Access to Members Only section and access to information regarding specific legislation

By now, MAVA members should have received a Public Affairs Survey via e-mail that is intended to gather timely information about issues of importance to MAVA Members and the volunteer community. Your response to the survey is an important part of the development process for MAVA's 2006 Public Affairs Platform. Each year MAVA will affirm or revise the previous MAVA Platform. The time you take to complete and return the survey is instrumental to the success of MAVA's advocacy efforts. Public Affairs Committee Members will review survey results and take into consideration what is learned from the survey, and other information gathering strategies, when making platform recommendations to the MAVA Board and Membership. Questions or comments about the survey can be directed to pjbeugen@aol.com. August 2005

MAVA's Public Affairs Committee and the Minnesota Directors of Church Volunteer Ministries are interested in knowing of MAVA Members with a particular interest in being a part of conversations that may be forthcoming regarding faith-based initiatives, with an emphasis on best practices and related opportunities or issues. Direct your expression of interest or your comments to pjbeugen@aol.com and be sure to copy your comments to jfred@nativitychurch.org. August 2005

MAVA's Public Affairs Committee is interested in knowing of MAVA Members who engage individuals in their programs who are carrying out mandated service in order to qualify for subsidized housing. We are studying the opportunities and challenges that result from this required service, including the impact of this service requirement on both individuals and volunteer programs. Direct your comments to pjbeugen@aol.com or include them on your response to the MAVA Public Affair Survey described earlier. August 2005

According to John Johansen, Points of Light Foundation, the appropriations request for the National Volunteer Center Network and Points of Light Foundation, reported in an earlier MAVA News edition, "…is working its way through Congress. Although funding was not included in the bill passed by either the House or Senate, there is always a chance to have the funding added during Conference." Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman was a sponsor of the Senate Appropriations Letter and Senator Mark Dayton was the first co-signer of the Senate Letter in the country, according to the Points of Light Foundation. Congressman Collin Peterson and Congressman Jim Ramstad signed-on to the Letter in the House. Contact pjbeugen@aol.com for more information about the letters, national sponsor list or co-sponsor list. August 2005

To see the MENTOR / National Mentoring Partnership, "Mentoring Legislative Update", July 12, 2005, go to http://www.mentoring.org/take_action/advocacy_alert/20050712.php.

MAVA's Public Affairs Chair is representing MAVA in the Minnesota Mentoring Partnership's Policy Task Force and would like to be kept abreast of MAVA Members' advocacy priorities pertaining to mentoring. Share your thoughts by sending comments to pjbeugen@aol.com or include them in your response to the MAVA Public Affairs Survey. August 2005

Senator Norm Coleman was a sponsor of the Appropriations Letter for the National Volunteer Center Network and Points of Light Foundation (POLF). Senator Mark Dayton signed-on to the Senate Appropriations Letter. Congressman Collin Peterson and Congressman Jim Ramstad signed-on to the Letter in the House. The letters support appropriation of $25 million for Volunteer Centers across the nation and $10 million for the POLF. The insight of these elected officials into the important contributions made by volunteers, on a daily basis, to improve the quality of life in Minnesota is appreciated.

Under the direction of Paula Beugen, MAVA's public affairs committee has worked hard to seek bi-partisan support for funding to support volunteer centers and the Points of Light Foundation.

The committee is working hard and making progress. Mark Hiemenz, Interim Executive Director, Volunteer Resource Center in the Twin Cities: "On behalf of the Volunteer Resource Center and all of the volunteer centers in Minnesota, I want to express my thanks to MAVA, and especially to Paula Beugen, for her leadership voice on this important legislation."

And a message from John Johansen, Advocacy Committee, Points of Light Foundation: "Our first Senate signer, Mark Dayton from Minnesota, was just announced. I'm sure you join me in congratulating Paula Beugen and the Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration!"

Minnesota is proud that Senator Norm Coleman was a sponsor of the bill. April 2005

Recently, MAVA representatives met with key Minnesota legislative leaders.
Meetings have been held with Senate Majority Leader, Senator Dean Johnson; Speaker of the House, Representative Steve Sviggum; House Minority Leader, Representative Matt Entenza; and others. An effort is underway to schedule meetings with additional public officials, legislative leaders and members of Minnesota's Congressional Delegation.

The purpose of the meetings is to introduce policymakers to MAVA, review MAVA's Public Affairs Platform, and serve as an ongoing resource on volunteerism-related topics and issues. Keep MAVA informed of timely issues impacting Minnesota's volunteer community and the status of volunteerism-related legislation by contacting Paula Beugen, MAVA Public Affairs Chair, at pjbeugen@aol.com. March 2005