Take a Stand for Service – Thunderclap Outreach Toolkit
Campaign Page: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/58188-take-a-stand-for-service
Email Draft to Partner Nonprofit Organizations
Dear FirstName,
I hope this message finds you well. As longstanding partners, we wanted to share an opportunity to get
involved in the campaign to help save national service programs, including AmeriCorps and Senior
Corps, from potential elimination.
As you may know, the White House's fiscal year 2018 budget calls for the elimination of the Corporation
for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency that oversees AmeriCorps, Senior Corps,
and the Volunteer Generation Fund. Our partners in Washington, DC have shared that this indicates a
very real threat to the future of the entire volunteering and service community and our impact across
the country.
In the current political climate, it can be hard to break through the noise. On June 20, as part of the
kickoff to the annual Conference on Volunteering and Service hosted by Points of Light, we will release a
Thunderclap in support of national service. Thunderclap, the world’s first “crowdspeaking” platform,
allows individuals and organizations to lend their voice – and social reach – to the causes they are most
passionate about. Joining the Thunderclap is a simple way to allow your organization to express
solidarity and support during a high profile event with a large social reach. Please visit this page to learn
more about the campaign and to sign-up to participate.
In addition to signing up via your organization's social media handles, please help us spread the word
and get people across America talking about national service. Please consider sharing across your
various channels using the sample social media and newsletter blurb attached to this email.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Email Draft to Corporate Partners
Dear FirstName,
I hope this message finds you well. As longstanding partners to the volunteering and service community,
we wanted to share an opportunity to get involved in a campaign we are starting to help save national
service programs like AmeriCorps and Senior Corps from potential elimination.
As you may know, the White House's fiscal year 2018 budget calls for the elimination of the Corporation
for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency that oversees AmeriCorps, Senior Corps,
and the Volunteer Generation Fund. Our partners in Washington, DC have shared that this indicates a
very real threat to the future of the volunteering and service community and our impact across the
country.
National service is a public-private partnership that recognizes that no one sector can meet our nation's
challenges alone, and is extremely cost-effective for the American taxpayer. Annually, CNCS leverages
more than $1.26 billion in resources from the private sector, foundations, and local agencies, and is
helping more than 3,000 organizations including Points of Light, Habitat for Humanity, Teach For
America, United Ways, Boys and Girls Clubs, City Year, the American Red Cross, Conservation Corps, and
Catholic Charities work in creative ways to tackle our most persistent and costly challenges. A study by
economists at Columbia University also found that for every dollar invested in national service, there is a
$3.95 return to society in terms of higher earnings, increased output, and other community benefits.
In our effort to protect the critical federal investment in national service, we are asking our private
sector partners to help raise awareness about the proposed cuts and the impact these cuts would have
on communities across the country. On June 20, as part of the kickoff to the annual Conference on
Volunteering and Service hosted by Points of Light, we will release a Thunderclap in support of federal
funding for national service. Thunderclap, the world’s first “crowdspeaking” platform, allows individuals
and organizations to lend their voice – and social reach – to the causes they are most passionate about.
Joining the Thunderclap is a simple way for your company to express solidarity and support during a
high profile event with a large social reach. Please visit this page to learn more about the campaign and
to sign-up to participate.
We hope you will take this opportunity to join the volunteering and service community in our effort to
save AmeriCorps and Senior Corps. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with any questions.
Sincerely,
Newsletter Blurb
Raise Your Voice to Save National Service!
Help us spread the word and get people across America talking about national service!
The White House's fiscal year 2018 budget calls for the elimination of the Corporation for National and
Community Service (CNCS) over the course of the next year. Now is the time to urge Congress to reject
the President's proposal and ensure continued funding for results-driven national service programs.
In the current political climate, it can be hard to break through the noise. But on June 20, as part of the
kickoff to the annual Conference on Volunteering and Service hosted by Points of Light, we will release a
Thunderclap in support of national service. Thunderclap, the world’s first “crowdspeaking” platform,
allows individuals and organizations to lend their voice – and social reach – to the causes they are most
passionate about. This is a simple way for you to express solidarity and support during a high profile
event with a large social reach. Please visit this page to learn more about the campaign and to sign-up to
participate. And once you've signed up, ask your friends and family to do the same!
Sample Twitter Messages
Join @PointsofLight and @Voices4Service in calling on Congress to protect national service:
bit.ly/StandForService #Stand4Service
Tell Congress to invest in – not eliminate – national service. Make your voice heard:
bit.ly/StandForService #Stand4Service
White House budget cuts funding for @NationalService. We can't let that happen! Make your voice
heard: bit.ly/StandForService #Stand4Service
We should be expanding @NationalService, not eliminating it. Take action and make your voice heard!
bit.ly/StandForService #Stand4Service
.@AmeriCorps is on the chopping block. It's time to take a #Stand4Service! Make your voice heard:
bit.ly/StandForService #Stand4Service
.@SeniorCorps is on the chopping block. It's time to take a #Stand4Service! Make your voice heard:
bit.ly/StandForService #Stand4Service
Sample Facebook Messages
The White House budget proposal calls for the elimination of the Corporation for National and
Community Service, which would end national service programs like AmeriCorps and Senior Corps. Join
@Points of Light and @Voices for National Service in calling on Congress to protect funding for national
service. Add your voice now: bit.ly/StandForService
Tell Congress to invest in – not eliminate – national service! Join the @Points of Light and @Voices for
National Service Thunderclap campaign to take a #Stand4Service and make your voice heard: [link]
The White House has confirmed plans to shut down the Corporation for National and Community
Service, including national service programs like AmeriCorps and Senior Corps. Join @Voices for National
Service and @Points of Light in the fight to save national service! Add your voice to the Thunderclap
campaign: bit.ly/StandForService
“Proposals to dismantle national service cut the heart out of a culture and an ethic of volunteering and
service that has been one of America’s most sustaining virtues and that the rest of the world strives to
emulate,” said Tracy Hoover, CEO of @Points of Light. “We can’t let this happen.” Join @Voices for
National Service and @Points of Light in the fight to save national service! Add your voice to the
Thunderclap campaign: bit.ly/StandForService
"This budget ends eight decades of bipartisan presidential support for national service programs like
AmeriCorps and Senior Corps," said AnnMaura Connolly, president of @Voices for National Service. Join
Voices for National Service and @PointsofLight in the fight to save national service! Add your voice to
the Thunderclap campaign: bit.ly/StandForService