NAFGPD Alert -

FROM:     Jane Watkins, President and Jessica Malow,NAFGPD Washington Representative

DATE:      2/4/08

RE:           FY 2009 Budget Information Alert

Last year FGP faced an unprecedented 12.1% cut in the President's Budget Request, yet faced this formidable challenge head-on.  Because of your overwhelming response to the cut and NAFGPD's effective advocacy for FGP before Congress, Congress rejected the President's proposal.  Now in FY09 we are faced with an even greater challenge.  The President's FY09 Budget Request recommends a $40 million cut for FGP.  We cannot hope to understand why the Administration would significantly cut a program that impacts so positively the lives of 284,000 children, teenagers, and their families, however, we CAN fight back.  We will be contacting you in the upcoming weeks and months as we launch a major, long-term effort on several fronts to restore funding for FGP.

Background

The President's (also known as "the Administration's") FY 2008 Budget Request was released yesterday.  This FY 2009 Budget Request represents the President's proposed spending plan to Congress for the period 10/1/2008 through 9/30/2009.  The FY 2009 Budget Request for the Foster Grandparent Program was developed in conjunction with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).  To support the figures in the President's Budget, CNCS also released today its very detailed, 166-page Budget Justification for the FY 2009 proposed spending plan.

Important clarification, worth repeating:  The President's Budget is a spending plan that is being proposed to Congress.  Both the House and the Senate must now consider this plan and develop an FY 2009 spending plan of their own.  Discretionary spending, which includes funding for FGP, is dealt with each year through the annual appropriations process.  Appropriation Bills may contain some of the President's proposals for spending for various programs but will likely be very, very different in respect to funding for programs that are important to Congress.  The appropriations process will take months, -- there is plenty of time for concerned citizens and voters to provide input to Congress on how they think dollars should be spent in FY 2009.

Why is this clarification so important?  Because the news for FGP in the President's and CNCS' FY 2009 spending plan is devastating.  Although the details of "how" CNCS plans to implement their spending plan if it is passed by the Congress are not clear, this is what we know for sure:  If Congress passes the President's Budget as-is, by the end of FY 2009 (9/30/2009):

    * Funding for FGP will be slashed by $40 million dollars;
    * More than 9000 FGP volunteers will be cut permanently.
    * 117,000 disadvantaged children/youth will lose their foster grandparent, the one older adult they can count on!

In the last 15 years, the President has proposed cutting FGP's funding at least 4 times.  Each time, NAFGPD-with your invaluable help - has been able to work with Congress to reverse the proposed cuts for FGP.  Please help FGP, your volunteers, and your programs by responding to NAFGPD's calls for letters and faxes and emails to Congress from you, your sponsor, your community, your sites, and your volunteers.

We just learned about this devastating cut today.  Let me assure you that NAFGPD will be working with our Washington Representative to develop a plan to reverse this proposed cut that will definitely cripple our programs if implemented.  Please let your sponsor, advisory council, and community leaders know the consequences this cut will have on your community.  We will be calling on you and your supporters for help.  Please contact a member of the NAFGPD executive committee if you have further questions.

Together, we will not fail!

NAFGPD Alert -

January 30, 2008

Dear Foster Grandparent Program Director,

Each year the Corporation for National and Community Service honors outstanding volunteers at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service.  Please visit: http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/spiritofservice/seniorcorps.asp to nominate one of your foster grandparent volunteers for the outstanding FGP Service Award.  The deadline for nominations is February 10, 2008.

Since we will all be at the National Conference, let's honor the excellent service that our foster grandparents provide by sending in our nominations.

We know that all of our foster grandparents deserve the Outstanding Service Award but only one foster grandparent can receive the award.  This is a competitive process; make sure that your nomination distinctly sets your nominee apart from others by illustrating the exceptional service that your foster grandparent provides outside the realm of regular foster grandparent activities.

The President's FY 2009 budget will be released on Monday, February 4, 2008.  We will be in contact with you after we see the numbers for FGP.  Remember last year the President's budget provided a $13M cut for Foster Grandparent Programs and we were able to get the cut restored in the House and the Senate.  The President's proposed budget will be the starting point for our work.

Reminder:  Please renew your membership if you have not done so.

We are looking forward to seeing you in Atlanta.
Happy New Year!

Jane Watkins, President
NAFGPD