YMCA

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Support the highest level of funding possibl e for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CC DBG). CCD B G helps families with low incomes access affordable, qualit y chi ld care. These fund s enable families to secure e arly chi ldhood and aftersch ool opportuni ties for childr en under the age of 13, so that paren ts can wo rk or p ursue education or training o ppor tunit ies. Hu ndreds of Ys across the country offeri ng quali ty child care programs participate in their state ’s child care subsid y program, helping parents offset the cost of child care, which is ofte n the lar gest fami ly expenditur e.

Support a $750 million increase for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC). These funds support l ocally designed academic enrichment opportunities befo re sch ool, after school and duri ng the summer. These programs help inspi re k ids to learn and make better decisi ons and to give wor king par ents peace of mind k nowing their children are in safe environments. Research shows that quali ty programs give studen ts the academic, social and career skills they need to suc ceed; can lead to improvements in attendance , cl ass part icip at ion and behavior, and homewo rk completi on; and can nar row the achievement gap. One in five Y afterschool programs are support ed by 21st CCLC funding, in partnership with schools and di str icts.

Support the highest level of funding possibl e for H ead Start. Head Start prepares young chi ldren f or school and life by provid ing a compr ehensi ve set of services to fami lies, in cluding education, nutrition, heal th care and s ocial ser vices to enhance child well -being. Head Start also supports parents’ engagement in thei r child’s learning and development. Toget her, compr ehensive services and paren tal engagement ensur e the cogni tive , social and emotional development of young children an d prepar e them f or fut ure success. Ther e are 185 YMCA Head St ar t/Early He ad Start progr am sit es in 22 states.

Cosponsor the Summer Mea ls Act. The Summer Meals Act fixes longst andin g challenges to child nu tri tion pr ograms by streamlining operations to support year-r oun d feeding, expanding eligibil ity to serve more kid s, allowin g an a ddit ional meal or snack to be served during the summer and pr ovidi ng transport ation services forhard- to-reach areas. In 2022, YMCAs served nearly 44 million meals and snack s through USDA child nutrit ion progr ams at 6,00 0 sites across th e coun try. Support the highest level of funding possibl e to the Department of Housing a nd Urban Development grant programs that s upport emergency, transitional and a ff ordable housing. These grants should also remain fle xible to support facility infrastructure, staff training, and social services to address soci al an d healt h inequities experienced by this popul at ion. Additional funding f or homeless ser vices wi ll help house vulnerable populations and enable Ys and other community organizations to expand th eir

services and respond to gr owing h ousin g needs. Ys house nearly 15,0 00 reside nts, and Ys across the country provide numerous s upports and services for individuals at risk of or experienci ng homelessness. Support a Farm Bill that helps Ys feed th e whole family and se rve ru r al communities. The F arm Bill should include: The Investing in Rural America Act (H.R. 4736) , whic h establishe s a loa n progra m fo r chil d car e an d health care facility construction in rura l communities , The Fresh P r oduce Procurement Reform Act (H.R. 5589 / S.2874) , which would let community-base d nonprofits provid e fres h produce to local families, a nd Th e highest possible funding for Gu s Sc hu m acher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusN IP) and SNAP- Education programs, whic h Ys are usin g to help familie s make healthy diet decision s an d ge t th e nutrition the y need.

Support the highest level of funding possibl e for the Fu ll-Service Community Schoo ls program. The community schools model pro motes school-community partnerships and str at egies that coordinate and integr at e local services— including health , nut ri tion and s ocial services—to enhance children ’s academic and non-academic outcomes and to support family wellness. G rant programs including 21st Century Com muni ty Learning Center s, as well as fundin g under Title I of ESSA can be used to support this model. Ys are partners in hundreds of com muni ty school efforts across th e coun try, ei ther as a school partner and service provider or as the lead agen cy responsible for the co ordi nation, planni ng and implementation of communi ty sch ool ini tiati ves.

