annual report

LETTER FROm

THE BOARD CHAIR AND PRESIDENT

Dear CGPS Supporters:

In 2012, we created the Center for Global Policy Solutions to engage and support transformative change for vulnerable populations through public policy.

Our purpose is to make policy work for people and their environments within the areas of health, education, economic security, and civic engagement and across race, class, gender, and age.  This “intersectional” approach reflects how the lives of people are lived and is the Center for Global Policy Solutions’ unique contribution to the field of policy research, programming, advocacy, and communications.

In our third year of operation, we are proud of the significant strides we have made in protecting Social Security, educating policymakers and the public about the racial wealth gap, and helping to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic. We have measurable and powerful results in each of these areas, and look forward to expanding our reach, influence, and impact in years to come.

We invite you to read our first annual report and share the stories of our success with others in your network interested in improving outcomes for our nation’s most vulnerable populations. Thank you for your time, interest, and support.

annual report

IMPACT

The Center for Global Policy Solutions is a leader in providing information, technical assistance, and practical support to improve outcomes for at-risk populations, particularly in health, education, economic security and civic engagement. The following highlights demonstrate the reach and impact of our work during the 2014 fiscal year.

CGPS works at the local, state, and national level to craft innovative approaches for building healthy communities, improving access to health care services, and reforming health care systems in order to reverse health disparities.

CHILD (Changing Health through Innovative Leadership Development)

With funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, CGPS hosted Changing Health through Innovative Leadership Development (CHILD) training programs that brought together more than 40 local and state policymakers and staff representing communities of color throughout the nation for two-and-a-half day communications and opinion-writing workshops. As a result, participants learned about the impact of the childhood obesity epidemic in their communities, the policy changes required to improve health outcomes, and the need to become public thought leaders on this critical issue. Following the training, a number of these policymakers successfully published op-eds in local media outlets, including the New Jersey Star-Ledger, Baltimore Sun, Albuquerque Journal News, Clarion-Ledger (Mississippi), Star Advertiser (Hawaii), and Modesto Bee.

LHC (Leadership for Healthy Communities)

The Center for Global Policy Solutions, through Leadership for Healthy Communities (LHC) and with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), continued its efforts to create an environment supportive of healthy eating and active living policies. The LHC Retrospective brought together more than 60 participants, including current and former grantees, RWJF staff, partner organizations, and local and state policymakers to discuss the progress made toward reversing the childhood obesity epidemic and where to target future efforts. LHC also hosted a briefing on Capitol Hill about preventing childhood obesity in rural America, which featured two rural state legislators and was well-attended by congressional staff and Washington, DC-area advocates. In addition, LHC issued three publications, which it disseminated  to policymakers, advocates, and the general public to raise awareness about the need for policies to prevent obesity, especially among vulnerable populations.

Publications and Social Media

We raised the profile of the Leadership for Healthy Communities program and its grantees through the publication of op-eds in the Huffington Post and Kansas City Star and a letter to the editor in the New York Times. In addition, we raised public awareness by sending the LHC monthly newsletter to nearly 4,000 individuals and organizations and by posting information on social media; our Facebook presence increased by 35 percent and our followers on Twitter rose 16 percent. Finally, we completely overhauled the LHC website and produced an animated video showcasing healthy eating and active living that was widely disseminated online.

Speaking Engagements

Dr. Rockeymoore addressed the staff of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation about the need to use targeted universalism in strategies to prevent child obesity, and she was a member of a panel that discussed tobacco control and obesity prevention in low socio-economic status communities.  She was the keynote speaker at a Kansas Health Foundation conference and at the National Council of State Legislatures annual state policy forum on healthy communities and childhood obesity. Dr. Rockeymoore also appeared on The Diane Rehm Show, a National Public Radio program, to talk about efforts to stem the obesity crisis and the role of sugary drinks.

Effectiveness

Many local and state policymakers have expressed gratitude to the Center for Global Policy Solutions for the support they received through Leadership for Healthy Communities. The following quotations are illustrative:

CGPS has built long-lasting relationships with national organizations, experts, policymakers, and other stakeholders who are central to efforts aimed at ensuring all Americans are economically secure.

Closing the Racial Wealth Gap Initiative

As part of the Closing the Racial Wealth Gap Initiative, CGPS organized several public events; held high-level meetings with federal policymakers and their staffs and with members of the Obama Administration; hosted webinars; and released publications that helped to increase public awareness of the causes of, and potential policy solutions for, the widening racial wealth gap. The 2014 Color of Wealth Summit, "Shared Prosperity for All: The Policy Imperative for Closing the Racial Wealth Gap," was the pinnacle of these achievements. It was attended by more than 200 participants including Members of Congress, congressional staff, the medial and the public, and was viewed by an additional 200 individuals as it was streamed live over the Internet. Notable attendees included U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), and U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD). CGPS also convened a meeting for members of the Experts of Color Network to discuss strategies for closing the racial and ethnic wealth gap, and helped the Congressional Black Caucus organize a special order hour to examine policy solutions for closing this gap. The 2014 Summit received significant praise from attendees, with 89 percent expressing a high level of satisfaction.

