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The Evolving Advocate

The Evolving Advocate. Some thoughts on emerging issues…. leadership. Is often achieved with a quixotic combination of Hard work Guts Chance Hope Naiveté Intellect. But leadership is maintained by. A sustaining vision A supportive community An open mind to innovation

dean-hart
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The Evolving Advocate

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  1. The Evolving Advocate Some thoughts on emerging issues…

  2. leadership • Is often achieved with a quixotic combination of • Hard work • Guts • Chance • Hope • Naiveté • Intellect

  3. But leadership is maintained by • A sustaining vision • A supportive community • An open mind to innovation • A commitment to quality • Finding a negotiable balance between the philosophy that inspires and the structure that enables.

  4. Achieving the Balance • Mission Driven work is a blend of • Why • How

  5. Why? • Why is the heart of the work - those issues and ideas that clarify, challenge and expand our understanding of our work. It serves to deepen our desire and sharpen our focus to end sexual violence

  6. How? • And how is the head - or the method - of the work, the mechanical and structural considerations that frame our day to day endeavors.

  7. Thesis + Antithesis = Synthesis • While often considered oppositional forces intellect and passion should enjoy a symbiotic relationship where our heart shapes practice and our head creates the foundation new endeavors.

  8. Thinking about the Heart • What are some issues that have challenged, changed, expanded our understanding of the work?

  9. Prison rape? • New collaborations? • The use of the word ‘accuser’? • Trafficking? • Sexual exploitation of minors? • Feminist pornography? • Rape in a time of war? • Public health? • Sex offender management?

  10. Considering the How • What are structural issues that have promoted our success or hindered our efforts? Have some of our earlier novel ideals resulted in positive or negative unintended consequences?

  11. Promoting diverse agency / movement leadership • stable funding • Struggle for agency visibility • Documenting our successes • Maintaining, nurturing and growing staff • Balancing prevention / intervention work • Emerging initiatives (FJC) • agency work vs. / with other systems work (SANE / SART, VW) • External challengers (Father’s Rights)

  12. Setting Priorities

  13. Setting Priorities • Instructions: • Every person has been given 6 dots (3 for issues and 3 for structure) • Identify your top priorities in each category (issues and structure) • You could choose three separate items in each • You could vote thee times for one item • You can lobby and discuss your priorities while the vote is open!

  14. Guidance for Next Steps

  15. Guidance for Next Steps • Six issues have been identified as priority leadership items • Choose one group to participate in (no more than six E.D.’s per group) • Answer the questions at each table

  16. Changing the World NFP Systems Advocacy, Lobbying and interacting with policy.

  17. Public Policy work is not exclusively lobbing • Organizations can freely • Conduct educational meetings • Distribute educational materials • Otherwise consider policy issues As long as they are not advocating a position related to a specific piece of policy / legislation. www.irs.gov

  18. Lobbying is not prohibited for a 501 (c) 3 • In general, no organization may qualify for section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation (commonly known as lobbying). A 501(c)(3) organization may engage in some lobbying, but too much lobbying activity risks loss of tax-exempt status. www.irs.gov

  19. Who is the focus of Lobbying? • Congress • Any state legislature • Any local council or similar governing body www.irs.gov

  20. About what? • Acts • Bills • Resolutions • Legislative confirmations / appointments • Referendum / ballot initiatives www.irs.gov

  21. But not.. • Executive actions • Judicial actions • Or administrative actions Expressing positions on these kinds of actions is not considered lobbying. www.irs.gov

  22. You are lobbying if: • You contact, or urge the public to contact, members or employees of a legislative body for the purpose of proposing, supporting or opposing legislation www.irs.gov

  23. The Formula You (or asking the public to) + persuade a legislator / employee + to adopt a certain position + on a specific initiative ________________________ = lobbying

  24. 501(c)3’s absolutely can not • Participate (directly / indirectly) with any political campaign on behalf of a candidate for office • Donate to these campaigns www.irs.gov

  25. 501(c) 3’s should be careful when: • Conducting voter education activities such as report cards, election guides and campaign forums • Encouraging participation in the electoral process such as a ‘get out the vote’ drive These activities must be conducted in a non-partisan manner. www.irs.gov

  26. When Lobbying… • Agencies can not use state or federally granted funds for this purpose • Think critically about how much time you are really spending on the act of lobbying - 10 minutes? 20 minutes? Track this time carefully. • Make sure to track any agency resources you might be using (fax, postage, long-distance, supplies) www.irs.gov

  27. For Agency Leaders • These rules are not intended to curb free expression when leaders are speaking as individuals - and should be clear when they are speaking personally. • However, leaders can not make partisan comments in official publications or functions. www.irs.gov

  28. In your packets: • All of the information cited • Information related to candidate forums • Measuring and substantiating lobbying activity • IRS memo related to campaign season participation • Form 5768 (h) election

  29. CALCASA Legislative Briefing

  30. Our Agenda • Sponsored Items • AB 261 Elimination of Statute of Limitations [DEAD this session - will be reintroduced] • SB 153 Victim Services • Priority Policy Areas • Services • Prevention / Education • Sentencing / Offender Accountability • Community Safety / Offender Management

  31. SB 153 Victim Services: Background • Rape Crisis Centers have only two state funding sources: • $50,000 from the General Fund • 3.5 M from the Penalty Assessment Fund which represents a 30% portion of the Victim Witness Fund

  32. Think about that! • The State of California makes less than a $1.90* per victim yearly contribution to sexual assault victim services - and this rate has not changed in over a decade!

  33. Currently • Californians who incur fines and penalties (felony and non-felony) pay into the California Penalty Assessment Fund - in FY 2004 / 05 the fund collected $150M

  34. To Whom? • Restitution $48.1M • Fish and Game $.7M • Driver Training $38.4M • Peace Officer Training $38.4M • Correctional Training $11.8M • Victim Witness $12.9 • Prosecutor / Defender Training $.85M • Traumatic Brain Injury $.986M LAO and POST 2005

  35. Does Anyone Here have a Drivers Ed Program in their County?

  36. No? Didn’t think so… • Much of the Drivers Education money (38.4M in FY 04/05) has been moved into the general fund and spent on a variety of criminal and non-criminal justice programs -

  37. SB 153 keeps Penalty Assessment Money Where it Belongs • It reallocates much of the fund and increases funds for • Victim witness (and RCC’s) • Child Advocacy Centers • DA / Defense Training • The other funds are held harmless

  38. What this means for RCC’s • This change in the assessment is anticipated to result in an additional $1.7 - 1.9M for sexual assault crisis centers • Depending on the changes to the funding formula this could be an additional $15,000 - $40,000 per center.

  39. Questions you might hearall of these are on your FAQ Sheet

  40. Isn’t this Bill a hit to the General Fund? • This bill is not a hit to the “General Fund” it keeps the money in the statutorily directed, legislatively intended fund created specifically for public safety purposes - the Penalty Assessment Fund.

  41. Isn’t the current allocation working now? • Despite massive increases in financial commitment to offender management and supervision, California Rape Crisis Centers have not seen an increase in state funding in over a decade. • The State Penalty Assessment should fund programs that benefit the entire state - not just individual districts.

  42. What do the other members of the fund think? • All of the recipients of the current penalty assessment fund dollars stand united behind SB 153

  43. What difference would the additional $$ make? ?

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