ADDRESSING COMMUNITY

NEEDS

Support the highest level of funding possibl e for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’ s (C D C) National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion to address the looming crisis of c hronic disease. CDC invests in proven strateg ies that add ress t he nation ’s leading causes of death and disability : heart disease, cancer, obesity, stroke, arthritis and diabetes. Incr eased funding is essenti al to address skyrocketi ng chronic condit ions and to stem the growi ng pandem ic of sedentary behavior and poor nutri tion t hat r esult in disease and disabi lit y. Many of these chronic condit ions are more common, diagn osed later, an d result in health inequities for people of co lor, older adul ts, those living with di sabi lit ies, people wi th mental and substance use disorders, and t hose wit h low incomes and lower educational att ai nment. Y- U SA has regranted CDC funding to local Ys to build capacity and deliver evidence -based programs and policy strate gies that prevent an d control chronic diseases an d stem i nequi ties. We as k that Con gress: Support $4 0 million in funding for CDC’s National Diabete s Prevention Program . Th e National Diabetes Preventio n Program is shown to prevent the incidence of type 2 diabete s by 58% for some of th e 98 million America n adult s living with prediabetes. Support the highest level of funding possible for CDC’s Heart Diseas e and Stroke Division. Thes e resource s help to suppor t scalin g of th e YMCA Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Program , which helps some of the 116 million American s living with hypertension preven t hear t diseas e and stro k e s by controlling their condition. Support the highest level of funding possible fo r CDC’s Comprehensive Cance r Program to create a national cancer surviv orship program and scale evidence -based physical activity and well-being programs, lik e LIVESTRONG at the YMCA , an d help some of th e 17 million American s living with, through a n d beyond cancer. Support $54 million for CDC’s Arthritis Program to suppor t funding in all 50 states. Y programs lik e Enhance®Fitness help some of the 59 million American s living with arthritis reduc e pain , increas e flexibility, an d improv e quality of life.

Support $130 million for CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Ph y sical Activity and Obesity (DNPAO) to support community-driven approaches to advance w alking and b iking in communitie s and to increas e access to healthy, affordable food s in orde r to preven t an d control overweig ht an d obesity. Pleas e also suppor t funding for family-base d lifestyle health program s for childre n living with obesity. Thi s align s with th e White House Nationa l Strateg y on Hunger , Nutrition an d Health. Support $ 1 0 2. 5 million for CDC’s R EACH and GHWI C programs. The Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REA C H) program helps reduce racial and e t hn i c health disparities, a nd the Good Health and Wellness in Indian Countr y (GHWIC) progra m makes significan t investment s to improve America n Indian an d Alas ka Nativ e tribal health. Support the Prevent Dia betes A ct and administrative rule changes to impro ve the Medicar e Dia betes Pre vention Progr am (MDP P). Substanti al p rogress wa s made in 2023 through rule changes to impro ve MDPP, both in terms of increased payments to supplier s for the pr ogram and expanded coverage for screening s ervices to better identify an d refer th ose l iving wi th prediabetes to the program. The Prevent D iabetes Act will expand t he number of supplier s able to deliver the program and to end the “once -in-a-lifetime” limit on individuals’ part icip at ion in t he program. Additional rule changes are n eeded to better support low -income and/or under-resourced individuals in the pr ogram, and to alleviate some of the pr ohibit ive red tape involved in becoming a Medicare suppl ier. Cosponsor the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TR OA) (H.R. 4818 / S.2407). TROA will enhance Medicare beneficiar ies’ access to health car e providers best suit ed to provide intensive behavior al t herapy, i ncludin g community-based organizatio ns li ke Ys, an d allow Medicare Part D to cover FD A- approved anti-obesit y medications.

Cosponsor the Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Program Act (H.R. 43 63 / S.2213). This le gislation wi ll addr ess the gaps in survivorship car e and develop stan dards to improve the overall patient-cen ter ed qualit y of care and navigation needs of cancer survivors and t heir famil ies. Addi tionally , it would support funding for cancer survi vorship pro grams li ke the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA pr og ram. Cosponsor the Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act (H.R. 30 7 3 / S.1 452). This legislation pr omotes ment al wellness and resilience and supports st rategies to pr event and heal men tal healt h, behavioral he alth , and psychosocial conditions through devel opmen tally and culturally appropr iate communit y progr ams. Additio nally, it would award communit y- based organizations grants for th e purpose of establishing, operati ng, or expandin g community-based mental wellness and r esilien ce programs. Cosponsor the CA RI NG about Social Determinants of Health Act (H.R.1066 ). This bill requi res th e Center s for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to peri odically upd ate specified guidance to help states addr ess so ci al determinants of health (e.g., so cioe conomic factors) under Medicaid and the Children ’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

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Support $5 million for Drowning Prevention at CDC’s National Center on Injury Pre ve ntion and Control. These funds would support nation al organizations in scaling proven prevent ion programs, stat e and lo cal drowni ng surveill ance and implementation of n at ional and st at e plans on water safety. Mor e children a ges 1-4 die fr om drowning than any othe r cause of de at h, an d it is the second leading cause of u ni nten tio nal injury for children ages 5-14. Thi s healt h cr isi s disproportionat ely impac ts childr en of color. Support the highest level of funding possibl e for CDC’s National Center on Inju ry Pre vention and Control for community vi o lence prevention and fi rearm injury and mortality preve ntion re search. The Y has j oined the American Academy of Pediatrics in supporting increa sed research on evidence -based strategies to reduce gun-related injuries. As an organization committed to youth and youth safety, the Y advances com mu ni ty-based violence prevention strate gies, which can help reduce both youth violence vic timizatio n and perpetratio n.

