September 29, 2020
Dear CSG donors:
We hope you, your family and coworkers are well during this difficult time. We have much to share with you about CSG, our policy work, and our plans for our annual Smart Growth Social.
Smart Growth Social has always been an important event for inspiring supporters of walkable, inclusive urban places, and while this will have to be a “Zoom” social, we believe it will be helpful, restorative and inspiring! Our special guest speaker will be Beth Osborne, Director of Transportation for America, the transportation arm of Smart Growth America. This year’s event will take place on Wednesday, October 28th from 7 to 8:30 pm.
As we strive for a better future, among the reforms we need is a new federal transportation program that prioritizes transit, safe streets, racial equity, health, and fighting climate change, and Beth has been our inspiring national leader on improving the federal program. A former Acting Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy at USDOT, with extensive experience on the Hill, Beth has led her team to produce groundbreaking studies of American transportation and much needed reforms. The next federal 6-year transportation bill will be the most consequential of our time, and in a rapid-paced 15 minutes, Beth will lay out our call to action!
But we know you also come to Smart Growth Social for the networking with fellow creative and committed supporters of better communities. So, we’ll have breakouts to give us all a chance to catch-up and share stories. At the heart of this year’s event will be a photo contest featuring your favorite examples of placemaking, safe streets, good urban design, mixed-income housing and more. We’ll encourage all attendees to come to the Zoom with great examples from your communities, which you can post as your Zoom background wallpaper. Then in the breakouts we’ll not only catch up with each other, we’ll talk about the photos and vote on our favorites, reporting out to the full group. First prize in each category will be a gift certificate from your favorite local restaurant.
Registration: Please register here.
Donations: We are not setting a ticket price this year, but when you register, we welcome your donations at the $10, $15, $25, $50, $100, or whatever works best for you.
Host Committee: We also welcome supporters to join our Host Committee at the $250 level. Learn more here.
Sponsorships: We welcome business and individual sponsorships at the $500 level and above. Learn more here.
Your support is important!
Your support for the Coalition for Smarter Growth is what keeps our team in the field. With our policy advocacy expertise and experience, commitment to partnerships, relationships with decisionmakers, and outreach to the community, we fight for and win positive change.
With this letter we are starting early on our end-of-year fundraising push. Individual and corporate donations represent 50% of our annual budget and we depend on your support. We recognize it’s a challenging year for so many in terms of supporting the non-profit groups that you love, but our work to save transit, make affordable housing a top local and state priority, make streets safer, and create inclusive, sustainable communities to address racial inequity, health, and climate change – particularly in our suburbs, is more important than ever.
Earlier this month we shared important updates via our email newsletter on our work over the summer and our ongoing campaigns. You can catch up on all the news here. Highlights include welcoming Emily Maurer to our staff as our Communications and Administrative Assistant, and Bill Pugh as volunteer Senior Policy Fellow leading our fight on climate change, as well as major ongoing campaigns:
- Emergency federal funding and protective equipment for transit
- More affordable housing in the DC Comprehensive Plan and Montgomery Master Plan
- Forums and advocacy for safer streets in Northern Virginia and across the region
- Hosting Courageous Conversations on the legacy of residential racial segregation
- Promoting accessory dwelling units
- Inspiring and working with new coalitions and local groups like the Fairfax Healthy Communities Coalition, Montgomery for All, Liveable Alexandria, and Rise Prince George’s
We look forward to you joining us for our annual Smart Growth Social and to your continued support for our work and personal involvement in making our communities better.
Thank you,
Stewart, Cheryl, Jane, Sonya, Emily, and Bill
P.S. Please note our new address for correspondence, including mailed donations: P.O. Box 73282 2000 14th Street NW Washington, DC 20009