BBF State Advisory Council Meeting and Early Childhood Action Plan Summit

Coordinated by Building Bright Futures

Monday, July 22; Council Meeting 11:00 am – 12:00 pm and Action Plan Summit 12:30 pm – 4:00 pm, Vermont State House

The BBF State Advisory Council brings together early childhood leaders and decision makers from across sectors to better coordinate and enhance services for young children, and meets next Monday in the State House. The annual Early Childhood Action Plan Summit also takes place next Monday, and is an opportunity to review accomplishments, inform priorities for the coming year, and impact the process for updating Vermont’s Early Childhood Action Plan. Vermont’s Early Childhood Action Plan is a tool for planning and accountability to make system-level changes that will improve the lives of children and families.

Visit the BBF website to find more information, including meeting and summit agendas.

Meet the Lead Organizations 

Each issue on the Alliance’s annual Legislative Agenda has an identified Lead Organization that is responsible for researching and writing proposals for issues to be included on the Legislative Agenda, serving as a policy expert on the issue, and working with Alliance staff to secure testimony for committees and engaging legislators. Newsletters in the following weeks will include introductions to lead organizations.

Voices for Vermont’s Children

Voices for Vermont Children is a statewide membership organization with an all-embracing focus on the needs of children, youth, and families by promoting public policy that enhances the lives of children and youth in Vermont – from child care and access to health care coverage for children and youth to juvenile justice and child welfare. Voices is also Vermont’s KIDS COUNT organization, serving as the state partner of this national project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation to use high-quality data and trend analysis to track the status of children.

Voices played a key role as the lead organization for increased funding for Reach Up in the Alliance’s 2019 Legislative Agenda, calling on Legislators to increase cash assistance to the most vulnerable families in order to meet essentials. Voices is also co-lead with Main Street Alliance of the coalition promoting a paid family and medical leave insurance program (FaMLI). In addition, the organization supported three other Alliance lead organizations working on the Child Care Financial Assistance Program.

Learn more about this organization on the Voices for Vermont’s Children website.

Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition

The Alliance Structure and the Collective Impact Framework: Mutually Reinforcing Activities

The Alliance coordinates mutually reinforcing activities year-round with an emphasis on key times during the legislative process. For example, the Legislative Agenda, which is set annually by the Steering Committee using proposals from Lead Organizations, demonstrates that taking action across a number of issues serves to increase the overall well-being of children and families. Each Lead Organizations and Alliance member then undertakes the set of activities at which it excels, therefore lending unique resources or expertise. This approach prevents duplication and allows organizations to support and leverage each other – not compete.

“The Alliance Legislative Agenda really does help you think about all of the issues together,” added Pam McCarthy with Vermont Family Network during the Alliance Annual Membership Meeting. “Even in scarcity mode [in the State House], you can still articulate the need for young children and families.”

Most policy advocacy requires a long-term commitment. Connected activities that build over time in a coordinated, collaborative way can establish a strong foundation for when political will or opportunity is right, and change becomes possible. Throughout the year, Alliance leadership and members have opportunities to collaborate on advocacy, including weekly policy phone calls, Early Childhood Day at the Legislature, and the Alliance Annual Membership Meeting. 

“We’ve been part of the Alliance since we were founded and it’s been incredible to be part of a network of people working on different priorities that overlap without being competitive,” said Ashley Moore with Main Street Alliance of Vermont at the recent Alliance Annual Membership Meeting.

Visit the Alliance website to learn more about the Alliance’s work within a Collective Impact framework.