Cosponsor the RIS E from Trauma Act (H.R. 4541 / S.1426). The RISE from Trauma Act will expand tr auma-informed training and work force development in social service organizations, schools, healt h care settings, child welfare and justice syst ems and among fir st respo nders. It wil l also incr ease resources to bolster community r esponse to those affected by trauma. Ys across the cou nt ry provide services and supports, includin g trauma-informed approaches to care, in collaboration with local partners and agencies to mi tigat e the effects of trauma an d adver se childh ood experiences (ACEs) and pr omote mental he alth and wellness.

Support the highest level of funding possibl e for Titles I and II of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPT A). CAPTA is dedicated to t he prevent ion, assessment, identification and tre at men t of child abuse and neglect and supports a con tin uum of services to prevent child maltreatmen t, reduce entry into the child welfare system an d in tervene when children are maltr eated. Title II of CAPTA, Community-Based Child Abuse Prevent ion (CBCAP) grants, support community-based family- strengthening services thr ou gh robust public-private partnerships. These services aim to enhance the overall well- bei ng and outcomes of children and families and include volun tary evidence -based home visiting, parental skills-building, and self-help programs; and support coordination and connect ion wit h men tal heal th , substance use, and domestic violence serv ices. Suppo rtin g family stabi lit y is cor e to the Y’s mission, and chi ld prote ctio n is a top pr ior ity.

KEEPI

NG KIDS

SAFE

Cosponsor the Youth Workforce Readiness Act (H.R. 3416 / S.454). This legislation seeks to create federal investments and partnerships that will increase opportunitie s for youth to build kn o wledge and skills an d connect to critical real -life work experiences and learning opportunities. The bill also re-establishe s Youth Councils to work in coordination with loca l wor kforce boards to elevate youth voice on critical issues. Through an array of youth wor kforce readiness programs, the Y provides young peopl e with real -life work experiences and learning opportunities that build kn o wledge and skills an d connect them to personal gro wth and social an d economic opportunity . Support $130 million for the Youth Mentoring Program at the Departmen t of Justi ce. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)’s Youth Mentor ing Pr ogram provides grants to yout h-serving or ganizations to fund quality mentoring pr ograms, grounded in evidence -based research, to improve outcom es for at-risk an d high- ri sk you th . Mentori ng is

a critical component in young people ’s lives, helping them make the deci sions and connectio ns that lead to opportu ni ty. Each ye ar, Ys provide positive life experiences to hundr ed s of youth participating in t he Y’s Reach & Rise® ther apeutic mentoring program, funded t hrough DOJ’s Youth Mentorin g Program. Cosponsor the PLAYS in Youth Sports Act (H.R. 4599). This legislation au thor izes grants to suppo rt youth sports activities inc lu ding pro mot ion, training an d certif icat ion for coaches, eff orts to increase participation in youth s po rts, and ac tivit ies to promote safety and h ealt h, including child abuse preventio n. The bill calls on the Department of Healt h an d Human Services to establish a $75 m ill ion annual gr ant program to support n onprofit or ganizations workin g to i mprove heal th throug h you th sports participatio n.

Support $100 million for National Park Service Youth Partnership Programs at the Departmen t of Interior. These resources have enabled partnerships between national park s and Ys to create youth employment programs and have engaged over 100,000 youth in the outd oo rs, providi ng many with their first vi sit to a natio nal park. Incr eased funding would enable more Ys and yout h - serving organizations to deliver t he program. Support $23 million in funding f or t he “Americ an History a nd Civic s Ac ademie s” an d the “American History and Civics-Nationa l Activities” grants at the De pa rtment of Education. This is the only federal fundi ng source specifically designated for civic education. A cross the country, appro ximately 55,000 teens participate in YMCA Youth and Governme nt Programs, wher e students immerse themselves in experient ial civic engagement, debate issues that affec t ci tizens in their community, propose legislat ion, an d att end state and national confer ences.

