Sacramento Head Start Alumni Association

CAN's Policy Update, August 11, 2003

Aug 12, 2003

Here is the latest CAN Policy Update, bringing you policy news from the state level affecting California.


August 11, 2003




Table of contents


Head Start threatened
AmeriCorps caught in crossfire
Get out the vote!
Coping with cutbacks
About the Update
1. Head Start threatened

On the final night before its August recess, the House of Representatives approved major changes in Head Start, the preschool program that has helped millions of children obtain the medical and educational basics. After the failure of an initial Republican proposal to shift control of all Head Start funding to the states, amendments to the School Readiness Act (H.R. 2210) were approved to limit the shift to eight states. California currently enrolls over 100,000 children at about 1900 Head Start Centers, many of which are managed by nonprofits, that receive approximately $835 million annually in federal support.

Representative George Miller (D., Martinez), the ranking minority member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, many other Democrats, some Republicans, as well as The National Head Start Association, the United Way, the Children's Defense Fund and 40 other nonprofits opposed the measure, pointing out that it would lower the 38-year-old program's educational and administrative standards, minimize its current comprehensive social, health and nutritional services and impose unrealistic limits on future funding increases. Opponents also objected to provisions that allow faith-based organizations that run Head Start programs to hire on the basis of religious preferences, similar to those that the Bush administration has pushed to include in legislation to encourage charitable giving and to renew AmeriCorps. The Senate will act on Head Start reauthorization after it returns in September and its deliberations will include alternative approaches sponsored by Senator Tom Harkin (D., Iowa) and Senator Lamar Alexander (R., Tennessee). For updates and further information, visit the California Head Start Association at http://www.ca-headstart.org/reauthorization.html.


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2. AmeriCorps caught in crossfire


AmeriCorps is only weeks away from shrinking dramatically. Just before it adjourned for its summer recess, the House stripped $100 million in emergency funds for the national service program from a supplemental bill passed by the Senate. Though the Bush administration has proposed an increase in AmeriCorps funding for 2004, if the shortfall isn't made up this year, advocates say that it will take years just to get back to the 59,000-member level of 2001 - much less the 75,000-member level envisioned in the president's budget request. Emergency funding for AmeriCorps has won support from a coalition of 44 governors, 148 mayors, 190 college and university presidents, 250 business leaders, and 1,180 civic organizations, as well as 79 Senators. Since 1993, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the parent agency of AmeriCorps, funded more than 50,000 positions each year to support education, public safety, health and environmental services at public and nonprofit agencies. But because of past accounting problems, the corporation can fund only a few thousand positions this fall. The additional $100 million considered in the Senate could restore about 20,000 positions. For updates and further information, visit http://www.saveamericorps.org. For information about AmeriCorps programs in California, visit http://www.goserv.ca.gov/index.asp.

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3. Get out the vote!


The special election scheduled for October 7th will focus the world's attention on California. A large voter turnout is crucial to our state's international reputation as well as the credibility of the results. CAN urges nonprofits to make sure that every eligible person they serve is registered to vote. Registration deadline: September 22. To find out more about voter registration outreach, visit http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_n.htm.

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4. Coping with cutbacks


With state and local government budgets for the current fiscal year finally in place, nonprofits around the state are joining forces to meet with each other and their elected officials to plot strategies for dealing with widespread cutbacks and future uncertainties.

Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits is presenting "An Overview on County Budget Reductions for the Fall" on August 26 with Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Chair Blanca Alvarado and Deputy County Executive Gary Graves. Local nonprofits took an overall 8% hit in county funding during the first round of reductions in June and may be subject to further cuts when the county considers taking another $50 million from its budget in the weeks ahead. For information, visit www.svcn.org.
California Association of Nonprofits is featuring a wide range of workshops on financial management, legal issues and accountability concerns on September 24 at "Keeping It Together," its annual Nonprofit Financial Management Conference at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. More good ideas for nonprofits struggling with budget cuts will be available at "Money & Mission: Surviving & Thriving in Tough Times," CAN's 12th Annual Conference, November 14-15 in San Francisco. For information, visit www.canonprofits.org.
San Francisco Human Services Network is hosting a forum on September 25 for candidates in the November election to succeed Mayor Willie Brown, who is termed-out. Topics include "issues related to poverty, housing and the nonprofit sector." The City and County of San Francisco recently cut about $350 million from its budget, including funding for substance abuse and mental health programs, AIDS support services, and recreation centers. For information, contact 415.668.0444 or debbilerman@sfhsn.org.
Fresno Area Nonprofit Council is convening a conference on "Today's Nonprofit Sector: Partnering to Build a Healthier Community" on October 14. The Fresno county budget for fiscal year 2003-2004 is $54 million smaller than last year's budget, a decrease of 3.7%. For information, contact 559.243.3682.
Alameda County nonprofits are being invited to a series of free workshops convened by Supervisor Keith Carson to help them cope with funding cuts resulting from the county's $112.6 million deficit. Topics include fiscal management (August 28); program planning and evaluation (September 25); personnel issues and development (October 30). For information, contact 510.268.5376.
CAN encourages Update readers to participate in these events and to express their concerns to their state and local elected officials and to candidates for state and local offices in this fall's elections. The CAN staff can help you with advocacy rules, regulations and strategies. Contact 916.402.1335 or 213.347.2070, ext. 203.


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5. About the Update


The Update is published by the California Association of Nonprofits (CAN). CAN has been working for almost 20 years to strengthen and expand the professionalism, governance, influence, and effectiveness of California nonprofit organizations. The CAN Policy Council brings together 35 community, grantmaking and academic leaders to shape public policies so that they benefit and respond to California nonprofit organizations and the communities they serve.


The Update is one of CAN's many public policy information and action tools. For calls to action on legislation affecting nonprofit funding and regulation, go to CAN's Advocacy Page. For public policy research and general information, go to the Public Policy Center on the CAN Website.


For more information about CAN and everything else we have to offer and information on becoming a member of CAN, please visit http://www.CAnonprofits.org.


Compiled by:
Ken Larsen, Director of Public Policy
California Association of Nonprofits, Sacramento Office
P.O. Box 188947, Sacramento, CA 95818-8947
Ph: 916.402.1335
klarsen@CAnonprofits.org


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