Influencing Policy & Increasing Civic Knowledge and Participation

Advocacy

Fairfield County’s Community Foundation has a long history of grantmaking and capacity building. However, we are also committed to advocacy because we cannot accomplish our community goals without influencing the policies and practices that impact the people we serve.

We are leveraging our advocacy efforts to help advance racial equity and build more just and equitable systems in Fairfield County.

We currently deploy several advocacy tactics and will utilize more over time. Examples include:

Legislative Forums: Convening elected officials, nonprofit leaders, and concerned individuals to discuss and advance public policy issues related to closing the opportunity gap in Fairfield County.

Nonprofit Advocacy Trainings: Workshops to help nonprofit leaders effectively advocate for improvements to policies at the state and local levels.

Research and Analysis: Regular commissioning of research to inform strategic priorities and funding, and to support nonprofits. Recent examples include:

• The 2023 Fairfield County Community Wellbeing Index: Details key indicators of well-being, quality of life, and economic opportunity
• The 2019 Fairfield County Community Wellbeing Index: Details the complex issues facing neighborhoods, towns, and the entire county
• 2019 Count Her In Report: A status report on women and girls in Fairfield County
• 2019 Count Them In Report: A landscape analysis of Fairfield County organizations supporting women and girls

Regional and State-level Policy Task Forces: Engaging with other experts and leaders from across the state to identify specific policies to be implemented in response to various societal challenges.

Public Testimony: Presenting data-driven information to recommend policies to the legislature, task forces, and commissions to reflect and amplify the voices of individuals and organizations working to advance equity in Fairfield County. 

• Testimony in Support of S.B. 980 – An Act Authorizing And Adjusting Bonds Of The State 4/3/23
• Testimony in Support of SB 1216 An Act Concerning Funding for Student Meals 3/28/23
• Testimony in Support of S.B. 986, An Act Protecting Maternal Health 3/13/23
• Testimony in Support of S.B. 10, An Act Promoting Access To Affordable Prescription Drugs, Health Care Coverage, Transparency in Health Care Costs, Home and Community-Based Support For Vulnerable Persons And Rights Regarding Gender Identity And Expression 3/9/23
• Testimony before the Government Administration and Elections Committee 2/22/23

Public Education and Media Advocacy: Through educational webinars, public presentations, and media outreach, we inform and engage Fairfield County residents on critical issues across the region.

Census 2020: In each of Fairfield County’s four hardest-to-count cities, the Community Foundation supported a full Census count.

Our Civic Engagement Initiatives

As part of our advocacy work, we are also pursuing a civic engagement agenda to create more informed and engaged residents in our county who can advocate for their interests. We are committed to strengthening civic engagement as a way to aggregate and amplify community knowledge and voice. Examples of two recent civic engagement initiatives include:

Get Out The Vote: Exercising the right to vote is one of the primary ways in which individuals use their voice. The purpose of our 2022 Get Out The Vote Grants Program was to increase voter turnout and educate new voters in Fairfield County.

Civic Education Grants Program: The goal of our 2020 Civic Education Grants Program was to increase knowledge about our democratic systems and institutions, and to increase information access for populations that are historically underrepresented in the political process. The Program elevated and strengthened our commitment to civic education for all.

We look forward to announcing a new GOTV campaign and civic education programming in the summer of 2023.