* Award *

We were delighted to learn this month that the Center has been selected to be a recipient of the Frances McClelland Organizational Spirit award. According to the award letter "This award is given to honor local 501(c)3 nonprofit community organizations that are working towards improving the well-being of children, youth, families, and community. These awards are to commemorate the 10th anniversary of our institute being named to honor Frances McClelland."

Read on for a summary of our accomplishments in 2019

The Preschool Promise

CEI is the home of The Preschool Promise coalition (TPP). The goal of The Preschool Promise is to make access to high-quality preschool available and affordable for all children in Pima County. We have been leaders in advocating for high-quality affordable preschool for three and four-year old’s in our community for several years and our efforts are gaining significant traction.

The coalition is broadening its outreach and encouraging individuals to "join the movement" and sign up to stay informed at thepreschoolpromise.org

AZGA Summit

CEI is also the home to the Arizona Grandparent Ambassadors, a statewide coalition of grandparents raising grandchildren. The annual Arizona Grandparent and Kinship Caregiver Summit was held in Phoenix on September 14th. The Summit was a day of networking, education and advocacy training for kinship caregivers of all types from around the state.

Together, we heard from educational and motivational speakers. We learned about how to be our own best advocates, and we also heard directly from a bi-partisian panel of state senators and state representatives. Grandparent and Kinship advocates set the state policy agenda for the AZGA each year at the Summit. Over a hundred caregivers and their families attended this year's event.

Grandparents are now busy planning Grandparents day at the legislature which will be held on February 10th, 2020. More information at www.azga.org

Consumer Protection

CEI continues to advocate on behalf of vulnerable workers and consumers. The Federal agency designed to protect consumers is called the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), The CFPB has been co-opted by the current federal administration. The effectiveness of the federal agency created to protect consumers from unscrupulous financial industry bad actors has been systematically undermined. The work of the Center for Economic Integrity to maintain Arizona’s consumer protection law is more important than ever. This requires state and local consumer advocates to hold the line in an environment that favors deregulation rather than sensible oversight. To learn more about our ongoing work go to this website: nomoreloansharksaz.org

We are a core member of the Arizonans for Fair Lending steering committee. Together with our partners we plan to place an initiative on the state ballot in November of 2020. The initiative would cap interest rates on predatory title loans at 36% APR or less. Currently, the interest rates on title loans can go as high as 204% APR. You can learn more about this effort by visiting the website: www.azlendingfairness.org

Did you know? CEI is the only nonprofit in Arizona that has consumer protection at the core of its mission

Technical Assistance in 2019

Eller College of Management

Storytelling for Advocates training. This training included project planning, budgeting, how to create a message, and working with constituent storytellers. We explored a wide variety of methods and storytelling media including, photography, home video, professional video.

Tucson Postpartum Depression Coalition

Organizational development. Provided technical assistance services for meeting facilitation related to nonprofit growth and development cycles, nonprofit vision and mission integration, Board of Directors leadership engagement processes and social and organizational economic justice advocacy strategies.

Our Family Services

CEI assisted in making financial projections under different assumptions, with the results being used to support a consideration of strategic direction.

JobPath, Inc

Customized training was provided to enhance existing and build new group facilitation skills for Job Path career counselors.

Our staff can provide technical assistance for special projects, professional meeting facilitation services, peer support group facilitator 101 training and public speaking presentations upon request

Presenting to National Groups

In December, staff member Rob Stansfield will represent CEI at meetings in Washington, D.C. organized by the Consumer Federation of America and share news about our report Title Lending in Arizona 2019 and the Arizonans for Fair Lending ballot initiative, with national consumer advocacy groups.