Network Connection
February 2018
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Legislative Update
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Missouri CAN's Support of Bills
With the 2018 legislative session now well underway, Missouri CAN has submitted oral and written testimony on a number of bills critical to our work. This legislation includes the following:
- HB 11 / Appropriations for Health, Mental Health, and Social Services - On January 17, we testified to advocate for the transfer of LIHEAP dollars to LIWAP/Weatherization. This transfer has occurred for a number of years, and in 2016-2017, it allowed for an additional 1,516 homes to be weatherized.
- HB 1625 / Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Assistance Program – Passage of this legislation would provide low-income seniors with fresh, Missouri-grown produce. We submitted written testimony in support of this bill, and testified at a hearing in support of similar legislation during the 2017 session. While this same bill did not pass in 2017, we are hopeful for a better outcome this year.
- SB 615 / Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) – This act creates a tax credit equal to 20% of the amount of a taxpayer's federal earned income tax credit. Sponsored by Senator Caleb Rowden, some say the bill does not go far enough to assist low-income families. Since Missouri still does not offer an EITC, however, this bill is a place to start. We testified at a hearing in support of this legislation on January 23.
We will continue to monitor legislation in tandem with our lobbying firm and look forward to some positive outcomes during this session. Wondering how you can help? Make sure to plan an event for this year’s Advocacy Week, which is only six weeks away! See below for details.
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Kurt Brewer,
Missouri CAN Executive Director
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Advocacy -
A voice for low-income Missourians
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Advocacy Week: March 19-23
Are You Ready to Raise Your Voice?
Haven’t yet started planning an event for this year’s Network Advocacy Week? There’s still time! In lieu of the Annual Advocacy Day the Network traditionally holds at the State Capitol during each legislative session, Missouri CAN is encouraging agencies to conduct in-district events and meetings for state senators and representatives during the 2018 legislative spring break, which is scheduled for the week of March 19. For more information, please check with your agency's Executive Director/CEO or your agency Advocacy Point of Contact. If you are not sure who your Advocacy Point of Contact is, please feel free to reach out to
Jessica Hoey
. We also encourage you to check out our
Virtual Advocacy Center,
which is full of helpful hints for talking to your local legislators.
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Network Capacity -
Helping you help others
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NEW TRAINING AVAILABLE
We have developed two new trainings for you and your office. Time Management and Confidentiality are available as part of MCAN's Training and Technical Assistance offerings. Contact Chris Small to discuss your agency's needs and schedule a training.
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Study Up
Board Governance is a great next course to take on Missouri CAN University! This course will cover the aspects of a well-functioning board.
Read more
www.communityaction.org
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Resources for Fundraising,
Development & Communications Professionals
Throughout the past year, the Resource Development Professional Alliance (RDPA) has explored a number of topics critical to creating and growing a base of support from non-governmental entities, including individuals, foundations, and corporations. For a glimpse of some of the resources we’ve discussed, take a look at these helpful materials:
The RDPA has also spent some time reviewing feedback from our nationwide network about the National Community Action Partnership’s brand and discussing the Partnership’s new communications plan. Key touchpoints of the plan indicate that both Community Action and our collective network have opportunities to increase our impact by using a consistent message and reducing the use of Community Action jargon, among other strategies.
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More From the National Community Action Partnership
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Every Wednesday during the month of February, Community Action Partnership will be hosting a series of webinars on these topics:
- Thinking About Community Level Work
- Setting the Stage for a Data-Centered Organization
- Screen for Social Determinants of Health: A Practical Conversation
- Gathering Community Data on the Social Determinants of Health and Poverty
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Poverty Simulation Facilitator Training: ALMOST FULL!
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Seats are filling fast for the upcoming
CAPS facilitator training March 19-20
in Kansas City, MO. Learn all the skills necessary to plan, promote, and direct the Poverty Simulation during this interactive 2-day event.
Register today
to secure your FREE spot as a Community Action Agency staff member.
Please note that all CAA employees should first login to their NEON account in order to receive the discount.
Already registered? Be sure to secure your room at the Hilton Kansas City Airport with Missouri CAN’s special conference rate before February 23. For more details
click here
and scroll down to
Hotel Registration
or contact Mary Bifulco at
[email protected]
.
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MCAN CON 2018: May 15-17
The keynote speaker for this year's conference is confirmed! Get ready to be inspired by Jon Petz at
Lake of the Ozark's Tan-Tar-A Resort for our conference on
May 15-17. Nomination forms for the Outstanding Community Action Service Award and Charles Braithwait Leadership Award are open and due March 30.
Conference registration opens soon, so be on the lookout!
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Missouri CAN Capacity -
Helping us help you
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MCAN On the Road: January Agency Visits
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Chris Small and Brian Valentine visited CAPSTJOE on Thursday, January 25 during the agency's all-staff meeting. Chris presented several sessions on Confidentiality in the Workplace as part of CAPSTJOE’s professional development workshops.
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Upcoming Events for Your Professional Development
Check our
calendar of upcoming events as we've been updating ours with Professional Alliance meetings and more. What's a Professional Alliance, you ask? A Professional Alliance, commonly known as a PA around Community Action, is a group of Community Action employees with similar job functions sharing ideas, resources, and training opportunities. Learn more
here and get plugged into a PA!
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UPDATE: Missouri Academy for Leadership and Community Action has been postponed until later this year. Thank you to those who applied! We will reopen the application process late spring; those who applied and wish to still be considered will
not
need to re-submit application packets.
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You made it to the end and are now well informed! Did you catch the song reference?
Reply to this email with the correct artist and title of song referenced in this email
for a chance to win a Missouri CAN padfolio. (In case you are wondering, no one got it last time.)
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