FUNDING THE NEXT GENERATION 2.0
50 people representing 12 communities (3 cities and 9 counties) attended the September 26 launch of the new Funding the Next Generation Learning Network. All have begun the march toward dedicated funding for children, youth and families - many with their eyes on the 2016 election, while others have their eyes on analyzing their local budgets and identifying the potential for reallocating current resources. Every locale is different - and at very different stages of the process. But all are dedicated to 3 important early steps: Making the case for resources for children and youth; Developing a consensus among stakeholders about priority needs for which new funding is necessary; Building a strong and diverse community-wide constituency for supporting funding for children.
Participating communities: Cities - Merced, Richmond, Sacramento; Counties - Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Napa, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Solano, Sonoma, Yolo and unincorporated areas in Kern County.
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FRAMING CHILDREN'S ISSUES
FOR CONSERVATIVE AUDIENCES
Funding the Next Generation is fortunate to have one of the country's leading pollsters, Dave Metz of FM3, on its team. Dave has developed a powerpoint on effective messages for children's advocates in making the case for kids - with a focus on conservative and fiscally challenged communities. Some of Dave's ideas for addressing key barriers are:
Barrier: GOVERNMENT CAN'T BE TRUSTED
Response:
* Build on and document existing successes
* Propose accountability mechanisms giving skeptics greater control
* Avoid creating new layers of government
Barrier: COMPETING PRIORITIES
Response:
* Highlight preventive power of investments in children - avoiding the need for expensive public safety and public health interventions.
* Use teachers, public health nurses, police and other service providers as messengers advocating for investments.
* Identify ways to capture new dollars to avoid taking from existing resources
Barrier: THE "NANNY STATE"
Response:
* Frame issue as helping children - not helping parents.
* Highlight instances where money is not being spent by government, such as grants to non-profits.
Barrier: THE "UNDOCUMENTED"
Response:
* Undocumented residents pay taxes without receiving benefits.
* Denying services to children yields high costs over long term.
* Focus on children, who have had no role in immigration decisions and have significant needs.
To access the power point presentation,
please click on the image below.
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GREAT NEWS IN SOLANO
Solano County's team, spearheaded by the Solano County Children's Alliance with support from Kim Thomas, consultant and former Children's Alliance Executive Director, concluded that its next step would be to conduct a poll to determine the public's interest and support for children and youth. The results are very encouraging. Here is a snapshot:
- Local voters perceive significant need for additional funding for health and education services for youth.
- Voters also see a clear role for the public sector in helping kids to grow up ready to learn
- Just under two-thirds express initial support for a measure that would raise the sales tax or establish a soda tax to support services for kids and youth.
- The tipping point for willingness to pay for kids' services seems to be about $50 per year.
- Voters tend to prioritize funding for homeless youth, preventive health care, and child abuse prevention.
- Strong "yes" messages focus on bran development, school readiness, and parent engagement; "no" messages focus on the potential for waste and replacing the role of parents.
- More than three in five voters offer support for each proposal, even after both pro and con messaging.
The poll was sponsored by the First 5 Solano, and United Way of the Bay Area. The Children's Network, Solano Coalition for Better Health, Children's Nurturing Project, Dixon Family Services and Solano Family & Children's Services also contributed.
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"WE WANT DEDICATED FUNDING FOR KIDS"
WHERE CAN WE START?
It is more important to get started than to find a perfect place to begin. Ultimately, success will require work along many different paths. This is not a linear process, and much of the tasks will occur simultaneously. It is impossible to anticipate every opportunity you will have, or every barrier you will encounter. But nothing will happen if you don't get started.
TOP 10 PLACES TO CONSIDER STARTING:
1. Share the vision of a dedicated funding stream with a group of potential allies - e.g. community meeting, conference.
2. Create a resource map of expenditures on children, youth and families (Children's Budget). Enlist support from local government in development and analysis of resource map.
3. Build a community consensus about a key priority funding need, and advocate for increased funding in the next local budget cycle.
4. Publish a report card on the status of children, with recommendations for increased funding of needed services.
5. Research the potential political landscape for new funding measures - e.g. analyzing the results of previous measures, interviewing friendly "politicos," assessing competing measures are "in the works"
6. Identify and enlist key groups and individuals whose support would be beneficial from the outset - e.g. an organizing group, an elected official.
7. Organize a coalition with the purpose of creating a funding stream.
8. Build a community consensus (potentially with the support of the city or county legislative body) about the rights and/or needs of children, youth and families - e.g. a Bill of Rights, a Children's Agenda.
9. Assess public support for increasing services to children, youth and families - e.g. poll, survey, tabling.
10. Respond to a community crisis and announce the intent to take action.
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CHILDREN'S FUNDS WIN BIG IN SAN FRANCISCO!
