Open your new year calendar and plan to join us in-person on February 8 for Interfaith Advocacy Day in Olympia! FAN’s annual gathering of advocates brings your voice and concerns to the state Capitol. If you join us for Interfaith Advocacy Day, you will be able to:

• Hear plenaries and workshops that will explore the issues on FAN’s 2024 Legislative Agenda.
• Meet with advocates from your own legislative district to prepare for your legislative visits.
• Meet with your legislator or their legislative assistant. If you register by January 29, FAN will set up an appointment for you and others from your district.

In response to requests from our network for additional orientation before Interfaith Advocacy Day, we will offer an online Legislative Briefing on Sunday, January 7 with overview of the issues being addressed on our legislative agenda. That same week on January 10 and 11, we will provide Advocacy 101 online, an opportunity to refresh your skills for advocating during session. We are excited to make these available online so everyone across the state can engage in advocacy.

You’ll find the links to register for all the events on our IFAD webpage, including an opportunity to attend the Eastern WA Legislative Conference on January 27 that we co-sponsor with local planners. We encourage you to register early for IFAD 2024, since capacity is limited to 200 people at United Churches. Save your spot before the session begins! Registration closes January 29.

We are excited to share with you our legislative priorities for the 2024 Legislative Session that will launch on Monday, January 8, 2024. This is the short, 60-day session, and in response we share with you a long list of proposed legislation! Our network has broad interests, and we know that there are intersections for justice everywhere among our categories of work. We hope you will consider it a menu of options for you and your communities to choose from, including priorities that we have committed to previously and new opportunities to make our state a more just and equitable place to live.

We shape our legislative priorities alongside our more than 25 coalition partners, with input from our statewide network, Policy Committee, and FAN Governing Board. We seek to advocate for and implement policies that advance our values grounded in faith and spirituality: belonging and human dignity, justice and equity, interconnectedness, collaboration and pluralism.

You can find the FAN 2024 Legislative Agenda on our website and download an abbreviated two page listing. More details are still being collected for each, and we will upload fact sheets as we receive them. Policies with bill numbers were previously introduced during the 2023 session. We will continue to update with new bill numbers and sponsors as the 2024 legislative session is underway.

For now, consider what issues will move you to raise your voice and advocate? Bring your questions to the legislative briefing on January 7.

Once a bill is passed, it’s important to follow its implementation. Beginning November 1, all Washington residents, regardless of immigration status, are now able to purchase health and dental insurance through Washington Healthplanfinder. We are incredibly grateful for your advocacy and the collaboration of the Health Equity for Immigrants Campaign that made this possible!  WA residents have from now until January 15 to enroll, and we need your help getting the word out!  Here are some action steps you can take for health equity today: 

• Read this informational flyer to learn about this critical healthcare expansion.
• Print and post the relevant flyers in your faith community and share with any local groups and organizations who might benefit (English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese). 
• Navigators are available free of charge to help people enroll. Visit this search page to find navigators in your area where you can refer community members. 
• Share social media posts about expanding health coverage on your faith community's FB page, using this social media toolkit .  

Contact regional FAN organizer, Jess Ingman (ingman@fanwa.org), if you have questions or would like to discuss what outreach could look like in your community. 

Interfaith America is offering $1,000 capacity-building microgrants as well as larger grants for organizations working towards strengthening our democracy. Learn more here.

Washington State Budget and Policy Center is hiring a communications specialist, focusing primarily on digital communications. Deadline is January 7, 2024. Apply here.

The Washington State Department of Commerce has opened a Request for Application (RFA) process to fund $500,000 in fiscal year 2024 for the physical security of religious and nonprofit institutions. Applications due 12/19/23. For more information, see this link.

FEMA is hosting webinars about federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), a grant for security upgrades for places of worship. Eligible security improvements include physical barriers, security personnel, trainings, and cameras. 

Saturday, December 16, 7:30pm, Many Messiahs: A Holiday Concert for Racial Justice, in-person, Meany Center for the Performing Arts, University of Washington, 4040 George Washington Lane, Seattle. Join this world premier featuring artists united for racial justice. Learn more here.

Sunday, January 7, 3:00-4:15pm, FAN Legislative Preview 2024, online. Register here.

Wednesday, January 10, 7:00-8:00pm, Advocacy 101 Evening Session, online. Register here.

Thursday, December 11, Noon-1:00pm, Advocacy 101 Lunchtime Session, online. Register here.

Saturday, January 27, 8:30-3:00pm, 2024 Eastern Washington Legislative Conference: Renewing Hope for the Future, online and in-person, Spokane Valley United Methodist Church, 115 N. Raymond, Spokane. Register here.

Thursday, February 8, 9:00am-3:00pm, IFAD 2024, in-person, United Churches of Olympia, 110 Eleventh Ave SE, Olympia. Register here.

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