Advocacy

Nonprofit Montgomery Action Alert – May 10, 2019

Nonprofit Montgomery2019-05-14T11:23:43-04:00May 10th, 2019|Action Alerts, Advocacy|

Dear Nonprofit Montgomery Members:

If you have not contacted our Councilmembers to emphasize the importance a 3% increase in County contracts with nonprofits, please do so today.

Work on the reconciliation list is coming to a close. We need many voices to support contract increases—emails to the Councilmembers from nonprofits, board members, and friends are very important.

The County Council Health & Human Services (HHS) Committee has recommended a 3% increase for County contracts with nonprofits in DHHS—but in increments. Please emphasize the importance of the full 3%. Here is the background on why this is so important, and click here for the sample email you can send.

Take a few moments this afternoon to forward this request to board members and volunteers. Tell them why it’s important to your organization, and ask them to email the Councilmembers.

Funders Dialogue on Equity Follow Up

Nonprofit Montgomery2019-05-14T11:26:42-04:00May 9th, 2019|Advocacy|

We are excited to include programs like the Equity Dialogue and our upcoming workshop Safe Spaces for LGBTQ+ Individuals: How to Be An Ally.

We encourage you to read/explore the issue of equity to better understand it as a lens through which to view your work. Here are some helpful links:

OLO Report: “Racial Equity in Government Decision-Making: Lessons from the Field.”
Leadership Montgomery’s Racial Equity Training.
The three Racial Equity Principles adopted by the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County are: 1) A commitment to Brave Conversations. 2) An understanding that Power Dynamics may shift and that we must share power. 3) Nothing about us, without us can be for us. Here’s a short video of background on how they came to these principles:
Finally, each funder that was on our panel has helpful resources on their respective websites.

Public Input Wanted 4Business: Benchmarking to Be the Best for Business

Nonprofit Montgomery2019-05-05T18:11:54-04:00May 3rd, 2019|Advocacy, MoCo Government News|

County Executive Marc Elrich and Council Vice President Sidney Katz are embarking on a multi-pronged joint initiative: 4Business – Benchmarking to Be the Best for Business. The objective is to engage the local business community in a grassroots campaign to assist businesses to locate, grow and prosper in Montgomery County.

The schedule of information sessions:

May 6, 7 p.m. to 8:30 pm, East County Regional Services Center, 3300 Briggs Chaney Road, Silver Spring
May 13, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Charles W. Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center (Mid County service area), 11002 Veirs Mill Road, Wheaton
May 22, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Silver Spring Civic Building, One Veterans Place, Silver Spring
June 10, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Upcounty Regional Services Center, 12900 Middlebrook Road, Germantown

Safe Spaces for LGBTQ+ Individuals: How to Be An Ally

Nonprofit Montgomery2019-05-05T14:00:01-04:00May 1st, 2019|Advocacy, Events, Training Opportunities|

The Safe Space workshop is a dynamic and hands-on approach to creating safe space for all; focusing specifically on the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersex and Asexual (LGBTQIA) community. From the classroom bully to the unintentional exclusion by the use of certain language, LGBTQIA people frequently find themselves excluded and uncomfortable in a variety of settings.

This workshop aims to reduce the often unwelcoming and even hostile environments in which LGBTQIA people navigate in their daily lives. Workshop participants will explore their role and responsibility in creating a more welcoming environment at work, school, and in our communities. All attendees will leave the workshop with greater understanding and workable solutions for promoting Safe Spaces of Respect, Acceptance, and Support for all.

Through the workshop participants will:

develop an understanding of the lived experiences of LGBTQIA people through current statistics and examples.
be able to identify sources of unwelcoming behaviours in a variety of settings.
become more familiar with and comfortable in using LGBTQIA-inclusive terminology.
learn to dispel negative stereotypes and develop strategies to create a more welcoming and inclusive environments for LGBTQIA people.
be able to recognize many of the issues and scenarios that LGBTQIA people experience in their workplace, community, or school and formulate effective responses.

