Year of the Governor: Candidate Education and Engagement GLR Funder Huddle July 24, 2018
advocacy spectrum Candidate Ballot Grassroots Direct Education Measures Lobbying Lobbying
engaging candidates for elected office Both private and public foundations can: educate all of the major candidates on public interest issues host a candidate debates or forums canvass the public on issues provide nonpartisan public education on participation in the political process
Choose Children 2018 Engage and educate major candidates for California governor on making early childhood care and education more accessible, affordable, and of higher quality for all children.
strategies Candidate Policy Engage Media Research Education & Follow Through Development and Influencers Engagement • Policy Platform • Develop “Needs” • Meet 1:1 with • Earned Media • Transition Team Research major candidates • 100-Day Plan of • Social Media • Grassroots and Action • Conduct direct lobbying statewide voter • Host forums • Grassroots polling on the and debates • 4-8 Year Vision Organizations issue
example of results: Media coverage Prioritize children, campaign insists to Newsom, others in governor’s race Advocates see an opening to call for more early childhood education funding. Gubernatorial debate includes pledges for universal preschool from Democrats
example of results: primetime debate
on the horizon • Shifting from placing issue to planning for accountability • Releasing Choose Children’s Policy Platform • Building a Case Study and “Blueprint” for ECE Candidate Education • Having a Children’s Governor in California in 2019!
Thank You AV O M A K D E S S I A N Vice President Director, Center for Early Learning amakdessian@siliconvalleycf.org @avomakdessian 650.450.5544
2018 Gubernatorial Race Ratings
Variables in Selection of “Best Bets” in 2018 Gubernatorial Elections • Percentage of families with children under 5 below FPL • Number of children aged 0 to 4 (proxy for Birth through 8) • State revenue rebound since the recession (2008) • Legislative action in 2017 for related to birth through eight • New appropriation for early childhood in most recent legislative year • For the “safe” or “likely” leaning states only : Incumbent governor
Candidate Engagement and Philanthropy: Lessons for 2020 and Beyond • Every type of candidate from everywhere supports early childhood. Foundations must have open minds and find new allies. • Politicians want to see early childhood as public education. Philanthropy must push them to think about community. • Young children are referenced in platforms but are rarely a central campaign theme. Foundations can raise the profile of children. • Republicans rarely talk about kids aged birth through 8 and shy away from infants and toddlers. Foundations can give political cover. • Democrats do discuss very young children, but often see policies as just work supports. Philanthropy can help focus on young children.
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