CALENDAR
Friday, December 14 LWVMA Board Meeting
Saturday, December 15
Deadline to submit "100 Reasons" videos
Tuesday, January 15 Deadline to submit Daniel Scharfman Citizen Education grant applications
Thursday, January 17 Sexual Health Lobby Day with Planned Parenthood, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., State House Great Hall
Wednesday, February 6 Climate Change Webinar, 4 p.m.
Friday, February 8 Deadline to submit LWVUS New Citizens Registration grant applications
Saturday, February 16 Deadline to submit Local League Ballot Question Study consensus response form
Friday, June 7 - Saturday, June 8
LWVMA 2019 Convention
HAPPENING NOW
LWVMA 2019 Convention Scheduled for Westford
 
LWVMA's biennial state Convention will be held June 7-8, 2019 at the Westford Regency Inn in Westford, just off Interstate 495. Please let your members know and encourage them to attend.  More info soon!
Winter Field Service Meetings Set

The LWVMA Field Service program provides opportunities for local League leaders to meet, share, and plan within defined geographical areas. The goal of the program is to support local League leaders, strengthen local Leagues and encourage regional collaboration.  Winter Field Service meetings:
  • South Shore: Wednesday, Jan. 9, 10 a.m. - 12:30p.m. Location to be determined. Contact Scotti Finnegan
  • West: Saturday, Jan. 12, 10 a.m. - noon. Location to be determined. Contact Nancy Polan
  • Metro West: Saturday, Jan. 12, 10:15 a.m.-1:30 p.m. New TV Conference Room, 23 Needham Street, Newton Highlands. Contact Sharyn Roberts
  • Metro Northwest/Central: Sunday, Jan. 13, 3 - 4:30 p.m. Sudbury Library Conference Room, 21 Concord Road, Sudbury. Contact Lora Goldenberg
  • Merrimack Valley/North Shore: Friday, Jan. 18, 8:30-10:30 a.m. Friendly's in Peabody. Contact Karen Price
  • Metro/South: Saturday, Jan. 19, 1-3 p.m. Westwood Library Conference Room, 660 High Street, Westwood. Contact Amy Smith        
For questions, please contact Field Service Director Lora Goldenberg. For further information see the Field Service webpage.
Ballot Question Study News
 
We have moved into the period when local Leagues are planning and holding their consensus meetings. Thirty-four local Leagues and Units have indicated they will participate in the study. It is not too late for the others to decide to participate.

On the study webpage we have started a list of each local League's consensus date, time, location and contact person. Please send this information to bqstudy@lwvma.org when you have it. There are members-at-large or League members from other cities/towns who might like to join one of these meetings.

The Consensus Response Report is due by February 16. Questions? Email bqstudy@lwvma.org.
Nominating Committee Needs Your Help
 
The LWVMA Nominating Committee has begun its work putting together a slate of officers and directors for the LWVMA Board, to be presented at the 2019 Convention in June. The current Board has continued to improve our strategic planning and financial accountability and to welcome diverse viewpoints and experience. We want to ensure that the Board continues to be creative, energetic and open to new ideas. For that, we turn to you!

Please take a look at the Board Member Job Description and Board Member Application. We encourage you to read the information, then nominate yourself or another talented and committed League member to serve on the LWVMA Board of Directors and/or the LWVMA Nominating Committee. The applications are due Dec. 15.

In addition to the nomination application, the Nominating Committee will contact League leaders across the state for suggestions of possible nominees. We look forward to speaking with  League leaders and members in the coming months. Please feel free to  reach out to any of the committee members via the nominating committee email, nominating@lwvma.org : Wendy Manz (chair), Lee Bona, Sharon McCarthy, Ellen Goguen, and Andrea Kozinetz.
Help Recruit Our New Executive Director

We are looking for a dynamic, experienced Executive Director to lead LWVMA into its second century. Please spread the word about this exciting opening and share our job description with suitable candidates you may know.
                
Our Executive Director, with the League Co-Presidents, will be the public face of the League in Massachusetts and will collaborate with the Board of Directors, statewide committees and local League organizations to achieve the League's mission. The Executive Director will also be responsible for overseeing operations and finances, fundraising, and managing a small staff in Boston.   Click here to access the job description for this position. We will start interviewing for this position in early January.
                
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to HumanResources@lwvma.org.
Last Call for Your Reason for Joining the League! 

As part of LWVMA's 100th Anniversary celebrati on , we urge League members to submit a short video-a "vlog" -that complete s the followin question: "I joined the League of Women Voters because...."
                
These videos are meant to share your personal reason for joining the League. We hope to hear from as many voices as possible!  Throughout the year, we will roll your reasons out on our website and social media outlets under the hashtag #100Reasons.
                
