ELECTION, LOBBYING & ADVOCACY RESOURCES

NOVEMBER 2020 ENDORSEMENTS

YES on PROPOSITION 15 - Close a Corporate Loophole and Reclaim Tax Revenue for Schools & Communities
YES on PROPOSITION 16 - A Return to Affirmative Action
YES on PROPOSITION 17 - Free the Vote for Previously-Incarcerated People
YES on PROPOSITION 18 - Allow Certain 17-Year-Olds to Vote in Primaries
NO on PROPOSITION 20 - Rollback of Prison Reforms
YES on PROPOSITION 21 - Stabilize Rent
NO on PROPOSITION 22 - Stop App Companies' Attempted Exemption & Exploitation of Workers
YES on PROPOSITION 25 - End Cash Bail*
YES on MEASURE M - Goleta School Improvement Bond

YES on PROP. 15 - Schools & Communities First

The Schools & Communities First ballot measure seeks to address growing inequality in California by closing an over four decade-long corporate tax loophole that has allowed wealthy commercial and industrial property owners to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. The Fund for Santa Barbara’s Board of Directors has voted to join a growing number of other philanthropic organizations in endorsing this measure because of its historic potential to benefit children, families, and communities across California. Join us to explore how we might engage the broader funding community in Santa Barbara and the Central Coast around this unprecedented campaign. 

YES on PROP. 16 - A Return to Affirmative Action

By repealing Prop. 209 (1996), Prop. 16 would allow race, ethnicity, and gender to be considered in awarding government contracts and admissions to the state's colleges and universities. The state's 24-year ban on affirmative action considerations have allowed significant institutional failures to deepen and banned an important tool in addressing deep-seated systemic inequities--this is an important opportunity to fix that policy failure.

*YES on PROP. 25 - End Cash Bail

While the FUND believes it is vital we end the inherently classist, racist, and exploitative bail bond system currently in place, we have serious concerns about the possibilities of a replacement risk assessment system replicating the structurally-discriminatory patterns of the criminal justice system. Therefore, we ultimately believe that Proposition 25 warrants support and that it is incumbent upon our state to also support the implementation of an alternative system that is rooted in justice and fairness.

VOTER INFORMATION

• Register to Vote in California here
• Find all Ballot Drop-Off Locations in Santa Barbara County and learn about all the ways you can vote in this election.
• CA Secretary of State Official Voter Guide
• Lookup What's On Your Ballot via Voter's Edge
  
• Lookup Campaign Finance and Expenditures on the CA Secretary of State's Website
• Ballotpedia has additional helpful information on supporters opponents and ballot measure summaries.
• CalMatters has a brief overviews of the State Ballot Measures

NONPROFIT LOBBYING & ADVOCACY RESOURCES

The Alliance for Justice Bolder Advocacy Project provides helpful resources and expertise to assist nonprofits and foundations advocate effectively and protect their right to do so. Check out their website and stay tuned for more workshops featuring Bolder Advocacy like the one below.

California Association of Nonprofits' "Vote with Your Mission" initiative provides a number of helpful resources for effective nonprofit voter engagement.

The California League of Women Voters has helpful resources on hosting candidate forums and making ballot measure presentations

Please contact us if you think we might be helpful in your lobbying and advocacy efforts (805-962-9164 / Stanley@fundforsantabarbara.org) and check out our Resources for Organizers Page in the meantime!

"Take a Stance! Nonprofit Civic Engagement & The Ballot Box" Training

ABOUT THE FUND FOR SANTA BARBARA AND ELECTIONS

The Fund for Santa Barbara is a 501(c)3 community foundation which supports local organizing for social, economic, environmental and political change. As such, we cannot endorse candidates or parties, but we can and do weigh in on important electoral and legislative issues. The Fund frequently supports grassroots community organizations who are working on ballot measures. In addition, the Board of Directors of The Fund occasionally votes to endorse positions directly.  

THE FUND'S RECENT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT GRANTS

The FUND has always been committed to building grassroots political power. Check out our list of recent civic engagement grants and please consider donating to the FUND so we can continue this important work.
Civic Engagement Summary

CONTACT

Stanley Tzankov, Capacity Building Manager, with any questions and comments--or if the FUND might be of assistance in your work. Stanley@fundforsantabarbara.org / 805-962-9164