Interested in public policy, the DC budget, research and information to inform and improve the caliber of public policy discussions or advocacy? This is the place for you: information and intelligence that improves advocacy is the stock in trade of this blog.
Friday, December 31, 2010
East of the River Youth/Young Adults Resources Forum, January 10
The event will feature educational and vocational programs available for disconnected youth and young adults living East of the River. Community-based organizations which provide this essential programming will be available to talk with young people and sign them up.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Gray appointments to date
Forum on managed care in DC, January 24
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
December 31 vigil in memory of youth who died this year
According to the event flier, the event is "In Loving Memory of DC Youth who lost their lives through Homicide in the Year 2010." As in the past, NEPAG hopes this will be the last vigil. More information about the event is available from Carrington Lassiter at (202) 388-1274.
What do YOU want to know about the DC budget process?
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Peter Nickles' last hurrah on TBD
Advocacy and Learning Calendar updates
- Ward 6 Forum for At-Large Council Appointment, January 3
- Mr. Mayor! Here's What Research Says About the Challenges Facing the District of Colubmia, January 4
- Webinar Addresses Services for High-Risk Juvenile Offenders, January 6
- The Research behind Race to the Top (RTTT), January 14
- 3rd Annual Activism Workshop, January 22
- "How Should the Safety Net Be Retooled to Work in Times of High Unemployment?", February 23
Monday, December 27, 2010
Discuss education in Ward 8 December 28
New data by ward, ANC, neighborhood cluster, and more
Some of the data you will find in the updated profiles includes:
- After decades of decline, the District of Columbia’s population increased between 2000 and 2005-09, with the fastest population growth in Ward 6 (9.7 percent) and Ward 5 (4.2 percent).
- Overall, the number of children in the city changed little over the past decade, but the child population in Ward 3 grew 42 percent since 2000.
- The share of persons living in the city who did not have a high school diploma or GED decreased during the past decade, falling from 22 to 15 percent between 2000 and 2005-09. The largest drops were in Ward 8 (34 to 21 percent) and Ward 1 (31 to 19 percent).
NeighborhoodInfo DC has also updated profile data on TANF and Food Stamp cases, violent crimes, and property crimes.
Volunteers needed for Gray inauguration events
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Gray education transition reaches out (finally)
has hosted 15 Stakeholder meetings on various topics and in various neighborhoods, listed below. We have conducted conversations with approximately 250 stakeholders during this transition period to re-energize civic dialogue and gather feedback on key recommendations for education in our city.
The email from Katherine Bradley and Dr. Michael Lomax (co-chairs of the Education Transition Team), invited those not already engaged to submit ideas on more than 10 issue areas by December 29.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Ward 7 loses child and family advocate
I met Lillian in my early days at DC Action for Children and she was a great ambassador to the east side of the Anacostia River. I learned a lot from her and will miss her.
The funeral for Lillian is being held December 23 at 10:00 am at the Breath of Life Faith Church located at 311 Addison Road South, Capital Heights, MD.
New education and youth development assessment and plan released
The document reports the results of the DME assessment of the District’s education and youth development infrastructure. The publication also includes a set of recommendations that can be used to guide future work on the issues of education and youth development.
The publication will be posted on the DME web site next week along with the appendices.
Gray to announce additional agency nominees today
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
CMs Michael Brown and Kwame Brown slam Fenty for bonuses
SEVERANCE AND BONUS PAYOUTS FOR POLITICAL APPOINTEES ON THE BACKS OF DISTRICT’S UNEMPLOYED RAISE IRE OF COUNCILMEMBERS Adult Job Training Funds Slashed by Nearly $500,000 for Payouts
Washington, DC – Today Councilmember At-Large Michael A. Brown and Council Chair-Elect Kwame R. Brown learned that DC’s outgoing Mayor Adrian Fenty reprogrammed $495,000 of FY 2011 Adult Job Training. The funds were reprogrammed to cover costs associated with severance and separation pay for Executive Office of the Mayor (EOM) political appointees transitioning out of the government at the end of this year.
Kwame Brown keeps education in COW
Revised FY 2011 budget support act
Parents, principals and educators consider youth violence
Meeting attendees developed recommendations on these subjects:
The qualitative and quantitative benefits of DC's creative economy
The Creative Economy Association of the North Shore says the creative economy
consists of those industries that have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation of ideas, products and/or services.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Nominate your favorite DC Tweeps
At-large candidate debate video and candidate bios
Last day to take the "Nonprofit staff professional development needs" survey
Why is it important that you take the survey? I want to offer skill-building, information-sharing and networking workshops at affordable prices. I also want to share the results with other trainers so they can offer what I cannot.
So tell me: Do you want to learn about advocacy? Basic outreach and communications? The media? Messaging?
Journalist and documentary filmmaker Diana Winthrop and I have already offered four workshops this fall--Having a personal relationship with local media, Getting to know and maintaining relationships with Council staff, Getting to know exec branch staffers, and Outreach that actually reaches out. We are certainly able to offer the four again. But we also want to meet your needs so you can help people better.