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Cosponsor the Charitable Act (H.R. 343 5 / S. 5 66). This bipartisan legislati on would r estore t he charitable deduction for non- itemiz ing taxpayers and increase the cap to one - third of the standard deduction ( appro ximately $4,600 for individuals and $9 , 200 for j oint filers). In 2020, Congress enac ted a t emporary n on- it emizer deduction—also k nown as the “Universal Charitable Deduction”—f or chari table donatio ns with a $300 cap for individuals and a $6 00 cap for couples. This marked the first time in t hi rty years that all taxpayers were able to c lai m a deduction on at le ast part of t heir chari table giving, regardless of whether they it emized. Unfortunately , that deduction expired at the en d of 2021. In addition to supporti ng no nprofi ts to meet growing and changing co mmunity n eeds, increased charitable donations would lessen the burden on government programs, saving taxpayers money while at t he same t ime ensuri ng that our country retains a stro ng and in depen dent civil society. Cosponsor the Streamlining Federal Gran ts Act (H.R. 593 4 / S.2286). This bill addresses critical i ssues in mana ging federal grant programs by impr ovi ng the effecti veness and performance of federal grants and cooperative agr eements, si mpli fying application and reporti ng r equi rements and facilitating greater coordinati on amo ng federal agencies responsible for deli verin g services to the public. This legislation pr esen ts a pat hway to greater efficiency, equity, an d effec ti ven ess in the federal grant administrati on that Ys use to make posit ive change in th eir communities.

Support the highest level of funding possi ble for AmeriCorps. AmeriCorps is the largest gran t maker in suppo rt of service and volunteering. This initi at ive taps the energy and talent of individuals to solve pro blems in their communi ties, and many Ys nati onwide use these programs to meet community needs. The Y supports full fundi ng for AmeriC orps to ensure the agency can continue to deliver essen ti al services to many of the most under-res ourced communit ies. Cosponsor the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Extension Act of 2023 (H.R. 2539 / S. 234 ). This legislation would make the NMTC permanent, index the allocation to infl ation in fut ur e ye ars and exempt NMTC investments from the Alternative Minimum Tax. Ys are using the NMTC program to build and renovat e faci lit ies to meet communi ty needs. Cosponsor the Simplifying Outdoor Access fo r Recreation (SOA R) Act (H.R.1527). The SOAR Act will incr ea se guided recr eational access to federal publ ic land s by i mproving an d streamlining t he outfi tter-guide permitt ing sys tems of the federal land management agencies. This bill would help in cr ease outdoor opportunities f or young people and famil ies to experience the outdoors with t he assi stance of an outdoor leader, educator, guide or outfitter. This bill would enable Ys to engage mor e you th in outdoors programmi ng on federal public l an ds.

Cosponsor the Building Civic Bridges Act. This bipartisan legislati on would cr eate and fund a new Office of Civic Br idgebui ldi ng, est ablis h a competi tive gran t progr am for bridgebui lding initiatives, train Amer iCor ps mem ber s in bridgebuilding skills and support r ese arch on civic bridgebuilding, civic engagement an d social cohesion. Br ingi ng communities toget her f or common purpose and service, across l ines of differ ence, is cent ral to the wo rk of the Y. Thi s investment would help scale local work alread y underway, such as t he Team Up i nit iati ve, in which the Y is collaborati ng wit h nonprofit p artners to prepar e and act ivate a nation of brid gebuildin g ambassado rs. Support meaningful, bipartisan deli berations on comprehensive immigration r eform. The fut ur e of the natio n depend s on our colle cti ve ability to create meani ngful o ppor tunit ies for all, including n ew Amer icans and im migrants, to make social and economic cont ri buti ons. America’s communities ar e stron ger, the econ omy healthier, societ y more cohesi ve , and democracy more vibrant when everyone can con tri but e and neighbors from all backgr oun ds can wor k together toward a shared vision fo r the fu tur e.

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YMCA O F THE US A GO V E RN MENT R E L A T IONS AND P OL I CY 1129 20th St., NW, Suite 301 Washington, DC 20036 ymca.o rg

The Y effects global change from the ground up. Together, we help young people develop into tomorrow’s leaders,

we help everyone im

prov

e

their health and well-being, and we strive to create equitable communities for all. Our

Advocacy Agenda supports fede

ral inves

tments in

places and programs that are open to people of all generations,

backgrounds and perspectives, and that expand access to the r

esources,

opportunities and relationships that

everyon

e needs to thr

ive.