Publications

In partnership with the Duke Research Network on Racial and Ethnic Inequality, CGPS released a report titled “Beyond Broke: Why Closing the Racial Wealth Gap is a Priority for National Economic Security,” which details racial and ethnic inequities in median net worth and median liquid wealth. We held two briefings about the report on Capitol Hill, which were attended by more than 40 members of Congress, and also published several factsheets and infographics based on the report.

Also, CGPS President Maya Rockeymoore published op-eds on economic insecurity in communities of color in the Huffington Post and The Grio.

Speaking Engagements

Dr. Rockeymoore spoke at events focused on good jobs, economic inequality, and the racial wealth gap. She was a panelist at a forum organized as part of Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s Women’s Economic Agenda.

Dr. Rockeymoore testified before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy on “How Structural Factors Drive the Need to Expand Social Security Benefits for Future Retirees.” She also discussed Social Security reform and retirement security as a panelist at an AARP forum and a National Academy of Social Insurance forum.

Training

CGPS hosted a Public Voices Greenhouse—a series of training workshops about how to write op-eds that will have broad impact on public conversations about priority issues. Sixteen members of the Experts of Color Network (ECON) attended the training. The experts published 34 op-eds in media outlets including The New York Times, Washington Post, National Journal, The Guardian, Roll Call, The Root, The Hill, Al Jazeera America, and Truthout.

Media Coverage

“Beyond Broke” and the Color of Wealth Summit had a significant effect on the national conversation about racial and ethnic inequities in wealth. The report was covered in three Washington Post articles as well as in articles in the National Journal, Slate, Miami Herald, Detroit Free Press, Chicago Sun-Times, AlterNet, and New America Media, among others. Two MSNBC shows, Ronan Farrow Daily and The Ed Show, also covered the report and the Summit. Dr. Maya Rockeymoore appeared on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal and MSNBC’s The Cycle to discuss the report's findings.

Effectiveness

The following are selected quotes from stakeholders who expressed interest in taking immediate action after attending the 2014 Color of Wealth Summit:

CGPS works to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to live in safe environments.

"Beyond Ferguson"

On August 25, 2014, the Center for Global Policy Solutions, in partnership with PolicyLink, published “Beyond Ferguson,” a letter and petition on WashingtonPost.com calling for equitable policing in communities across the country. Featuring more than 130 concerned individuals from academia, business, the arts, labor, and faith communities, as well as local and national leaders, the letter urged President Obama and the U.S. Department of Justice to address the issues impeding relations between police and local communities, especially communities of color. Citing the killing of Michael Brown—the unarmed teenager shot six times by a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer—as the latest in a growing list of such murders, the letter urged the Obama Administration to take immediate action to end the militarization of police departments and bring more accountability to police hiring, promotions, training, oversight, and community engagement.

Media Coverage

The letter ran for one week. Additionally, CGPS and PolicyLink conducted a social media campaign to encourage people to sign the online petition. The "Beyond Ferguson" letter and petition garnered coverage in BuzzFeed News, Politico, The Blaze, The Hill, and The Plain Dealer.

Speaking Engagements

Dr. Rockeymoore appeared frequently on NewsOne Now with Roland Martin to discuss the day’s news, with topics from the Texas voter ID laws to the latest developments in the Ferguson, Garner, and Rice police shootings. She was also a news analyst on several shows on KPFK, Pacifica Radio.

Effectiveness

"Beyond Ferguson" and the related media effort contributed to the Obama Administration’s decision to launch a Task Force on 21st Century Policing.

CGPS uses a skillful mix of publications, social media, Congressional briefings and speaking appearances to communicate with policymakers, advocates, opinion leaders, the media and the public, and, thus, to create momentum about priority issues.

Publications

In 2014, CGPS published numerous articles, fact sheets and infographics, including "Beyond Broke," a major report that was covered in leading newspapers and magazines as well as news shows. We also went directly to the media with our "Beyond Ferguson" letter, thereby affecting the national conversation about and the Obama Administration's response to this urgent issue. In addition, we strengthened the ability of others to advocate on important issues through the Public Voices Greenhouse, which taught them how to write compelling op-eds that will get picked up by media outlets and, thus, have broad impact.

Other media impact

Dr. Maya Rockeymoore has been quoted by the New York Times, Washington Post, and other prominent national news sources. She also elevated our voice by discussing issues with Members of Congress and their staffs, by presenting congressional testimony, and by appearing as a panelist or keynote speaker at many important conferences and meetings.

Social Media

CGPS ramped up its social media presence in 2014. Engagement on its Facebook page measured in clicks, likes, and shares increased 80 times, and the number of its Facebook followers doubled. On Twitter, engagement through link clicks, retweets, and favorites increased considerably. The highest number of engagements was reached in the third quarter due to live tweeting during the 2014 Color of Wealth Summit. The number of followers of CGPS on Twitter grew by 50 percent.

We strongly believe these accomplishments will continue to deepen conversations on the need to address structural barriers that serve to perpetuate economic and social inequities. CGPS looks forward to continuing the momentum into the 2015 fiscal year.