Please take a few minutes to tell us what topics you would be interested in learning more about.
The deadline for participating in the survey is December 20.
Chairman-elect Kwame Brown announces key staffers
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Tell me and my readers about your advocacy and learning opportunities
City Year young people talk education to Committee of the Whole
City Year corps members regularly testify before the DC Council at the youth-only hearings. On November 13, five City Year corps members talked about City Year’s plan to expand the Whole School, Whole Child program into the feeder patterns of the five high schools that produce 50% of the students who dropout of DC Public Schools—Spingarn, Ballou, Anacostia, Cardozo, and Dunbar.
Gray appointments to various agencies
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Volunteers needed for DC Public Charter School Recruitment Expo


To register as a volunteer, go to the FOCUS web site or contact the Erika Wadlington at 202-387-0405 with any questions.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Court approves new LaShawn Implementation and Exit Plan
Ward 2 CM Jack Evans on Twitter
Gray announces department heads, December 17
Items from CMs
- December 17 public oversight roundtable on the job creation in the District’s creative economy. The release on the event includes time, location, and partial list of witnesses.
- Ward 7 CM Yvette Alexander to issue fitness challenge December 20: The CM will begin an exercise and healthy eating regimen December 20 and will challenge other Ward 7 residents to do the same December 20 at 3:00 pm. Details in the press release.
- CM Bowser elected to Chair of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Transportation Planning Board (TPB). More on this in her December 15 newsletter.
More news from Gray Transition
- Public safety cluster appointments include directors of the Metropolitan Police Department and fire department
- Introductory remarks at the recent jobs summit on video
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Inauguration and swearing-in details
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Public safety cluster agency directors to be announced 12/16
DYRS in transition
Cold kills. This info can help prevent deaths from hypothermia.
If you see someone who is laying on the street who is not responsive, or who’s shivering uncontrollably and having difficulty speaking, call 911.
CM Michael Brown on NewsTalk 12/15
Vince Gray guest at Washington National Cathedral
Lloyd and Gray discussed a range of topics including the meaning of One City, success of the town halls, and pressing policy and budget concerns.
Tiffany Brown new Alexander communications aide
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
CM Jack Evans' take on the FYs 2011 and 2012 budgets
The Council reconsidered the FY 2011 budget this past week to address the $175 million revenue shortfall and "spending pressures" which came to light earlier this fall, and approved a revised plan 11-2. It was a process filled with difficult choices, made somewhat more difficult by the very short time frame in which we had to act - the Mayor had only transmitted his plan to us just before Thanksgiving. As such, it was always my thought that we probably could not do much more than rearrange some of those priorities and then move forward, which is precisely what ended up happening.
Protest crime and government reaction in Historic Anacostia, December 15 morning rush hour
DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence Holiday Gift Drive
Monday, December 13, 2010
Events this week just posted on advocacy and learning calendar
- Ward 7 Health Council, December 13
- A Healthy Start Healthy House Party & Holiday Celebration, December 15
- Muskie Series 2010: Batterers and Intervention Strategies, December 15
- Protest violence and crime in Historic Anacostia, December 15
Wash your hands!
The CDC also has this advice for when to wash your hands:
- Before, during, and after preparing food
- Before eating food
- After using the toilet
- After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
- Before and after caring for someone who is sick
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
- After touching an animal or animal waste
- After touching garbage
- Before and after treating a cut or wound
Sunday, December 12, 2010
2011 business mileage rates
Committee on Health newsletter, December 10
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Gift wrapping at Politics & Prose benefits Washington Literacy Council
P&P donates the space and wrapping papers to WLC and WLC supplies the volunteers. The Council has served the Washington community for more than 45 years providing reading education and support to District adults with the most limited reading skills, greatest needs, and fewest resources.
Want to volunteer as a gift wrapper? Contact Jennifer Durkin via email with "P&P Wrap" in the subject line.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Take 6 minutes to watch the fight for budget justice in DC
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Seven more join Gray administration
An excerpt of his full remarks and appointee bios is below.
Misunderstanding or misrepresentation? Gerald on Wells' budget amendment
The bulk of the cash Wells found for the grandparent subsidy was in a calculation error in Fenty's proposal. Fenty's budget calculated $477,000 in savings from not filling vacant positions, but the calculation didn't include more than $500,000 that would be saved in the benefits provided for those positions.
Gerald's letter to Wells, copied to all members of the Council, explains why Wells was wrong on the vacancies. Gerald also challenges Wells' decision to redirect funds to prevention when the agency is legally required to serve children who have already been abused and neglected and are in the system.
Though not said in the Gerald letter, the fact is that prevention work is the responsibility of multiple government agencies, not to mention the public. If prevention were of such importance to CM Wells, other funding, such as that for home visiting or substance abuse treatment, would have been increased as well.
The Wells amendment to the budget support act is here.
Mayor and Council chair not only ones with transitions
Gray to announce more appointments
First Gray appointments video
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Not-too-sweet buttermilk sugar cookies
Happy Hour and Holiday Drive for Washington Metropolitan High School
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Children need you right now!