June 5, 2019 – 8:30am to 12:30pm (breakfast provided)
The Universities at Shady Grove
Cost: $10 for Nonprofit Montgomery members, $25 for non-members

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

in partnership with The Collaboration Council

County Council News and Updates

Nonprofit Montgomery2019-04-20T22:51:11-04:00April 20th, 2019|Advocacy, Events|

Represent our sector and learn more at County Council committee sessions.Click here for the current committee schedule.

PHED/HHS: April 24, 9:30am

FY20 Operating Budget and CIP Amendments
Housing First
CIP Amendments – Affordable Housing Acquisition & Preservation
DHHS Services to End and Prevent Homelessness

E&C: April 25, 9:30am

FY20 Operating Budget and CIP Amendments
Montgomery County Public Schools

GO: April 25, 2pm

FY20 Operating Budget and CIP Amendments
General Services: Fleet Mgmt and NDA: Motor Pool Fund
General Services: Facilities (including CIP)
Finance, Risk Management, and NDA for Risk Management
NDAs: Leases, Working Families Income Supplement, State Property Tax
Services, Grants to Municipalities, Future Grants, Takoma Park Police
Rebate, Municipal Tax Duplication
Debt Service

HHS/E&C: April 26, 1:30pm

FY20 Operating Budget and CIP Amendments
Early Childhood Services, Infants and Toddlers, Child Care Subsidies, School Health Services, Linkages to Learning, High School Wellness Center, Public Private Partnerships, Children’s Opportunity Fund, and the Kennedy Cluster Project

Nonprofit Montgomery Advocacy

Nonprofit Montgomery2019-04-20T19:06:50-04:00April 19th, 2019|Advocacy|

The County budget process is underway, with over 150 individuals testifying before the Council at budget hearings last week in a great demonstration of democracy in action. Nonprofit Montgomery is leading teams of nonprofit leaders in meetings with Councilmembers and their staff. The goal of these meetings is to educate Councilmembers about the vital programs offered by nonprofits on behalf of County Government.

This year Nonprofit Montgomery is advocating for a 3% increase in contracts the County holds with nonprofits. Without increases, nonprofits can’t keep up with rising costs. There is still time to engage in budget advocacy–Nonprofit Montgomery members will receive a complete advocacy update early next week.

Downcounty Service Providers Network Meeting on CENSUS 2020

Nonprofit Montgomery2019-03-08T12:50:17-05:00March 13th, 2019|Advocacy, Events|

The Downcounty Providers Network Quarterly Meeting will be on Wednesday, March 27, 2-4 pm at Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center. The meeting will include the fundamentals and challenges of the upcoming Census and how government, nonprofits, business leaders, philanthropy, faith communities and community members can work together to count everyone in the County. Contact Kaori Hirakawa for more information.

Montgomery County Council News and Updates

Nonprofit Montgomery2019-03-08T12:41:18-05:00March 11th, 2019|Advocacy|

Represent our sector and learn more at County Council committee sessions.Click here for the current committee schedule.

March 11, 9:30am: PS

Briefing: Police Department’s Autism/Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities/Alzheimer’s/Dementia Outreach Unit
Briefing: Fire and Rescue Operations

March 14, 2pm: E&C

CIP Amendments- MCPS enrollment briefing and Subdivision Staging
Policy Schools Test discussion

March 21, 9:30am: HHS/PHED

Briefing: Services to End and Prevent Homelessness and the Continuum of Care

April 1, 2pm: E&C

OLO Report 2019-3, Availability of Afterschool Programs Among Schools by Student Poverty Levels

April 22, 2pm: HHS/E&C

Early Childhood Services, Infants and Toddlers, Child Care Subsidies, School Health Services, Linkages to Learning, High School Wellness Center, Public Private Partnerships, Children’s Opportunity Fund, and the Kennedy Cluster Project

County’s Report on Maternal and Infant Health

Nonprofit Montgomery2019-02-25T11:34:03-05:00February 27th, 2019|Advocacy, Nonprofit Resources|

County health officials released the first Report on Maternal and Infant Health for the County. The report includes information and data on maternal and infant health topics in the county and the Department of Health and Human Services role in providing education and services to reduce adverse pregnancy-related outcomes and improve maternal and infant health among county residents.