OLCV Education Fund Programs

OLCV Education Fund leads a number of programs that improve the capacity of the environmental community by educating, training, and coordinating citizens and organizations. Below is a list of the primary programs we led in the 2008-2009 fiscal year.

For more infomation about OLCV Education Fund's programs, view our 2009 Annual Report.

The Oregon Conservation Network

Since 1996, OLCV Education Fund has coordinated the Oregon Conservation Network (OCN), a coalition of more than 40 organizations that work together to build the environmental community’s political power in Salem.

In its initial years, OCN primarily served to defend environmental safeguards from hostile legislative leaders. In the process, we helped build momentum to pass positive, commonsense laws that protect Oregon’s natural legacy. Since 2005, OCN groups have come together to develop shared priorities to promote in the Legislature. In 2009, OCN tackled six “Priorities for a Healthy Oregon,” pushing key bills and fighting six “Major Threats.”

During the session, OCN distributes the weekly email newsletter SalemWatch to nearly 5,000 people. SalemWatch provides timely information about environmental issues in the Legislature and state agencies, and opportunities for readers to take immediate action. Sign up for SalemWatch.

OCN’s Day of Action

Marking the beginning of Oregon’s legislative session in January 2009, OLCV Education Fund and the Oregon Conservation Network organized a “Citizen Action Day” in Salem. 150 participants attended the training to learn about OCN’s legislative priorities from policy experts and how to engage effectively in the legislative process. They also took part in a Clean Energy rally on the Capitol steps.

Message Development

OLCV Education Fund is a founding member of the Oregon Environmental Partnership, which brings together conservation groups to explore how framing and language impact our individual and collective success in protecting Oregon’s environment.

The goal is to discover the values that motivate us all and to teach conservationists to stress these values when they talk about the issues. In 2008, the Education Fund commissioned a public opinion poll to help Oregon Conservation Network member organizations talk about the 2009 legislative Priorities.

Non-Partisan Voter Participation

OLCV Education Fund developed an ambitious project in 2008 to educate voters in Deschutes and Clackamas counties about the importance of voting the whole ballot. Our work targeted thousands of younger voters, providing information about how local elected officials make critical decisions that impact them. 

List Enhancement

This project helps conservation groups raise more money and recruit more volunteers by providing them with demographic information about their membership from a commercial voter file. 18 groups participated in September 2008. 

Grassroots Leadership

In August 2008, OLCV Education Fund conducted a two-day intensive training targeting potential public leaders and citizens interested in building organizing leadership skills. 45 participants received training on fundraising, citizen contact, strategy, and messaging.