 74% of voters approved a combined children's funding measure (Prop C) in San Francisco. The measure increased the Children's Fund by 33% and expanded the Public Education Enrichment Fund - creating a dedicated local funding stream worth approximately $125 Million. And the funds will be in place for 25 years. In addition, the Children's Fund will serve youth up to age 24 -- and is now called the Children and Youth Fund. AMAZING AND WONDERFUL! |
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If you are interested in learning more about Funding the Next Generation and helping your city or county explore the potential of a dedicated public funding stream for children, youth and families, please contact:
Margaret Brodkin
Founder and Director
 Funding the Next Generation margaret@margaretbrodkin.com
phone: 415-794-4963
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NATION'S FIRST-EVER SODA TAX WINS THIS NOVEMBER!
 | | Larry Tramutola |
It was "Berkeley vs. Big Soda," a case of David vs. Goliath. Larry Tramutola the political consultant for the historic campaign, explained how they overcame a multi-million dollar opposition, "We did it the old fashioned way - by listening to the team of health advocates and leaders who had studied the issue for years and had built a broad coalition of people. But we didn't stop there. We built an organizing staff and recruited new people to the cause; we got people to work together (not an easy task in Berkeley); we developed a strategy and clear messaging; and we kept at it day after day after day." Tramutola once again proved that it is possible to win races that many think are unwinnable. He calls this victory the beginning of a "major organizing movement on behalf of children's health," and asks "Who's Next?" To learn more, click here to read Tramutola's letter or call 510-658-7003.
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IMPORTANT WEBINAR DEC. 4 at 9 AM:
FUNDING STREAMS TO SCRUTINIZE IN YOUR LOCAL BUDGETS
Funding the Next Generation (FNG) is hosting a webinar on children's funding streams over which there is increased local control and opportunity for funding - child welfare realignment, the Mental Health Services Act (Prevention and Early Intervention), and juvenile justice realignment - with prominent statewide experts.
Interested? Email Maria Jose Moraga, Communications and Research Associate, FNG: moragamj@gmail.com.
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ORGANIZING FOR RESOURCES AT THE LOCAL LEVEL IS WHERE IT'S AT
The California Family Resource Association held 3 regional meetings throughout the state this fall that focused on the power of local organizing. This reflects a renewed interest in what can be done at the local level. Why? Because the public trusts the local level more than other levels of government, because policymaking is being devolved to the local level, and because local funding offers greater flexibility, creativity and responsiveness.
Margaret Brodkin, Director of Funding the Next Generation,
was a featured speaker, who shared lessons learned from a lifetime of advocacy at the local level.
A few of her tips included:
* Propose concrete solutions every time you talk about problems. No one likes whiners. * If you want change, you must advocate for the money to make it happen.
* Politics is not a bad word. You must engage in the political arena - and get good at it. It's legal! In fact, it's an obligation.
* It's a marathon, not a sprint - if it were easy, it would have already happened. It took San Francisco 5 years to get from a Children's Agenda of great-sounding goals and principles to a dedicated Children's Fund.
* Pick budget battles that are "big enough to matter," but "small enough to win."
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Early Developments of Participating Sites
Richmond- Led by RYSE, a youth empowerment non-profit, an Invest in Youth coalition has been formed with the goal of securing a fund and a city department that meets the needs of children and youth. A network of stakeholders has organized into working groups, is meeting with city officials to create a resource map of children and youth services and conducted a youth-led candidate forum for the City Council race. Youth stakeholders are playing a key part in driving the conversation.
Yolo - The Yolo County Children's Alliance and the First 5 Commission are taking the lead in creating the Yolo County Children's Movement, which has just been funded in part by the Yolo Board of Supervisors. Early steps are: creating an inventory of children and youth resources and developing a county-wide children's agenda.
Del Norte - First 5 is leading the effort to advocate for a Children's Budget. The Chair of the Board of Supervisors and First 5 Commission are supportive. Meetings have taken place with the County Administrative Officer and key department heads as well as with a group of community partners that serve children.
Napa - Napa has a core working group of representatives of the Department of Public Health, the First 5 Commission and a non-profit family support agency. Funding the Next Generation Napa has convened two conferences introducing the goal of dedicated funding and creating a Bill of Rights. Over 40 public officials and public and private service providers were involved. A Coordinator has already been hired and has begun work.
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Funding the Next Generation
The nation's first initiative to help communities develop local public funding streams for children, youth and families.
- California Child Care Resource and Referral Network
- California Coverage and Health Initiatives
- California Network of Family Strengthening Networks
- California School-Age Consortium
- Children Now
- CA Children's Defense Fund
- First 5 Association of California
- FM3 Research
- Prevent Child Abuse California
- Kidango
- Tramutola Advisors
- The Children's Partnership
- Youth Leadership Institute
Pro-Bono LegalTeam
Orrick Public Finance Group
Funders
The California Endowment
S.H. Cowell Foundation
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