that impact daily life. Here are five ways to get started: 1. Attend Public Meetings: Local government meetings, such as city council or planning commission meetings, are often open to the public. Attending these allows you to stay informed, voice your opinion during public comment periods, and understand current issues facing the community. 2. Join a Local Board or Commission: Many local governments have volunteer boards and commissions focused on areas like planning, parks, transportation, and the arts. Serving on a board or commission allows you to work on issues you’re passionate about and directly contribute to decision-making. 3. Volunteer for Community Programs: Local governments often offer volunteer opportunities for community events, environmental initiatives, or public safety programs. Volunteering is a great way to make a positive impact and learn more about how the local government operates. 4. Engage in Public Comment and Advocacy: You can make your voice heard by submitting written or verbal comments on proposed ordinances, policies, or city projects. Advocating for issues you care about can bring awareness to those issues and potentially influence local government decisions. 5. Run for Office or Support Local Candidates: Running for a local office such as city council, school board, or county commissioner is a direct way to effect change. If running isn’t your goal, consider supporting local candidates who align with your values by volunteering for their campaigns. #politics #usa #community #education #law #volunteer #service #democracy #america #justice

Far too often, those who show up to speak at public meetings when a multi-family housing project or MBTA Communities proposal is on the agenda are older, longtime residents who, frankly, already have a place to live. Often missing from that conversation are the voices of younger adults who, due to the difficulty of finding housing in Greater Boston, have or are considering leaving the state. And often, those younger workers tell us, they’d like to be part of the conversation about expanding housing availability. But don’t know where to start, who to talk to, or when to show up. That’s why our chamber, in partnership with CHAPA is launching an effort to engage young professionals in local housing conversations, starting with our virtual Housing Advocacy Workshop Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. Attendees don’t have to live or work in our chamber's communities to attend. In fact, that’s the whole idea: Municipal leaders need to hear from people who wish they could live and work in our cities and towns. If there’s someone in your orbit that might find this of interest please share this link with them.

You get to answer crucial questions people have but can't answer or don't have the resources to. It's one of the joys of being a researcher. In this paper, we wanted to know the effects of local crimes in a neighbourhood on the likelihood of owning a home in that hood. The paper is a valuable resource for community advocacy groups, neighbourhood associations, etc, who want more local action and evidence to better advocate for policy solutions to make their hoods safer and more prosperous.

One interesting angle on advocacy are the efforts some people?devote to prodding certain key players to get more involved. In sectors like philanthropy, there can be a reluctance because it seems too political. As founder of the Center for Community Foundation Policy Leadership, longtime criminal justice reform advocate Stephen Saloom has been focused on encouraging and supporting community foundations to advocate on their issues. As Stephen shared on the podcast, the strongest case for doing so traces back to these organizations' stated missions. Community foundations' missions typically commit them to the well-being of the local populace in the broadest terms—as broadly as any governmental body or public official. So it's only logical, Stephen argues, that community foundations should get engaged in questions of policy that affect the local community. https://lnkd.in/gbzzT-Ba

"For as diverse as nonprofits are in our missions, budgets, scope, and scale, we are held to the same rules. I want to call out three today because the public discourse and some in power are seeking to shift our structure for their political advantage. This is the time to stand strong." - Learn about 3 important rules for advocacy (and steps you can take) in this month's Letter from Laurie:

Momentum, the movement building institute for early childhood policy advocates, is just around the corner! On Thursday, September 26, in Columbus, join us for a day of inspiration, discovery, and discussion on deploying the most action-oriented tactics and strategies to improve the lives of Ohio's youngest children. Sessions will include: - Building Advocacy Power in Ohio’s Political Landscape: Increase your understanding of why nonprofit advocacy is not only possible, but necessary to advance your mission, increase funding sources and solve public policy challenges. - Bipartisan Approaches to Support Young Children in Ohio: Learn evidence-based approaches to collaborative dialogue that lead to collaborations that drive impact. Process and learn practical tools about how to effectively collaborate and compromise to advance the most pressing needs of Ohio’s young children and families. - Using Strategic Storytelling to Shift Public Conversations: Develop your communication and storytelling capacity to break through the noise and facilitate change that advances early childhood policy in Ohio. Register today: https://lnkd.in/gcA2VfcT

Interested in advocating for housing but not sure where to start? Check out this workshop!