RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., May 17, 2024 —The importance of nonprofits’ engagement in public policy and advocacy was a central theme at our inaugural IE Vibrant Health Forum: Unpacking the Governor’s May Revision to the California State Budget held on Friday, May 17.

The forum brought together community leaders and organizations across the Inland Empire to learn about and discuss the impact of the proposed revised budget and how local community-based organizations can participate in the budget process. 

Laura Pryor, PhD of CA Budget & Policy Center, Geoff Green from CalNonprofits, Carina Tamayo-Cabrera from the Governor’s office, and Matthew Hamlett and Adriana Ruelas of the State Assembly shared insightful information about the proposed State Budget’s May Revise.

The presentations and panel discussions were packed with important information about the May Revise, the state budget process, and how nonprofits can actively engage in budget advocacy. 

This is a critical time to understand and be involved in the process to help preserve essential services for the most vulnerable across our state. 

To serve as a reliable source for Inland Empire nonprofits dedicated to promoting health equity, we have compiled a list of resources shared by the various speakers and presenters.

Public Policy & Budget Resources

Carina Tamayo-Cabrera, Inland Empire Deputy Regional Director of the External Affairs Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, discussed the various resources and tools nonprofits can use to serve their communities. 

• Download the May Revise fact sheet here.
• Click here to download all the resources mentioned in the Governor’s Office update, including CalKIDS, Prop 1, CalHope and The Master Plan for Career Education.

California Budget and Policy Center Research Director Laura Pryor provided a brief overview of the state budget process and how the various actions to balance the budget will affect Californians across the state. 

• The California Budget and Policy Center has published a comprehensive report, First Look: Understanding the Governor’s 2024-May 25 Revision – download here.

CalNonprofits CEO Geoff Green shared that “nonprofits can and should advocate and lobby.” Here are a few resources to get you and your organization started:

• CalNonprofits Policy & Advocacy
• Alliance for Justice / Bolder Advocacy
• The Internal Revenue Service
• National Council of Nonprofits 
• Independent Sector

We hope the forum has inspired you and your organization to actively engage and learn more about how you can participate in public policy and budget advocacy.

Unpacking the Governor’s May Revision to the California State Budget was the first in our event series, IE Vibrant Health Forums, which brings together community-based organizations and leaders to improve health equity across the Inland Empire. Save the date for the upcoming forum on Tuesday, August 13, 2024.