Prior to any funding arriving in sac à main cuir New York State through the federal stimulus package, Common Cause organized a February conference call involving groups across issue areas and ideologies. In the call, the groups discussed implementation of ARRA transparency and oversight mechanisms. Also included in this text are the disclosure and accountability standards in the current language of the ARRA.This letter from the Stimulus Oversight Working Group outlines five recommendations that it believes would bring more transparency and participation into the State’s process for allocating stimulus funds: Create the position of New York Independent Stimulus Monitor, develop a user-friendly and transparent application process to acquire funding, establish a transparent decision-making process regarding how stimulus funds are being prioritized and invested, implement a transparent investment process in which there is uniform and efficient tracking process, and creatively and cost-effectively find ways to make use of data available throughout New York State’s many online resources, sac à main cuir including those that should be made available regarding stimulus investments.In this report by Olivia Golden, institute fellow at the Urban Institute, Golden argues that despite foundations having reduced resources in the current economic climate, foundations can play an important role in how policymakers view the ARRA. In turn, foundations can help provide great benefits to low-income families. Foundations can set the stage for change to create policies that better cut across program areas, such as by supporting working groups. Nike dunk high In addition, foundations can supply important data collection at the local, state, and national levels. Foundations can also support time-sensitive implementation studies that provide quick information; stimulate new policy ideas by supporting papers and forums; and finally, foundations can stimulate ideas for rebalancing the federal, state, and local relationships through policy.The Common Cause Education fund created this plan in March 2009 to ensure that a broad range of groups, community leaders, and citizens across the country can monitor the spending of funds from the federal stimulus package. tiffany store The campaign’s strategies include leveraging national expertise to promote consistent transparency in states; building coalitions at federal, state, and local levels; and creating tools for use in maximizing state-level advocacy, including developing press toolkits, encouraging grassroots support such as hosting house parties, and using technology to send messages, such as through social networking sites. Further, the campaign launches strategic investment in key states where chapter resources are strongest.In March, Common Cause New York made initial outreach to form a broad coalition that would ensure the transparency of stimulus funds. Once identified, the coalition participated in a conference call, tiffany shop drafted common principles that were circulated for approval, and distributed the principles to state leaders.States for a Transparent and Accountable Recovery (STAR) is a coalition that aims to help progressive groups win fairer and more effective uses of ARRA monies on the ground. The Coalition for an Accountable Recovery (CAR) was launched to advocate for transparency and accountability in federal economic recovery efforts, and STAR and CAR both work for ARRA transparency. This document outlines the types of groups who have joined STAR and how other organizations can join. tiffany online OMB Watch and Good Jobs First are two organizations important to STAR’s transparency goal.As a member of both CAR and STAR, Common Cause encourages its state chapters to play an active role in ensuring transparency and accountability of stimulus money. Common Cause’s New York organization has been particularly effective in stimulus-related organizing, and many of the New York tactics can be replicated throughout the country. sacs à main Common Cause’s short-term action plan to provide national support for state stimulus oversight efforts includes convening state stimulus oversight coalitions, developing consensus around shared coalition goals and developing sac à main de marque common principles for how stimulus money should be allocated, performing tactical assessment and developing next steps, and drafting a stimulus report card to use as an organizing tool. Common Cause’s longer-term goals include weighing in on the use of stimulus funds in states, sac à main marque working with state agencies and officials, and conducting media outreach. Shy