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Strengthening America’s Image Program: A Funding Initiative of Sister Cities International

Why Advocate for Federal Funding?
Local sister city programs throughout the network depend on municipal dollars and private funding to help implement their exchanges and programs. To support these exchanges, Sister Cities International is working with key Congressional members to make dollars available for local programs. Sister city relationships elevate one of the U.S. State Department’s objectives, “to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchange.” This funding initiative would provide federal dollars directly to help local programs increase economic development exchanges, especially with their partners in the Muslim world, to mutually benefit U.S. and international communities.

Background on the Legislative Process:
Authorization: One of the best ways a program can receive funding is to be mentioned in an authorizing bill. This authorizes Congress to spend money for a particular program. Getting to this point takes a grassroots effort to ensure key Congress members support the program include it in authorizing legislation. Sister Cities International has been working with the U.S. Department of State authorizing committees: the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Appropriation: After Congress has authorized funds to be spent in a particular way or for a particular program, the money must be allocated in an appropriations bill. This bill originates in the Appropriations Committee in both chambers of Congress. We are currently working with the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittees who oversee the budget allocations for the U.S. Department of State.

The program request for FY2011:

  • We are requesting $3.8 million a year for five years from the federal government combined with a 1-1 local match that will create $7.6 million for Sister Cities exchanges for fiscal year 2010.
  • A federal contribution to help local programs expand and improve their local exchange programs
  • 1-to-1 matching requirement for local member cities who receive federal funding through this program
  • 380 exchanges, involving 760 cities around the world made possible in 2011
  • 7,600 inbound and outbound visitors impacted by these exchanges in 2011

Click here to see the Strengthening America’s Image Program White Paper.



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