SII Project Summary

The Social Investment Initiative (SII) is based on the premise that a discussion of federal budget priorities must begin at the state and local level. Following is a short description of the project. Project Summary The Social Investment Initiative (SII) is a two-year planning and action project to put into place initial steps that will build the foundation for a longer-term effort to address domestic priorities. SII starts from the premise that federal fiscal policy is a reflection of our priorities as a nation as well as a statement about the role of government in our civil society. Conservatives have long recognized this and have launched long-term initiatives to "shrink and re-limit" the role of government through a variety of means including tax cuts that limit federal resources, erosion of federal regulatory powers, and continued assaults on the efficacy and role of government. At the same time, most Americans support investment in a broad range of domestic priorities to improve the quality of their lives and communities; to insure continued economic prosperity and the well being and security of future generations of Americans; and to more fully realize our shared social values. The objective of SII is to more effectively link these widespread public sentiments and understandings into the public policy debate about federal budget priorities. Accomplishing this will involve finding new ways to engage people to make demands on their representatives to act in the public interest. As we begin to adjust to a changed world after September 11, attention has become focused on national priorities, like developing short- and long-term strategies to stimulate the economy to avoid or mitigate the effects of a recession; the desire to help those who have been affected by the attacks; efforts to insure national security; and initiatives to assist those who are struggling to enjoy the basic necessities of life as the economy falters. In addition, the September 11 attacks brought home to many of us the potentially harmful effects of federal disinvestments. From the initial issue of insuring airline safety, a range of other aspects of domestic security, like strengthening national public health agencies or providing more efficient rail transportation or improving the unemployment system and job training, are being discussed. Where the booming economy had made it easier to scrimp on maintaining the social safety net, now, with the economic downturn and threat of recession, we are seeing the holes in that safety net. The Social Investment Initiative maintains that:
  • The issue is not, as conservatives would have it, the size of government, but its effectiveness in meeting public needs.
  • The federal budget, including its impact at the state and local level, is central to realizing the domestic priorities and initiatives that are important to individuals, families, and communities.
  • There will be further erosion of the federal government through additional tax cuts and other means (e.g., curtailing of regulatory power) unless counter measures are taken. The effort to reduce government is long-standing and will continue.
  • There is a need to build a constituency base that is oriented less towards particular issues and more towards big ideas and visions about the future of this country. A campaign about strengthening domestic investments has the potential for bringing together social justice advocates, as well as expanding that base to include others whose aspirations for their lives and communities may often reflect "social justice" values.
  • A good place to begin is with organizations at the state and local level, especially since many of these groups are left holding the bag as government services are downsized or devolved.
Specifically we will: A. Survey the Landscape and Undertake Additional Research We will "map" the existing landscape to identify others who are working on related projects, review the relevant literature, and consult with experts on framing the issues. Where there are gaps, we will commission and share fiscal and economic research and analyses to highlight how budget policy limits social investment. An emphasis will be placed on working with and through local and state groups to obtain public viewpoints. Meetings with state and community groups will be convened to get their suggestions and recommendations about the direction of SII. Based on this feedback, we will commission constituent focus groups and implement an Internet survey of a broad range of organizations across the country regarding investment issues and priorities. B. Review the Data, Make Recommendations, and Develop Messages An advisory group will be created to review the Internet survey data and other research findings and develop draft recommendations and begin to formulate message points. We will involve outside experts to help shape and frame messages that resonate with the public and policy-makers. We will then convene a series of follow-up meetings with groups to discuss the recommendations and message points, refine them, and elicit support. Throughout this process we will continue to make our research and findings easily accessible and useful to state and local organizations. In addition to already established connections to groups across the country - email, telephone, mailings, and our website - we will provide resources to selected state and local groups to allow field representation that can assist with moving towards action. C. Move Towards Action Throughout this process, we will maintain conversations with key congressional policy makers, state legislators, governors, mayors, and national organizations and coalitions to keep them advised of what is being learned, and to allow opportunities for forging additional and stronger connections. We will write and commission editorials and opinion pieces and engage nationwide media and state and local media, in concert with supporting organizations and elected officials, to publicize the recommendations and messages as they are developed and finalized. In addition, we will develop budget games, visuals, a compendium of useful links, and other materials that make the federal budget, and its impact on states and localities, more comprehensible to ordinary citizens to promote discussion about social investments. The network of groups that is established will likely be incorporated into the growing Invest in America coalition, allowing the messages and recommendations developed under this project to be more broadly infused into public policy debates over the long-term. D. Put a Face on the Numbers Based on the work with community groups, we will develop a "face on the numbers" report and database that will identify gaps in services as well as highlight the positive value and effectiveness of government programs across the country, in the context of the federal budget. This database will be widely available to groups and elected officials. For more information on the SII, please contact our Federal Budget project staff.
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