Changing lives one tax return at a time
Volunteers help bring more than $9 million into the homes of DC’s low-income working families each year. Each tax return completed by a volunteer preparer can raise a low-income working family’s income by more than $6,000. That's right: $6,000.
And we've got an amended gap-closing plan
Monday, December 6, 2010
Memorial service for Mary Ann Luby, O.P.
No Monday Council meeting on gap-closing
Information about FY 2012 budget development
We should expect that the FY 2012 development process may be a little bumpy with a new budget director and staff and, of course, necessity to address the ~$400 million problem. As you may recall, budget kickoff was delayed for a month this year until after the general election. The schedule (excluding technical aspects) is shown below. It reflects a compressed timeline with some soft deadlines.

As we move forward with the process, there are some items in the Draft FY 2012 OPERATING BUDGET MANUAL that are important for the public to keep in mind about FY 2012 development:
- There will be no agency budget targets. The starting point for the FY 2012 budget is the revised FY 2011 budget.
- Budget reductions, increases, transfers or all other changes will be decided at the Budget Review Team (BRT) meetings.
- No program enhancements or technical adjustments will be allowed.
- A decision about step increases will be made by Mayor-elect Gray.
Finally, the budget manual provides a good explanation of the Budget Review Team, frequently referred to as BRT. Those who have been too shy to ask may now read this explanation to be in the know.
Please take the "Nonprofit staff professional development needs" survey
With four workshops under our belt, Susie Cambria (public policy and local budget expert) and Diana Winthrop (journalist and documentary filmmaker) are interested in providing additional workshops to DC nonprofits -- and we want to know what you want to learn. This fall, we offered four workshops:
- Having a personal relationship with local media
- Getting to know and maintaining relationships with Council staff
- Getting to know exec branch staffers
- Outreach that actually reaches out
We are certainly able to offer the four again. But we also want to meet your needs so you can help people better.
Please take a few minutes to tell us what topics you would be interested in learning more about.
The deadline for participating in the survey is December 20.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Advocacy and Learning Calendar updates
- Intergenerational Study Circle, December 8
- DC Campaign's Holiday Open House, December 15
- Free Coffee and Conversation at the Foundation Center, December 15
- “Young and Older Workers: (Not) Entering and Exiting the Labor Market”, January 25
Will there or won't there be a Monday meeting on the gap-closing?
The Examiner's Freeman Klopott reported last week "The council is expected to gather on Monday for a public meeting in which members are likely to hammer out the details of a tax increase." But the Monday public meeting is not a done deal. Council insiders report that Council Chairman Vince Gray is not sure a meeting is required to hash out the wants of the other 12 CMs. Gray will make the decision sometime today.
Like kids? Join the DC Childcare Collective and support advocacy and empowerment

Volunteers commit to provide childcare at least six times over 12 months and attend additional trainings that DCCC provides.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Free webinars in December!
HIV services planning meeting, December 16
Friday, December 3, 2010
Attend the PEOPLE’S Hearing December 7
Co-sponsors DC Jobs with Justice, DC We The People, Empower DC, Save Our Safety Net DC, local small businesses, and others have joined together to oppose the cuts proposed by Mayor Fenty to close the FY 2011 gap of $188 million. The mayor proposed cuts to child care subsidies, TANF, adult job training, disability assistance, the grandparent caregivers program, and more.
Direct questions to Empower DC by calling 234-9119. Or, review (and share) the event flier.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Update on City Council gap-closing efforts
Children's Law Center's Holiday Hope Drive
City Council process re: gap closing
The council budget staff and Gray have, for the most part, identified items in the proposed gap-closing plan which are unsustainable and otherwise no-gos. The Budget Office is also charged with finding additional revenue or other ways to pay for changes they and the chair are making. The Budget Office is largely done with that effort.
We should expect the chair's office and Budget Office to be working over the weekend pulling everything together for the vote on December 7.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Public Media Corps hosts online chat on DC's Broadband Divide, December 2
Additional testimony and info from November 30 gap-closing hearing
- The office of Ward 3 CM Mary Cheh reports she did not have prepared remarks
- Testimony of Gordon McDonald, Deputy Chief Financial Officer for the Office of Budget and Planning
- Testimony of David Schwartzman of the Statehood Greens
- Testimony of Keshini Ladduwahetty with DC for Democracy
- Testimony of Andrea Northup from the DC Farm to School Network
- The victim services community showed up in numbers to testify and share information
- Testimony of Elisabeth Olds of Survivors and Advocates for Empowerment (SAFE), Inc.
- Testimony of Karma Cottman of the District of Columbia Coalition Against Domestic Violence representing the District of Columbia Victim Services Alliance
- Testimony of William Kellibrew IV with The William Kellibrew Foundation
- DC Victim Services Alliance talking pointsImpact statement from The Freddie Mac Foundation Child and Adolescent Protection Center at Children's National Medical Center
- DC Victim Services Alliance one-pager
Finally, numerous folks were tweeting the hearing, including me. Some who tweeted used the #gapclosing hashtag.