Reshaping the Narrative: the State Budget as a Moral Document

Our goal is to positively impact the public discourse on the role of our state government and the importance of revenues and reductions in creating a secure budget for the collective good. The San Francisco Foundation's Public Policy and Advocacy Program supports policy advocacy, community organizing, and systems change efforts designed to achieve social justice and promote progressive social change.

This invitation-only strategy and communications workshop on Wednesday, May 25, 2011, will feature Demos, a non-partisan public policy research and advocacy organization, who will present their research findings and valuable new insights about the obstacles inherent in how the public thinks about government, budgets, and taxes. We will also learn about strategies, approaches, and language that are being employed effectively in other geographic areas on these topics.

We believe that collaborating with key California opinion leaders – to develop a common narrative and consistent, effective messaging about state revenues and their importance to the state’s future – is essential to achieving a budget that builds on our state's strong legacy while setting the foundation for building a common understanding of the value and purpose of our state government.

This workshop is one of several in the Bay Area and Sacramento, and we look forward to joining with other leaders in the nonprofit sectors, local and statewide public officials, funders, and donors in this shared mission and strategy.

For more information, please contact Shanthi Gonzales at sgonzales@sff.org or 415.733.8540.

Presentation Materials

Download a PDF of the presentation. [Note: 3 MB file]