Best of CASE District VII Award
 

Institution: University of California, Office of the President

Title of entry: UC Advocacy Network 2021 State Budget Campaign

About this entry: The UC Advocacy Network (UCAN) is the University of California’s digital advocacy community that lobbies in support of the University’s state and federal priorities. Each year, UCAN launches a comprehensive state budget campaign from January – June that provides advocates with easy and impactful ways to encourage state lawmakers to invest in UC.

During the 2021 budget season, UCAN led a focused campaign in support of UC’s funding request, starting from the moment Gov. Gavin Newsom released his January budget proposal, until June, when the budget was signed. The stakes were high: in 2020, funding for UC was slashed by $300 million, and it was imperative that state lawmakers restore cut funds and provide additional help as UC grappled with impacts from the pandemic.

UCAN’s success focused on mobilizing advocates ahead of key budget hearings and providing real-time updates as negotiations unfolded. The effort was hugely successful. Lawmakers heard from UC advocates more than 5,000 times, including a historic number of emails, tweets, calls and petitions that kept UC at the forefront of budget negotiations and helped the university secure the largest ever single year funding increase. The 2021 California state budget package totaled more than $1.2 billion dollars, which included restoring the $300 million in cuts from the previous year and additional funding. These investments supported critical campus operations, enhanced student mental health services, improved UC facilities, expanded health care in medically underserved communities, and much more. The campaign also generated nearly 1,000 new advocates without any paid advertising.