[NLA] NIFL letter in the House -- Act Now!

[Jon Randall]

I've heard a rumor that some literacy supporters are sitting this NIFL
letter out for one of two reasons:

1 Some fear the choice of the next director of NIFL is a "done deal"
2 Some don't fee the Institute has done much for them personally

Re: "done deal" ... While it may be true the Administration has a short list
of one or two names for the next Director of the Institute, the process is
not over. We sit by passively at our field's peril. By taking no action, we
play into the hands of those that would change the Institute's mission.

Re: "what have you done for me lately" ... The Institute has done a lot of
infrastructure building for the adult and family literacy field that many at
the grassroots level may not fully appreciate.

(1) NIFL is the "go to agency" for literacy information for folks on Capitol
Hill. Upon request, the Institute is an important source of information
enabling Congress to make good literacy policy. If the Institute wasn't
there to advocate for the field, we'd have an even tougher job ahead.
(2) The impact of programmatic initiatives like Equipped for the Future and
Bridges to Practice are just beginning to be felt in many parts of the
country. In others they're providing great help to literacy programs. In
these programs, the Institute is all about facilitating systemic change in
the literacy field. And what if it no longer supports and assists VALUE, the
only national adult learner leadership organization?
(3) The LINCS effort and America's Literacy Directory provide important
sources of information and services to our field. What would we do without
the listservs that the Institute hosts? What would we do without the LINCS
hubs?

I'm sure I've failed to capture it all. Others can say more.

Our field enjoys these benefits because policy makers to date have felt it
is important to do so. The Institute's focus, programs and advocacy
direction may change in the near future. The stakes are high - this is your
Institute!

Those of you who haven't taken action yet, please do so!


Jon Randall
Public Policy Committee Chair
National Coalition for Literacy
www.natcoalitionliteracy.org

NCL policy efforts are supported in part by funding from ProLiteracy
Worldwide

FedStrategics, LLC
strategic advocacy & public affairs consulting
to charitable organizations
www.FedStrategics.com

8413 Park Crest Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Tel: (301) 588-5304   Fax: (301) 588-5353
jrandall at FedStrategics.com



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