Ys are responsible stewards of federal funds, adhering to the high

est

standa

rds of accountabili

ty, driv

in

g

measura

ble outcome

s and

leveraging funds to ensure maximum impact and return on investment. While Ys only

receive limited federal funding fo

r specific progr

ams

and services, this support is critical to our ability to serve those

in need and drive innovative community solutions for press

in

g challeng

es in

our com

munities.

We ask that Congress ensures nonprofits can continue their important role in meeting community needs and

connecti

ng i

ndi

viduals to

critical resources by supporting the highest level of funding possib

le in FY24 and FY25

Appropriatio

ns

bills tha

t suppo

rt qual

ity e

arly lea

rni

ng

and out of school time programs, improving the health and

well-being of the nation and strengthening our comm

unities.

S UPPORT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF FU NDIN G POSSIBLE FOR THE CHI L D C AR E AND DEVELO PMENT BLO CK GRANT (CCDBG) . Access to quality, a ff ordable child care enables parents to work and pursue education or training opportunities, helps to ensure that employers have the workforce they need, and supports the education and hea lthy development of youth. C C DBG funds support each state’ s child care subsidy program, helping to mak e quality early childhood and afterschool programs more affordable for low- and moderate-income families. Increased funding will shore up the nation’ s child care infrastructure and help ensure that families have access to this critical community resource.

S UPPORT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF FU NDIN G POSSIBLE FOR CDC’ S N A T ION AL CENTER FO R CH R ON IC DI SEASE PR EVENT ION A ND HEAL TH PR O MOT IO N. T hese funds will advance evidence-based strategies that prevent and control the chronic diseases impacting 6 and 10 Americans and will help curb health spending, since 90% of health care spending goes to treat those living with chronic di seas e. C D C’ s Chronic Disease Center funds proven state and local strategies that address the nation’ s leading cause s of death and disability: heart disease, cancer, obesity, strok e , arthritis and diabetes. Thi s funding supports local Y efforts to scale evidence-based prevention programs and advance innovative strategies to address the human and economic needs impacting health outcomes in underserved areas.

S UPPORT N ON PR OFITS AND S AVE TAXP A YERS MON EY BY C OSPONS OR IN G TH E CHAR I TABLE ACT (H.R. 3435 / S.566). In addition to supporting nonpro fi ts, increased charitable donations would lessen the burden on government programs, saving taxpayers money while at the same time ensuring that our country retains a strong and in depen dent civil so ciet y. This bipartisan legislation would restore the charitable deduction for non-itemizi n g taxpayers and increase the cap to one-third of the standard deduction (approximately $4,60 0 for individuals and $9,200 for joint filers).

INCR EASE AC CESS TO ESSENT IAL SERV ICES IN R U RAL AR EAS BY S UPPO RT IN G TH E INVES T IN G IN RU RAL A MER IC A ACT (H.R. 4736). This bipartisan bill would reinstate a pilot program in the Farm Bill to provide capital resources for building and re novation in rura l communities for child care centers, education institutio ns, hospitals and more . . The bill restores and codifies far m credit institutions’ eligibility to finance rural facilities in partnership with local lenders and USDA’ s Community Facilities Lo a n and Grant Program.

KANSAS STATE ALLIANCE OF YMCAs

YMCA

National

Advocacy

Days

Advo

c

acy

Ag

enda

2

0

2

4

YMCA

of

the

USA

SUPPORTI

NG WO

RKI

NG FAMILIE

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HROUG

H C

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ADDRESSING COMMUNITY

NEEDS

IMP

ROVI

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THE

NATI

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HEALT

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KEEPI

NG KIDS

SAFE

SUPPORTI

NG YOUNG PEOPL

E’S WE

LL-BEI

NG AND

F

UTURE

SUC

CESS

SUPPORTI

NG NO

NP

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FITS

AND

CIVIL

SOCIETY

The Y effects global change from the ground up. Together, we help young people develop into tomorrow’s leaders,

we help everyone im

prov

e

their health and well-being, and we strive to create equitable communities for all. Our

Advocacy Agenda supports fede

ral inves

tments in

places and programs that are open to people of all generations,

backgrounds and perspectives, and that expand access to the r

esources,

opportunities and relationships that

everyon

e needs to thr

ive.

Ys are responsible stewards of federal funds, adhering to the high

est

standa