Advocacy & Funding Resources: YDEKC advocates for durable funding for youth-serving organizations supporting young people to thrive.
Take Action Now! As PPP loans and various emergency COVID relief funds came through this spring, most of our member organizations were able to stabilize a bit, but now we enter budget season for the next few months where the financial impacts of COVID-19 are beginning to become more clear as well, as the state budget forecast “with a $9 billion loss in state-government revenue over the next three years coming down the pike” and general funds decreasing at every jurisdiction, we must ensure that children, youth and families are supported in the recovery. Here are a number of ways to ACT!
- Federal – Contact Congress: COVID-19 impacts on afterschool programs – The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact families, youth, and the afterschool program providers who serve them. These concerns should be top of mind for Congress and the administration when determining FY21 appropriations levels and negotiating coronavirus relief legislation. Time is of the essence: please act now and urge your senators to prioritize young people in the coronavirus response. Congress has just 11 days in legislative session in July to act on a new COVID-19 stimulus. Additionally, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees are preparing to pass FY21 spending bills determining education funding levels for next fiscal year.
- King County – Sign On: The King County Council is now expecting the Puget Sound Taxpayer Accountability Account (PSTAA) Implementation Plan to be transmitted by the Executive tomorrow, on Thursday, July 9, and heard in the Committee of the Whole on July 28. Thank you to the 49 leaders/organizations that have signed on to the letter so far! Let’s give this one more push and see how close we can get to 75 sign ons: please use this Google form to sign on ASAP The revised deadline is this Friday, July 10, at noon.
- City of Seattle – Discover: The Payroll Expense Tax and Spending Plan, aka Jump Start Seattle, passed by 7-2 at Seattle City Council yesterday. To understand the spending plan and how the tax will work on employees earning $150K and higher, see this presentation.
Information and Opportunities:
- Today! Washington Nonprofits Considerations for Reopening Series: Jon Snyder, Senior Policy Advisor to Governor Jay Inslee, will join us on Wednesday, July 8, 2:30-3:30pm to share up-to-date information about the Safe Start Plan, Washington State’s plan for phased reopening of businesses and communities in the wake of COVID-19. Join us today to learn more about safety requirements to slow the spread of coronavirus and how decisions will be made about the pace of reopening. You can register for this event separately (free of charge) here.
- Fiscal Strength for Nonprofits has shared a list of highlights from the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act. As you navigate loan forgiveness, this a helpful list to refer to.
- Thursday, July 9, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM: Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) is a new emergency program for all children in grades K-12, who were eligible for free or reduced-price school meals this past school year. P-EBT provides families with funds to buy groceries because typical school meals weren’t available due to COVID-19. Register for the webinar to join folks from Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, Seattle King County Coalition on Homelessness, and Building Changes to learn more from Claire Lane (director of the Anti-Hunger and Nutrition Coalition) about how families can access this critical benefit.
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