ADVOCACY
Public Policy is a significant catalyst for change…it directs funding towards important community health and human service needs that complement the ongoing fundraising and investment efforts of United Way of Ventura County.
United Way of Ventura County volunteers and staff develop a public policy/legislative agenda to provide guidance on a variety of local, state and federal policy issues. We will provide information to legislators and to the public in an effort to increase understanding and awareness of the impact of policy and budget decisions on health and human services in our community.
CALLS TO ACTION
Child Tax Credit
Improvements to the Child Tax Credit in 2017 and 2021 supported low- to moderate-income families and individuals. The credit improved financial security, cut poverty, and boosted efforts to build thriving communities. Moving forward, efforts should be made in the new tax bill to expand the Child Tax Credit to benefit the roughly 19 million children shut out from receiving the full credit simply because their families do not make enough money, including making the full credit available to children in families with low incomes and increasing the maximum amount of the credit to $3,600 for children aged 5 and younger and $3,000 for children aged 6 to 17. Modest expansion of the credit can measurably reduce poverty, and we encourage Congress to strengthen the CTC in the forthcoming tax legislation.
https://www.votervoice.net/UWW/Campaigns/121902/Respond
Head Start
Head Start and Early Head Start are federal programs that provide comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent engagement services to children from low-income families. Early Head Start serves pregnant women and children birth to three, and Head Start serves children ages three through five. Decades of research show that these programs improve school readiness, strengthen families, and support local communities. Action is needed now to ensure that federal investments in Head Start are protected as Congress negotiates the Fiscal Year 2026 budget. Without federal funding, over 750,000 children could lose access to these critical services.
https://www.votervoice.net/UWW/Campaigns/125612/Respond
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
SNAP is our nation’s most significant anti-hunger program, boosting the economy and improving the long-term prospects of households with low incomes. It provides for a level of need that the charitable sector and emergency food programs simply cannot meet. Action is needed now to ensure that Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are protected as Congress works on the federal budget reconciliation effort that will require deep cuts in food assistance (SNAP) and healthcare (Medicaid) programs for low-income individuals. These cuts could mean millions of people will lose critical healthcare and nutrition assistance. Others would see their costs go up for these essential services.
https://www.votervoice.net/UWW/Campaigns/122215/Respond
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) brings back billions of dollars to communities across the country: VITA’s stellar volunteer preparers help hardworking Americans access credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. These refundable credits allow recipients to become more financially stable by expanding their income enough to pay for rent, reliable transportation to work, and groceries. In 2024, more than 4,000 VITA/TCE sites prepared 2,636,000 tax returns, which generated $2.6 billion in refunds to households with low and moderate incomes in communities across the country. Ask Congress to continue to support the funding for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Matching Grant Program, a public-private partnership program for hardworking taxpayers to access free, reliable tax preparation assistance.
https://www.votervoice.net/UWW/Campaigns/125625/Respond
HR 1
On May 22, 2025, the full House of Representatives passed their Fiscal Year 2025 budget reconciliation bill (H.R. 1, The One Big Beautiful Bill Act) on a party-line vote. The bill now moves on to the Senate for consideration and changes. As the Senate begins its process in earnest in early June, it is important to elevate our voices now in support of our key priorities in this bill. To that end, we are asking you to take action by sending letters to your Senators to advocate for our key priorities in budget reconciliation:
https://www.votervoice.net/
OUR PUBLIC POLICY WORK
Tier 1:
LEADERSHIP: UWVC will assume a high level leadership role – educating legislators and bringing visibility to a specific policy position. Volunteers & staff will be actively involved and additional financial support may be necessary for ongoing research, advocacy and partnership mobilization efforts.
ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE
Health insurance coverage is vital to our children, their families and our economy. Healthy kids attend school, learn and become viable workers in the future. We will focus not only on efforts to expand coverage to all children, but work to prevent the numbers of uninsured children from rising.
211 INFORMATION & REFERRAL EXPANSION
United Way is committed to making 2-1-1 available to all California residents through its partnership with 2-1-1CA. Working together, we will ensure families and individuals in need are connected to the building blocks for a good life: education, financial stability, and health.
CHIP FUNDING REAUTHORIZATION
The Children’s Health Insurance Program is a proven, bipartisan program helps ensure California’s kids have access to comprehensive health coverage.
VITA
Through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, volunteers become IRS-certified tax preparers and provide assistance to qualifying individuals and families by preparing and e-filing federal and state tax returns at not charge.
EITC
Expansion of the state Earned Income Tax Credit, CalEITC, for working low- and middle-income families, would increase disposable income for those families and, according to research on similar programs in other states, would also produce various long-term benefits such as more money for childcare or reliable transportation, contributing to a stronger workforce.
CHILDREN’S ORAL HEALTH
Advocating for policy change to address issues of oral health care access and utilization for children.
HOMELESSNESS
Across California, United Ways are addressing issues of Housing and Homelessness through public policy, coalition building and direct services. UWVC will support local, state and federal policy initiatives to address the need to increase housing opportunities for our county’s most vulnerable individuals and families.
Tier 2:
ADVOCACY: UWVC will help educate the community on an issue and will take a clear position on this issue. Key United Way volunteers and staff will be active on an as-needed basis.
Education: Helping children and youth achieve their potential
In partnership with United Way Worldwide and United Ways of California, UWVC will support federal and state policy initiatives aimed at increasing student achievement from early childhood education through high school graduation so they are college and workforce ready.
Income: Promoting financial stability and independence
All Californians should have opportunities to increase income, build savings and grow assets. There are many state and federal government programs intended to help families achieve financial stability; however, existing programs may be under-funded or need reform. Policies that promote family self-sufficiency are integral to achieving our goal of reducing the number of lower-income families who are financially unstable.
Tier 3:
SUPPORT: UWVC will lend its name and reputation to a policy issue. Staff and volunteers will monitor and respond to requests for support through such vehicles as signing on to letters. UWVC will support the work of coalition partners. No additional monies are likely to be necessary.
EFSP
The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) began in 1983 with a $50 million federal appropriation. The program was created by Congress in response to the economic recession at the time to help meet the needs of hungry and homeless people throughout the United States and its territories by allocating federal funds for the provision of food and shelter.
CHARITABLE GIVING INCENTIVE
Charitable giving is critically important in enabling local communities to meet local needs. The charitable deduction is a nearly century-old tradition and reflection of American values and our commitment to helping our neighbors. Congress should protect the full value and scope of the charitable deduction and expand incentives to give by making charitable deduction available to all taxpayers.