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Public Policy Agenda

Our mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of the community.

Our mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of the community.

Guided by our Board of Directors, partners and community leaders, United Way has aligned our focus and resources to MC2026, our five-year plan for Mighty Change. Together, we create change for Maricopa County by connecting volunteers to their passions, working with select communities and empowering them to develop their own action plan, and uniting donors who want to create solutions.

Federal Issues

Non-Profit Capacity Building

  • Maintain the Charitable Tax Deduction for donors to help vulnerable individuals and families.
  • Maintain the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, that are valuable resources which help provide stability for low income families.
  • Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit for struggling childless adults.

Increase Financial Stability

  • Improve the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to deliver health plan options that are affordable, accessible, and provides adequate services.

Ensure Children Succeed

  • Preserve the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
  • Restore and maintain Early Head Start and Head Start funding at or above pre-sequestration levels.
  • Support funding and implementation of Childcare and Development Block Grants.
  • Maintain funding for the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act that supports non-congregate meal programs; builds summer and after school programs and improves meal programs including breakfast in the classroom.

State Issues

Ensure Children and Youth Succeed

  • Restore funding cuts and maintain current program levels in education, including early childhood, such as First Things First (FTF).
  • Support funding for a statewide data system that provide teachers, administrators, school-based staff and community stakeholders real time comprehensive data as a tool to increase student achievement.
  • Maintain and expand quality out-of-school time programs which positively impact children’s learning.
  • Support rigorous learning standards with appropriate resources and training for children, families, and teachers.
  • Support increased access to quality extended learning opportunities to engage students in academic content and reduce summer learning loss.
  • Support bills that reflect the agreed upon measures within the Arizona Education progress meter.

Increase Financial Stability

  • Support workforce development programs for adults and young adults focused on job/career training and placement, increased educational opportunities, and support services that eliminate barriers to obtaining and sustaining employment.
  • Ensure access to affordable child care to enable parents to gain and maintain employment.
  • Work to prevent onerous Payday and Title Loan legislation.

Non-Profit Capacity Building

  • Support the Charitable Tax Credit that provides funding to qualifying charitable organizations for diverse programs and lead individuals toward increased self-sufficiency.
  • Support funding for 211 Community Information and Referral for community and social services.

End Homelessness

  • Restore the Arizona Housing Trust Fund that leverages dollars for homelessness prevention, emergency shelter and affordable housing.

Local Issues

End Homelessness

  • Support and encourage permanent supportive housing using a Housing First model for chronically homeless individuals with cities, towns and the county.
  • Support and encourage funding for Rapid Rehousing for individuals and families that have experienced episodic homelessness and need assistance to stabilize in a safe and affordable place to call home.
  • Encourage public and private funders to align their resources to the regional plan to end homelessness.
  • Encourage cities and towns to amend their Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) plans to allow for social service grant partnerships with non-profits to address food insecurity, emergency food, and nutrition within food deserts.

End Hunger

  • Coordinate Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) with local schools where 75% of the students qualify for free and reduced meals.

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