When the states can’t pay for schools, Just ask Congress!

With funding diminishing from the State of Michigan for schools, opportunities exist in Washington to secure federal funding. For example, the following school districts received federal funds in FY 2009:

• School District of Lancaster (PA) and Philadelphia School District each received $100,000 Project IMPACT, for abstinence education and related services.
• Troy High School (PA) received $247,000 for removal and/or replacement of non historic windows, infill, louvers, windows, and fan lights.
• The Logan Elm School District (OH) received $48,000 for water infrastructure improvements.
• The Hesperia Unified School District, Hesperia, CA, received $98,000 for an after school program for middle school students.
• The Independence School District (MO) received $347,000 for before- and after-school programs.
• The Washoe County School District (NV), received $248,000 for an online assessment and accountability instructional programs and an additional $248,000 for an English Instructional program.
• The Springfield School District (IL) received $94,000 for a middle school history experience.
• The City School District of New Rochelle (NY) received $422,000 for after school and summer school programs, faculty professional development, and parent education workshops.

These are just some examples of how schools benefited from Congressional appropriations and governmental advocacy in securing additional funds for their schools. With limited funding from the state and a declining tax base, the federal government has some funds to support Michigan’s schools.

However, to obtain funding from Congress, the local school districts need to request the funding. At times, it is not enough to ask your local member of Congress. It is important to build support for your issues and requests, meet with Congressional staff, invite your member to experience schools and perhaps even make it an educational experience for the students by involving them in the legislative process.

Funding for Food Banks

With 35 million individuals either experiencing hunger or teetering right on the verge of hunger each year, the American people expect Congress to take every reasonable action possible to address food shortages, particularly here in Michigan. Last year, Congress passed a bill designed to encourage federal agencies to regularly donate surplus food to organizations that feed the hungry and each year, the providing funding to a number of organizations that help distribute food.

In addition, each year, Congress passes appropriations for food banks/pantries. The following organizations received federal appropriations in the past:

- Bay Area Food Bank. Bay Area Food Bank, which distributes food donated by grocery stores, restaurants and the like to soup kitchens and homeless shelters received $245,000 for the construction of a commercial-size kitchen (FY 2008) (Jo Bonner).

- Tucson Community Food Bank (TCFB) -- Rep. Gabrielle Giffords requested $200,000 for “solar panels” at the TCFB in the FY 2009 budget.

- Second Harvest Food Bank received $700,000 in 2007.

- In 2006, Sen. Obama requested $2,499,400 for the Food Stamp Participation Project of the Illinois Department of Human Services. The Food Stamp Participation Project is development of new technology projects, which are designed to increase the access to the food stamp program. One is designed for use by the general public and the other is a web based application designed for use in food pantries. [Obama Request Letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Related Agencies, 3/31/06].

- For FY 2009, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) requested $368,500 for renovations at the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank

- The South Texas Food Bank will receive $136,670.48 in conjunction with the 2008 Farm Bill should it be signed into law.

Although this list is not comprehensive, you can see, federal funding is available for a wide variety of needs, including: infrastructure improvement, child nutrition programs, food stamps and childhood obesity prevention, among other things. This funding is requested directly through Congress and is unrelated to a grant.

With a lack of funding from the state, organizations such as those with food banks, should turn their attention to Washington for support.

With funding diminishing from the State of Michigan for local governments, including school districts, municipalities, townships, school districts and other authorities should focus their attention in securing federal funds for their programs, projects and services, instead of wasting their time in Lansing.

For example, federal funds are available for local governments for a variety of programs ranging from new buildings to communications equipment for first responders. In FY 2009, the following communities received federal funding:

• Negaunee, MI for the Croix Street Reconstruction and completion of Phase I.
• Park City, UT for a Feasibility Study that would bring water from Reclamation facilities.
• Boise, ID, for design and construction of Boise's geothermal system expansion.
• Jackson, MS for a Transitional Job Project for job training and employment programs for the Homeless.
• Oakland, CA for a Green Jobs Initiative.
• Baltimore, MD, for construction for Healthcare for the Homeless center.
• Miami, FL for the Miami Green Initiative, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption in the city.
• Milwaukee, WI to improve access to and utilization of primary and preventive health care among low-income residents.
• The City of Beech Grove, IN, to enhance public safety with in-car cameras and at hot spots in the City to provide real-time feeds to the police command center.
• Holyoke, MA, to develop a full-service community school pilot project.
• The City of Shelbyville, IN, to complete the interoperable wireless public safety communications system for first responders.
• Medford, OR, to provide for the merging of two existing 9-1-1 dispatch centers for police officers.
• City of Sioux City, Sioux City, IA for meth related training.
• Moultrie, GA, for technology upgrades, including purchase of equipment and professional development
• City of Haverhill, MA for various Downtown Streetscape Improvements.
• Stamford, CT, Waste-to-Energy Project, to convert dried sludge into clean, renewable energy.
• City of Yonkers, NY Police Department, to reduce non-emergency 9-1-1 calls through the creation of a new public hotline.
• Albuquerque, NM for their Transit Facility Rehabilitation.
• City of Ashland, MO Main Street Redevelopment Project.
• Crystal City, VA Bus Rapid Transit.
• City of Tuscaloosa, AL Downtown Revitalization Project University Blvd. and Greensboro Avenue.
• Trenton, NJ for a Renewable Energy Feasibility Study, to examine possible renewable energy sources.
• Quincy, IL for Hydroelectric Power Generation, and their city's efforts to install hydroelectric plants at locks and dams.
• Oklahoma City, OK, to continue replacement of Oklahoma's aging communication system.
• Cincinnati, OH for the complete property acquisition, demolition, and remediation to create an urban industrial park.
• Craig, AK for the redevelopment of the abandoned cannery property.
• Milwaukee, WI for the development of supportive housing units for homeless.

In addition, the following school districts will receive federal funding through appropriations: The School District of Lancaster (PA) and Philadelphia School District each received $100,000 Project IMPACT, for abstinence education and related services. Troy High School (PA) received $247,000 for removal and/or replacement of non historic windows, infill, louvers, windows, and fan lights. The Logan Elm School District will receive $48,000 for water infrastructure improvements in Circleville, Ohio. The Hesperia Unified School District, Hesperia, CA, received $98,000 for an after school program for middle school students. The Independence School District, Independence, MO, received $347,000 for before- and after-school programs. The Washoe County School District, NV, received $248,000 for an online assessment and accountability instructional programs and an additional $248,000 for an English Instructional program. The Springfield School District, Springfield, IL, received $94,000 for a middle school history experience. And the City School District of New Rochelle, New Rochelle, NY, received $422,000 for after school and summer school programs, faculty professional development, and parent education workshops. These are just some examples of how local governments and local schools benefited from Congressional appropriations and governmental advocacy in securing additional funds for their community. With limited funding from the state and a declining tax base, the federal government has funding available. It just needs to be identified and advocated for. In fact, cities throughout the country have been receiving federal funds, through grants and earmarks, to help offset the lack of funding from their state. While a number of communities here in Michigan have retained lobbyists to fight for a limited amount of money from the state government, only a few have recognized that more money exists from Washington. To help off set costs associated with retaining a lobbyist, communities can pool their resources, work through their chambers or local economic development organizations and find other creative ways to secure the funding they are no longer receiving from Lansing.

While we sit here in Michigan, trying to convince legislators that one program is more worthy of funding at the sacrifice of another, local government leaders should retain a lobbyist to secure federal funding from Congress. Now is the time to start planning for the next fiscal year and secure the funding necessary to govern. If we do shift our focus to Washington, other communities in other states will.