Category: Uncategorized

This article examines how a recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis indicates that over 3 million individuals could lose access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits under a Republican-backed bill passed by the U.S. House. The legislation proposes stricter work requirements and shifts a portion of SNAP funding responsibilities to states, potentially adding $14 billion annually to state budgets. Critics argue that these changes would disproportionately affect low-income families, while proponents claim they promote fairness and fiscal responsibility.

This Reuters article examines the U.S. Supreme Court’s 4-4 split decision on May 22, 2025, which effectively blocked the creation of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School in Oklahoma—the nation’s first proposed taxpayer-funded religious charter school. The tie, resulting from Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s recusal due to potential conflicts of interest, upheld the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling that the proposed school violated the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause by promoting religion through public funding. While advocates for church-state separation celebrated the outcome, supporters of religious charter schools expressed disappointment and indicated plans to continue their legal efforts.

This article by the FrameWorks Institute explores the challenges in conveying the fragility of democratic institutions to the public. It identifies three main obstacles: the tendency to equate government solely with current leaders, the belief that American actions inherently define democracy, and the abstract nature of concepts like authoritarianism, which can feel disconnected from daily life. To bridge this gap, the article suggests linking these abstract ideas to people’s lived experiences of uncertainty and powerlessness, thereby making the threats to democracy more tangible and relatable.

This article from the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) details how the House’s budget reconciliation bill drastically cuts critical supports like Medicaid, SNAP, and the Child Tax Credit, which disproportionately harms low-income families and communities of color. According to CLASP, the bill redirects these funds to expand immigration enforcement—allocating $45 billion for agencies like ICE—and to extend tax breaks favoring the wealthy. The organization criticizes the bill as prioritizing mass deportation and economic inequality over the needs of vulnerable Americans.

At ACS, we don’t just build tools—we refine them. When we find new approaches that help organizations, we integrate them into our resources. ACS has updated its Crisis Communication Worksheet with a reminder to REFOCUS: a powerful, step-by-step mindset tool designed to help leaders pause, regain perspective, and communicate with purpose when the pressure is on. It’s not just about managing the moment—it’s about leading through it. This addition reflects ACS’s ongoing commitment to evolving and improving our tools based on real-world experience! Check out the updated Crisis Communication Worksheet here!

The ACS What to Watch 2025 Update is a critical follow-up to ACS’ Winter 2025 Newsletters: What to Watch: Part 1 and What to Watch: Part 2, confirming that many of the threats we previously identified have materialized; the Trump administration’s aggressive rollback of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, major changes to education policy, and increasing restrictions on reproductive healthcare—developments that particularly impact women and marginalized communities. The Update also highlights recent legal challenges and court rulings that have temporarily blocked some of the most extreme measures. Read more here!

Vote Like a Pro: ACS’ Top 10 Tips for Navigating the Polls—a new tool by Advocacy & Communication Solutions—is designed to help U.S. voters feel confident and prepared when heading to the polls; understand your voting rights, stay informed about registration and voting options, and learn to be proactive in planning your Election Day experience.

Advocacy & Communication Solutions, LLC (ACS) is excited to unveil a new tool designed to help organizations communicate with clarity, consistency, and impact.

The Communication Framework and Dissemination Work Plan helps your team:

• Align messaging with your goals and audience needs
• Identify the best communication channels
• Streamline internal workflows and responsibilities
• Respond effectively to change or crisis
• Evaluate and refine your communication strategies

Whether you’re sharing updates with staff, engaging stakeholders, or advocating for change, this tool ensures your message reaches the right people—at the right time—with the right impact! Download now!

Ohio’s expanding school voucher program is diverting public funds to private education, potentially undermining public schools and creating inequities in the state’s education system.

This article from the Akron Beacon Journal examines Akron Public Schools’ opposition to Ohio’s expanded voucher program, arguing it drains public funds and benefits wealthier families while lacking accountability.

And this one from the Columbus Dispatch looks at how Ohio’s school voucher costs are rapidly increasing, raising concerns that the program favors private school families and weakens public education funding.

Both articles show growing statewide concerns that the voucher system is shifting resources away from public schools, deepening educational disparities across Ohio.