Thank you for your interest and support. The Indiana Association of United Ways usually provides its Policy Update on "odd Fridays" (1st, 3rd and 5th Fridays). Contact us if you have any questions or comments about content (past, present or desired for the future).
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Highlights from our United Way Day at the Statehouse 
Indiana Association of United Ways and local United Way leaders met with their legislators on Feb. 23. Participants enjoy the opportunity to discuss important issues such as 2-1-1, early education, financial stability and health. Just a couple days before an important hearing, many shared how predatory lending traps people in a cycle of debt and hinders financial stability. Legislators value input from their own constituents.
Angie Moellering and Sharon Eisbart from Women United in Allen County share a little about their Statehouse Day experience in this quick video. Thank you, advocates!
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Register for our Legislative Wrap-up Webinar 
Register for the webinar on March 14to learn about the bills that will likely become law. Indiana Association of United Ways partners with Indiana Coalition for Human Services to provide legislative update sessions about the full range of human service issues.
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 Partnership between UWCI, UWW and Lilly illustrates new approach
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Brian Gallagher of UWW, Ann Murtlow of UWCI and John Lechleiter of Eli Lilly and Company
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Eli Lilly and Company, United Way Worldwide and United Way of Central Indiana signed a global partnership agreement designed to drive positive, measurable social change in education, income stability, health and basic needs.
Eli Lilly and Company has a 100-year history of supporting United Way with investments of employee volunteer time and workplace campaigns, corporate giving and advocacy. The company has raised over $250 million for United Way agencies and a record $13.2 million in 2015.
Leaders are meeting with other companies to advance similar strategic partnerships. "We hope other businesses will follow our lead and prioritize United Way in their community-based work," said John Lechleiter, Ph.D., Lilly's CEO who also serves as Chairman for United Way Worldwide.
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 Thank you, advocates, for your help in advancing IaUW Priorities
IaUW advocates for our members and partners at the Statehouse. Review our full bill lists, and note that many of our priority bills in 2016 aim to help hard-working ALICE families. We are proud of our work on tax issues affecting nonprofits, Individual Development Accounts, predatory lending, healthcare access, SNAP and more. A full end-of session summary will be provided in the next newsletter.
In the remaining few days of session and after, we encourage you to:
- Email us a story about how new laws impact you, your clients, organization or community.
- Thank legislators who have supported the bills or issues important to you. Look up your legislators.
- Attend a legislative wrap-up session.
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Third House Events as Legislature comes to the end of session
Legislators may provide a final "wrap-up" at local "Third House" sessions or "meet your legislator" sessions. We at Indiana Association of United Ways have worked to maintain the calendar of Third House meetings throughout the state and have encouraged strong attendance during this short session. Check the calendar for a date and location near you. Upcoming meet your legislator events are being held in the following communities:
- Columbus - 3/7, 7:30am
- Greater Greenwood - 3/15, 11:30am
- Hamilton County - 3/11, 7:30am
- Hendricks County - 3/14, 7:00am
- LaPorte County - 3/18, 7:30am
- Madison County - 3/10, 6:00pm
- Martinsville - 3/12, 9:00am
- Muncie-Delaware County - 3/11, 11:30am
- St. Joseph County - 3/18, 12:00pm
- Valparaiso - 3/11, 7:30am
If you attend, drop us a note to share a little about your experience.
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 Indiana General Assembly
Conference Committees count down til sine die
The Indiana General Assembly has moved up deadline dates for session and may adjourn as early as March 10 in order to release hotel rooms in advance of the NCAA Final Four. Committee report deadlines passed in the last week.
Two major issues still on the table include road funding and the regional cities initiative. In all, nearly 150 bills remain active, with a little less than half moving to conference committee.
When a bill is amended by the second chamber since passage in the originating chamber, the bill author may concur with the amendments. If the bill author dissents, then the bill is sent to a conference committee where four legislators may sign off on a new compromise.
Conference committees typically include a representative from each caucus in each chamber, and may have additional "advisors" who have an interest in the bill. Most are posted with at least two hours notice, though the rules are sometimes suspended in the final hours of session. Once conferees sign off on the compromised language, both chambers must vote to approve.
March 10 is the anticipated time to adjourn sine die, even though the Indiana Code allows the legislature to run through March 14 in years of the "short session." Sine die is a Latin term that means to adjourn without assigning another day.
Key links:
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File your taxes for free and get your credits!
FAFSA due 3/10; State Taxes due 4/15 and Federal Taxes Due 4/18
 Important deadlines are coming. The Indiana deadline for filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is March 10. Hoosiers who want to be eligible for any aid from the State need to submit their FAFSA in the coming weeks.
Many Hoosiers are not aware that they may be eligible for important tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (check eligibility), Child Tax Credit, education credits (American Opportunity Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit) and the Retirement Savers Credit (if you contributed to an IRA or employer-sponsored retirement account). And if you donated to a college, you may be eligible for the Indiana College Contribution Credit.
Call 2-1-1 to find a free tax preparation site or file for free through My Free Taxes. Post this My Free Taxes flyer.
Please share your story about how tax credits or free tax prep helped you or your clients.
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  Pre-K Scholarship Applications open in five pilot counties
Applications are open for the second year of the On My Way Pre-K program in the five counties operating the State's pilot program. Applications are available in Allen, Jackson, Lake, Marion and Vanderburgh counties. Deadline is Friday, March 25.
Eligibility for the On My Way Pre-K program is limited to 4-year-olds who will be in Kindergarten during the 2017-2018 school year and whose family income is less than 127% of federal poverty level ($20,231 for a single parent with 1 child, $24,514 for a household of 3 or $30,797 for a household of 4).
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 IaUW Public PolicyIaUW is a nonpartisan organization that works to advance policy principles and compromise solutions for the common good. We focus on policies that are aligned with the impact work in local communities conducted by our 60 United Ways and United Funds.
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Education, so that children are prepared for and succeed in school;
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Income/Financial Stability, so that individuals and families may achieve and sustain financial stability;
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Health, so that individuals may access quality healthcare; and
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Strong Communities, where a statewide 2-1-1 network and a strong charitable sector help communities thrive.
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Frequently Requested Links / Documents
iauw.org - Learn about the Indiana Association of United Ways, current trainings and conferences and the ways we support local United Ways/Funds, partners and communities.
IaUW Policy / Advocacy info - Review and download IaUW Policy Priorities, Third House calendar, bill lists, fact sheets, talking points and testimony.
Federal Advocacy Action Center - Contact your member of Congress provided through our partnership with United Way Worldwide.
IaUW Policy Update Archive - Read prior issues, special articles and key documents produced by IaUW related to public policy and advocacy.
Community Report Card - Check out key indicators in Education, Income and Health for your neighborhood, county or region.
IN211.org - S earch for human service information available through the referral database or by calling 2-1-1. Download reports about resources, needs, gaps and trends from Indiana 211 Partnership.
NRN Calendar - Register for high-quality and affordable training for nonprofit staff and volunteers by the Indiana Nonprofit Resource Network.
Indiana General Assembly - Check the hearing or floor schedule, watch a live or recorded hearing or floor session and look up your legislators.
Congress.gov - Look up bills introduced or passed in Congress.
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