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Policy Update, September 9, 2016 
Thank you for your interest and support. The Indiana Association of United Ways provides its Policy Update on "even Fridays" (2nd and 4th Fridays). Contact us if you have any questions or comments about content (past, present or desired for the future).
Charitable Sector Priority Area Bicentennial Torch Relay coming to a town near you!
The Bicentennial Torch Relay kicks off today, September 9, in Harrison County!  Patterned after the Olympic Torch Relay, Indiana's version will pass through all 92 of the state's counties, cover 3,200 miles over a five week period.  The torch will be primarily transported by nominated people, and will also employ other modes of conveyance that are symbolic of the history and heritage of Indiana, including watercraft, farm equipment, a racecar, horse and wagon, antique automobile, and others. Festivities will vary from town to town, as communities celebrate the torch in their own special way. Learn more about the Torch Relay schedule and local events.

You may even see one of the bison from the Bison-tennial Public Art Project along the relay path!
Charitable Sector Priority Area Indiana's Bicentennial Vision
The Bicentennial Visioning Project invited some of Indiana's thought leaders to participate in topic-focused sessions with the task of identifying significant goals for the state to achieve over the next fifty years. The sessions included 114 participants and were held throughout the state between September 2015 and April 2016.  Themes emerging in most of the sessions included capitalizing on technology and globalization, improving quality of life, emphasizing education and improving Indiana's brand as an attractive place to live, work and play.  The eleven chapters and their recommendations are:
  • Agriculture and Rural Affairs:  promote the nobility of agriculture, provide best practices to healthy foods, develop regional economic hubs, develop and maintain talent and make Indiana a center of agricultural innovation.
  • Arts, Leisure and Culture: double the size of our state park system, link urban and rural areas, integrate arts into schools, add beauty to construction projects and become the most civically involved state.
  • Business, Industry and Economy: encourage education improvements and attraction of talent and investment, upgrade infrastructure, stimulate business creation, make government more efficient and effective and market Indiana's hospitality.
  • Children: develop a Children's Bill of Rights, place additional counselors in schools, give a universal passport to every child and create maps of services available to families.
  • Civic Engagement and Philanthropy: increase Hoosier net worth, harness philanthropic energy, enhance voter participation, instill an education culture and support mental health.
  • Education and Career Development: make college more affordable, connect education and training to careers, teach students through experiences, prepare students to interact in a global community and make high-quality pre-k available to all Hoosier children.
  • Environment and Conservation: expand habitat corridors, start an environmental jobs program, integrate environmental education into schools, create a permanent funding stream for conservation and improve water quality.
  • Governance and Infrastructure: build a cultural brand, leap to the forefront of autonomous vehicle technology, end gerrymandering, encourage healthy habits and streamline government.
  • Health and Welfare: transform medical training, compensate healthcare providers for keeping patients healthy, create a new class of healthcare worker, allow patients to view and manage their data, plan more thoroughly for the end of life.
  • Public Safety and Homeland Security: improve data analysis, regional public safety systems, better evaluation system to determine prosecution or treatment options for offenders to minimize crime and manage catastrophes.
  • Religion: create structures to support interfaith dialogue, build bridges of understanding and advance religious literacy and values.
At the Statehouse Thriving Communities, Thriving State Gubernatorial Forum
The Indiana University Public Policy Institute hosted a Gubernatorial Forum on August 30 with all three candidates for Indiana Governor - Democrat John Gregg, Libertarian Rex Bell and Republican Eric Holcomb.  Justice Shepard talked with each candidate separately to get their thoughts on the Thriving Communities, Thriving State findings and recommendations and their vision for the State of Indiana in this important election year. Watch the recording of the forum to learn more about the candidates. 

The Thriving Communities, Thriving State report looks at the challenges and opportunities for creating a vibrant future for Indiana. Groups of people from rural, suburban and urban communities identified community-based recommendations that require policy decisions at the local, regional and state levels.  The commissions prioritized education/workforce preparation, leadership and engagement and quality of life and place.
At the Statehouse
Legislative study committee calendarState Capitol
During the legislative session many interim study committee topics are recommended by the General Assembly. The meetings allow experts in the field and state agencies to share information about the current state of issues in Indiana in preparation for the next legislative session. In late May, the Legislative Council announced the topics to be studied before the 2017 session. 

Upcoming committee meetings include: 
Check the interim committee calendar for updates.  
Charitable Sector Priority Area Attend the 4th Annual Symposium for Women in Nonprofit Leadership
A full-day symposium designed for women interested in nonprofit leadership is scheduled for October 28 in Bloomington. Presented by the Indiana Nonprofit Resource Network (INRN), and sponsored by Vectren, the day introduces 17 expert speakers, presenting 20 sessions exploring the topics of: Personal Development, Leadership and Management, Fundraising and Communications and Professionalism. 

The keynote speakers are Deanna Brown and Susan Decker. Brown, founder and director of Cultural Connections, will speak on "Stories that Honk and Fly Around the World: Knowing Who We Are and Why We Are Here." Decker, director of the Masters in Leadership Development program at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, will present "Serving Others, Growing Ourselves."

Learn more about the 4th Annual Symposium for Women in Nonprofit Leadership.
At the Statehouse
Participate in National Voter Registration Day September 27
National Voter Registration Day is a single day of coordinated activities aimed at registering as many eligible Americans as possible. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to participate this year. Join them on September 27 and help celebrate our amazing democracy.  Use Nonprofit Vote's social media resources to encourage voter registration and check out the Voter Engagement Toolkit for more ideas.

Voter registration closes on October 11 for the 2016 General Election.  Register to vote or update your voter information and visit the polls on November 8.
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At the Statehouse - Take Action
Weigh in on issues important to you!
Submitting comments during rulemaking periods is an important way to shape policy. State and federal agencies appreciate specific comments about possible impacts and ways to improve proposed rules. Below are a few open comment periods in Indiana.
  • Department of Education will hold listening sessions to gather input for Every Student Succeeds Act state implementation.  
  • FSSA Division of Aging will hold regional stakeholder meetings to share key components of the final No Wrong Door planning grant.  Learn more.
  • FSSA Division of Mental Health and Addiction and Department of Correction will host the Indiana Annual Recovery Month Symposium (INARMS) to bring together mental health, substance abuse and criminal justice professionals to interact and share ideas.  Learn more about the 9/26-9/27 event.
At the Statehouse
IaUW Public Policy
IaUW 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.
  • Education, so that children are prepared for and succeed in school;
  • Income/Financial Stability, so that individuals and families may achieve and sustain financial stability;
  • Health, so that individuals may access quality healthcare; and 
  • Strong Communities, where a statewide 2-1-1 network and a strong charitable sector help communities thrive.
Our policy priorities are developed and guided by our Public Policy Committee and our IaUW members, based on their work in Hoosier communities. 

Review our public policy documents, including fact sheets, testimony and bill summaries. 
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 - Search 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.

Funding and Other Opportunities - Explore current requests for proposals, funding and recognition opportunities.

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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