Here are the simple instructions for creating your 15-second video, sample videos, and instructions for sending it to us.  Deadline for submitting your vlog to  100Reasons@lwvma.org  is Sat urday, Dec. 15.  Questions? Contact  Meryl Kessler  or  Kate Boland .
Answer the Call During Phonathon

Our annual Phonathon fundraiser is underway! Thank you to all who have donated or are volunteering their time to call fellow members. We truly couldn't do it without your help!  If you did not participate in our Fall Appeal, you may receive a call from a League volunteer. Please consider donating if you are able; membership dues do not cover all of the LWVMA's expenses. We rely on your donations to fund our staff, operations, and outreach. For more information about how LWVMA uses donations, please see our website .
ADVOCACY
World-Renowned Climate Scientist in LWVMA Webinar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Professor Michael Oppenheimer, a long-time participant in the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and internationally-recognized authority on climate science, will brief League members on the recent UN and U.S. government reports on climate change in an LWVMA webinar Wednesday, Feb. 6, at 4 p.m. Save the date and stay tuned for registration information.
                
The LWVMA Environmental Action and Advocacy Steering Committee is hosting this webinar following the October special report from the UN and the November release of the Fourth National Climate Assessment by the U.S. government, which warn in stark language that the impact of climate change is upon us.
                
Oppenheimer is professor of geosciences and international affairs at Princeton University and director of the Center for Policy Research on Energy and the Environment at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School. He was recently featured on Living on Earth and the PBS News Hour.
Lobby the State House on Sexual Health Issues

As the new two-year session of the Massachusetts legislature gets started in January, please encourage your members to join us for Sexual Health Lobby Day, the biennial day of grassroots advocacy for state policies that protect and expand access to sexual and reproductive health care, which we are co-sponsoring with Planned Parenthood of Massachusetts.
                
The lobby day is Thursday, Jan. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Great Hall at the State House. Among the issues are the Healthy Youth Act to provide an accurate and comprehensive sex education curriculum for public schools; a comprehensive bill to expand access to safe, legal abortion; and funding measures for family planning, teen pregnancy prevention, and HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C prevention Look for more information in the January Mass League Action newsletter.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
New Member Handbook Available

LWVMA has put together a handbook for new Local League members. The booklet, which was shared at the League Leader Lunch, provides a useful overview of the League's structure, mission, and activities.
                
Please send Taylor at the LWVMA office a list of your new members with addresses, emails, and phone numbers, as well as an estimate of how many new members you expect to join in the next six months. LWVMA will send your membership chair handbooks for you to distribute. There is no charge.
Check Out Our Annual Report

LWVMA's annual report for fiscal year 2016-2017 is now available here
League Holiday Shopping

When you shop at Amazon and Giving Assistant for the holidays, you can support our Citizen Education Fund, helping to educate and empower voters throughout Massachusetts! 

Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to League of Women Voters Lotte E. Scharfman Memorial Fund when you shop via our AmazonSmile link.
                
Over 3,000 popular stores are on Giving Assistant, and a portion of every purchase you make here will be donated to the Scharfman Fund.
                
LWVMA also offers a wide variety of League logo items. In addition to favorites like the rhinestone VOTE pins, you'll find shirts, tote bags, mugs, water bottles, note cards, and other items. Perfect for the League members on your list! Find these items here.
THE TO-DO LIST
January Scharfman Grant Deadline
   
The next deadline for Daniel Scharfman Citizen Education grant applications is Jan. 15. Local Leagues can apply for grants of up to $250 for a project; three or more Leagues collaborating on a project can apply for up to $500. The application and requirements are here.
League Logo Guidelines
   
LWVUS reminds Leagues you can take a look at the brand standards--and download the updated logo files-- on the League Management Site. Please note: These are the only official League of Women Voters logos available moving forward.
                
All state logos are also now available. LWVUS is creating all local League logos and will make them available ASAP. Leagues should NOT attempt to build their own logos. If there is something you must complete in an expedited manner before LWVUS can get you your customized League logo, please go ahead and use your current logo or the generic open logo (Logo 2 in the Brand Standards). Email the LWVUS Communications Team at communications@lwv.org if you have specific questions.
LWVUS Grants Available
   
The LWVUS Educational Foundation offers a 2019 New Citizens Registration project. As part of this project, LWVEF will award pass-through grants to state and local Leagues to undertake voter registration activities at naturalization ceremonies for new citizens. Grant applications are due by midnight Feb. 8. Grants will only be considered for Leagues targeting at least five naturalization ceremonies between February and November 29, 2019. See the application for additional information.
LWVUS Election Survey Deadline
   
From LWVUS: Thanks to the 300+ Leagues which have already filled out our 2018 Election Activities Survey! If you haven't, please have one person from your League take a few minutes to fill out the survey.  Where you do not have exact numbers available, estimates are fine. Survey data is used to develop helpful resources for Leagues, identify areas of needed training and support, and measure the full impact of our organization's work in 2018.
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