CLC’s COVID RECOVERY IN NAPA COUNTY

Advocating for Equity

In Napa County, as in many communities, vulnerable populations were the most severely and disproportionately affected by COVID-19.  The Community Leaders Coalition (CLC) was well positioned to advocate for COVID-19 recovery needs having already built a strong and collaborative coalition focused on advocating for the needs of vulnerable populations. The CLC’s advocacy focused primarily on tenant protections to prevent evictions and the allocation of CARES Act & American Rescue Plan Act funding allocation to address community needs.

Equity Response to COVID-19 Recovery

• We did our homework – We took the time to learn and stay informed of the ever-changing recovery policies and available resources through research, relationships with partners and elected officials, and our broader networks and affiliations. 
  

• We organized – The CLC organized coalition and community members to speak up
  on needs.  
  

• We strategized – We worked with community leaders to articulate and quantify community needs and developed advocacy strategies. We also worked formally and informally with elected officials across the County to better understand political will and constraints and cultivate champions for better meeting the needs of those most affected by the pandemic.  
  

• We educated and informed – We conducted information sessions for members and partners about the CARES ACT, ARPA, and other COVID-19 recovery policies. We also worked to educate the broader public about ARPA and the use of funds to address community needs through op-eds and other materials.  
  

• We advocated – We made phone calls, wrote letters and op-eds, met with elected officials and government staff, and provided public comment at public meetings. Additionally, based on the advocacy capacities and skills learned through their work with the CLC, we saw more members and agencies directly advocating for community needs. 
  

• We learned – We assessed and reassessed our strategies and approaches, and we took the time to document and capture lessons learned so that we may continue effectively influencing policies in our County. We learned a lot about various advocacy strategies and broadened our networks and relationships, increasing our visibility and influence for future advocacy.