MAYORAL PROCLAMATION TOOLKIT - Prosperity Now

[Pages:5]MAYORAL PROCLAMATION TOOLKIT

HOW TO REQUEST A MAYORAL PROCLAMATION FOR EITC AWARENESS DAY This toolkit provides the resources you need to have your mayor proclaim January 25, 2019, as EITC Awareness Day in your city.

WHAT IS A MAYORAL PROCLAMATION? Proclamations are typically issued by a mayor to recognize the importance of a community event, acknowledge significant achievements by community members or signal a city's role in major national events. Proclamations may be read at a city council meeting, or at the community event being recognized, depending entirely on the schedule of the mayor. Proclamations are often posted on the city's website. Original signed proclamations will be provided to the requesting party (sometimes they must be received in person at city offices).

WHY REQUEST A MAYORAL PROCLAMATION IN YOUR CITY? ? It's an opportunity meet and take a photo with your mayor and/or other city officials. ? You can become an EITC Awareness Day ambassador for your city and help establish EITC Awareness Day. ? Your city will celebrate one of the most effective tools in alleviating poverty. ? Your city government will get more involved in local causes.

WHAT EITC AWARENESS DAY WILL OFFER YOUR CITY: ? Community-wide awareness of an important tax credit that helps alleviate poverty and strengthens the financial security of eligible families ? Stronger partnerships across sectors ? Stories about the impact of the EITC in your community

IN THIS TOOLKIT, YOU WILL FIND: ? Steps to request a mayoral proclamation ? A sample outreach email ? A sample mayoral proclamation for EITC Awareness Day ? A sample press release

STEPS TO REQUEST A PROCLAMATION

1. Visit your local government's website. Some city and state websites will have a section explaining how to request a mayoral proclamation. Some will even have an online mayoral proclamation request section. If they do not have an online request section, send an email request to your mayor. Most mayors will have their contact information, including their email address, on their city's official web page. You can use the sample outreach email in this toolkit.

2. Plan ahead. Proclamations requested at least two months in advance have the best chance of being completed and provided to the requestor by a specific date. Make sure to reach out well in advance of EITC Awareness Day.

3. Provide a draft. If you receive a positive response from your mayor's office, they may request you to send a draft of a sample proclamation. We've included a sample draft proclamation in this packet for you to edit and send.

4. Celebrate your city. Your local government office may invite you to attend a meeting to accept the proclamation on behalf of EITC Awareness Day. This is a great opportunity to get media coverage and bring your community together to celebrate generosity. Plan a community event and invite other EITC Awareness Day partners and local members of the press to take part as well.

5. Share your proclamation. Share your press release, photos, videos and other moments from receiving your proclamation with the national EITC Awareness Day community by posting on social media using #EITC Awareness Day.

SAMPLE OUTREACH EMAIL

The following email offers ideas and language you can use as part of your outreach to your mayor and local officials for EITC Awareness Day. Feel free to copy, paste or adjust as you see fit for your organization.

Subject: #EITCAwarenessDay: When [City] promotes an incredibly important tax credit for working families

Dear __________,

This year, on Friday, January 25, we are heeding the call to promote the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which provides financial security to millions of working families in America. We are celebrating EITC Awareness Day--when policymakers, local organizations, families and more will all come together to promote this important tool to fight poverty.

The federal EITC has been so effective that 29 states and the District of Columbia have enacted their own EITCs to further boost workers' economic mobility. These are often based on a percentage of the federal EITC, and some states even allow people who do not owe taxes to still receive the credit as a refund.

Each year, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) supports the financial stability of over 25 million low- and moderate-income workers by reducing their federal tax burden. In 2017, the average EITC refund was $2,470. These much-needed dollars can help families all over [City] catch up on their bills, inject money into local economies and save for their futures.

As an EITC Awareness Day partner from the City of [City], we would like to respectfully request that the City of [City] officially proclaim January 25, 2019 as EITC Awareness Day. The City of [City] can play a critical role in making EITC Awareness Day an annual event to promote this vital tax credit into the future.

It would truly be an honor to have the City of [City] formally proclaim EITC Awareness Day as a day to celebrate families of [City]. Thank you for considering our request.

[Name] [Title] [Organization]

SAMPLE PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, EITC Awareness Day was established as a day celebrating the EITC on the last Friday in January; and

WHEREAS, EITC Awareness Day serves to promote a vital credit that benefits more than 25 million low- and moderate-income workers; and

WHEREAS, EITC Awareness Day is a day where citizens work together to showcase this credit to lift people out of poverty, build a stronger community, and think about other people; and

WHEREAS, EITC Awareness Day is an opportunity to encourage citizens to find out if they can qualify and claim this important tax credit

NOW, THEREFORE, I, [Mayor's Name], Mayor of the City of [City], do hereby proclaim January 25, 2019 as

EITC Awareness Day

in the City of [City] and encourage all citizens to join together to give back to the community in any way that is personally meaningful.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of [City], [State], to be affixed this 25th day of January 2019.

___________________________

[Name] MAYOR

SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE

Contact: [CONTACT NAME] [CONTACT ORGANIZATION] [PHONE] [EMAIL]

[INSERT CITY'S NAME] Proclaims January 25, 2019 EITC Awareness Day

[INSERT CITY'S NAME] Day Promoting the EITC

[INSERT LOCATION] [INSERT DATELINE] ? [INSERT CITY'S NAME] has proclaimed January 25, 2019 EITC Awareness Day. EITC Awareness Day is a nationwide showcase of the Earned Income Tax Credit, which lifts millions of hardworking American families out of poverty. A bipartisan policy since its inception in the 1980s, the credit remains a cornerstone for workers around the country. However, nearly one in five people eligible for the EITC do not claim it. This is why EITC Awareness Day is so important to [INSERT CITY'S NAME].

[INSERT QUOTE FROM CITY SPOKESPERSON]

[INSERT WHY PARTNER JOINED EITC Awareness Day AND DETAILS OF PARTNER EITC Awareness Day INITIATIVE]

[INSERT QUOTE FROM PARTNER ORG. SPOKESPERSON]

For families claiming the EITC, they can sometimes see more than five percent of their annual income at one time. That money can go to paying back bills, setting money aside for a rainy day or planning for the future. For your friends and neighbors, the Earned Income Tax Credit serves as a key contribution to their financial security. Join the conversation today and help us showcase this powerful tool together!

Those who are interested in joining [INSERT ORGANIZATION NAME]'s EITC Awareness Day initiative can visit [INSERT SPECIFIC EITC AWARENESS DAY LANDING PAGE ADDRESS IF AVAILABLE]. For more details about the EITC Awareness Day movement, follow the EITC Awareness Day hashtag on social media at #EITCAwarenessDay and join the conversation!

About [INSERT ORGANIZATION NAME] [INSERT ORGANIZATION BOILER PLATE]

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