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Achieving our Mission Through Policy and Advocacy

Achieving our Mission Through Policy and Advocacy. Abby Levine, Legal Director of Bolder Advocacy, Alliance for Justice James Head, Vice President of Programs, The San Francisco Foundation Colleen M. Cotter, Executive Director, The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. 501(c)(3) Private Foundation.

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Achieving our Mission Through Policy and Advocacy

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  1. Achieving our Mission Through Policy and Advocacy Abby Levine, Legal Director of Bolder Advocacy, Alliance for JusticeJames Head, Vice President of Programs, The San Francisco FoundationColleen M. Cotter, Executive Director, The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland

  2. 501(c)(3) Private Foundation 501(c)(3) Public Charities 501(c)(4) Examples Tax-Exempt Tax-Exempt Tax-Exempt Tax Treatment Contributions tax-deductible Contributions tax-deductible PROHIBITED Tax on foundation & managers LIMITED Insubstantial Part or 501(h) Unlimited LobbyingActivities Secondary activity Cannot support or oppose a candidate for office Cannot support or oppose a candidate for office ElectoralActivities Follow federal and state election law

  3. Avenues forADVOCATING CHANGE Public Education Nonpartisan Voter Ed. Community Organizing InfluenceCorporations PARTISAN POLITICAL Lobbying Exceptions Educate Legislators Regulatory Efforts Educational Conferences LOBBYING Get to Know Legislators Litigation Research Training

  4. Advocate:loudly Funder:Specific Project Capacitybuilder Funder:General Support Convener Advocate:quietly Lobbyist Responder No involvement Foundation Involvement in Advocacy: Continuum of Roles Engage Fund

  5. Lobbying Public charities, including community foundations, may lobby: • Insubstantial part test • 501(h) expenditure test

  6. DIRECT Communication Legislator Expresses a view about specific legislation GRASSROOTS Communication General public Expresses a view about specific legislation Call to action What is Lobbying ?

  7. Community Foundations may FUND grantees that lobby $$$ General Support Grants Specific Project Grants Earmarked For Lobbying

  8. WEST COASTAlliance For Justice 436 14th Street Suite 425 Oakland, CA 94612 510-444-6070 EAST COAST Alliance for Justice 11 Dupont Circle, NW 2nd Floor Washington, DC 20036 202-822-6070 advocacy@afj.org866.675.6229www.bolderadvocacy.org@AFJBeBold@Alevineafj www.facebook.com/BolderAdvocacy

  9. Community Foundation • Policy and Advocacy Examples • Research • Silicon Valley Community Foundation Report on the Statues of Payday Lending in California (2009) • The San Francisco Foundation Research on Minimum Wage increase efforts in the Bay Area (2014) • Grantmaking • Alliance for Justice work to educate nonprofits on advocacy and lobbying requirement • Legal Aid Society of Cleveland work to provide individual and issue advocacy to address economic and social disparities

  10. Direct Community Foundation Involvement • The Issue • Proposition 8 • Amends the California Constitution to provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California • Prop 8 intent of unequal treatment for California Residents on the basis of sexual orientation • How TSFF got involved

  11. San Francisco Foundation Response • $250,000 contribution (grant) to the Equality for All Campaign (a 501c4) organization • Co-sponsored a donor briefing on the issues • Provided mini-grants for a Get Out The Vote (GOTV) education campaign targeted at young voters • Documented and reported all staff, grant, cost of our involvement to the IRS

  12. Strategic Plan Goal 1: Improve Safety and Health

  13. Improve Safety and Health - Family Selected Outcomes Case Types, Cases Handled (2013) • Increased safety 100% • Eliminated/reduced risk to child 98.9% Total Financial Impact: $4,741,127 Total Cases Handled 1,414

  14. Improve Safety and Health - HEWII Selected Outcomes Case Types, Cases Handled (2013) • Increased safety in 100% • Secured access to health insurance 88.6% Total Financial Impact: $1,097,414 Total Cases Handled 1,866

  15. Appellate case to set standard for issuing civil protection order • Advocacy with courts to ensure they waive fees for people with low income • Advocacy to allow those with U- and T-Visas (immigrant victims of serious crimes or human trafficking) to pay in-state tuition • Advocacy on utility rates and to ensure due process in utility terminations • Working in partnership to overcome Affordable Care Act enrollment issues Safety and Health- Advocacy

  16. Strategic Plan Goal 2: Promote Education and Economic Stability

  17. Promote Education and Economic Security - HEWII Selected Outcomes Case Types / Handled (May 2013-April 2014) • Removed Barriers to Employment 96.9% • Increased or Maintained Income 73.6% • Removed Barriers to Education 86.7% Total Financial Impact: $1,203,389 Total Cases Handled 1,910

  18. Promote Education and Economic Security- Consumer Selected Outcomes Case Types / Handled (May 2013-April 2014) • Foreclosure Prevented • and Saved the Home 73.3% • Reduced/Avoided Debt 88.9% • Preserved/Increased Assets 82.9% Total Financial Impact: $22,823,696 Total Cases Handled 3,477

  19. Cashland v. Scott – Ohio Supreme Court case challenging Ohio’s pay day lending scheme • Bradberry v. City of Bedford – Appeal concerning standard for sealing criminal record • Complaint resulting in school district now sending progress reports to parents with children with special needs Economic Security and Education-Advocacy

  20. Strategic Plan Goal 3: Secure Decent, Affordable Housing

  21. Secure Decent, Affordable Housing- Landlord/Tenant Selected Outcomes Case Types / Handled (Sept 2013-April 2014) • Evictions Prevented 98.5% • Secured Subsidized Housing 95.6% • Reduced Rent/Fee 100% Total Financial Impact: $614,518 Total Cases Handled 1,414

  22. Secure Decent, Affordable Housing- Landlord/Tenant Selected Outcomes Case Types / Handled (Sept 2013-April 2014) • Foreclosure Prevented and Home Saved 75% • Extended Client’s Stay in Home 98.9% • Default Judgment Averted 82.9% Total Financial Impact: $11,627,490 Total Cases Handled 490

  23. Federal appellate case challenging the way housing authority calculates portion of rent due from tenant • Advocacy with housing authority regarding bans on persons with prior convictions • Advocacy with state agency to ensure people with low income benefit form tax-supported developments • Advocacy with courts to establish mediation programs for foreclosure Housing - Advocacy

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