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ABOUT
WHO WE ARE
OUR MISSION
The Delaware Valley Policy, Arts and Sports Coalition Philadelphia... For Friends of Philly was formed in 2022 to protect and restore the land, waters, peoples in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and its accurate history of policy, arts and sports as well as its past, present, and future history in the Delaware Valley area. We amplify the collective power of 170+ member organizations and other stakeholders as we advocate for a healthy and protected watershed community with an inclusive, unified voice. The Coalition convenes member and non-member organizations, builds capacity, coordinates communications, and supports policy, the arts and sports at the local, federal and state levels.
OUR VISION
Our vision is a Philadelphia and Delaware Valley area recognized as one of Pennsylvania's communities, providing policy, arts and sports promoting clean water, healthy habitat, and accessible outdoor recreation and public access. In addition, the Coalition’s advocacy efforts will be inclusive and promote participation and collaboration so its communities are robustly funded and sustainably managed to support free voter registration, members running for political office (regardless affiliated or unaffiliated political party in Pennsylvania), community services, social services and social justice, multi-ethnic background peoples, and domestic-life and wildlife as well.
In 2022, the Coalition adopted a 5-year strategic direction, providing the tools our network needs to be successful. We will continue to use our collective voice to advance watershed-wide planning, grass roots planning, local, state and federal funding, and advocate for local, state, and federal issues. Our plan details our goals, objectives, and activities to create an equitable and inclusive network to benefit people, domestic-life and wildlife across the Delaware River and Schuylkill River watershed. View the strategic direction document here.
Delaware Valley Policy, Arts and Sports Coalition Philadelphia... for Friends of Philly 5150 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19139 (215) 821-9147
2022 - 2027 Strategic Direction
Introduction
Since 2022, the Delaware Valley Policy, Arts and Sports Coalition Philadelphia... for Friends of Philly, otherwise known as Delaware Valley Coalition Philly, has brought partners together to advocate for local, state, and federal funding and comprehensive, watershed-wide planning. The Coalition successfully advocated for the introduction of public safety, public health, youth and community services; with the Coalition people will know the improvement of Philadelphian family history experience involving free voting, free opportunity to run for political election seats, and to restore the free and fair election process in Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania. The Coalition is confident that local, state, and federal investments through the Delaware Valley Policy, Arts and Sports Coalition Philadelphia... for Friends of Philly shall produce results in communities across the Delaware Valley.
The Delaware Valley Coalition Philly is constantly evolving. Serious threats remain, including extreme poverty, extreme crime, extreme unemployment, extreme number of ex-offenders, extreme lack of satisfactory human services, extreme lack of family advocacy, polluted runoff, an aging drinking and wastewater infrastructure, and the threats of climate change creating almost impossible means to cope. The need for protection of the Delaware Valley community is urgent and constant for the 6.245 million people, (making it the seventh largest metropolitan region in America and 35th largest metropolitan region in the world), and countless domestic-life and wildlife species that depend on clean water and safe environment; the current metro area population of Philadelphia in 2022 is 5,756,000.
Throughout the course of 2022, we saw just how critically important clean water, safe environment, and equitable access to outdoor recreation truly is. Our five-year strategic direction positions the Coalition to convene stakeholders and provide the tools our network needs to be successful.
Goal
To address systemic racism, systemic poverty, systemic crime, systemic unfair policy, systemic, arts and sports exclusiveness, systemic non-free voting, systemic elections exclusiveness, systemic religious exclusiveness, systemic multi-ethnic exclusiveness, systemic social injustice, and systemic status exclusiveness the Coalition will advance its diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice efforts to serve as a clearinghouse for resources and peer-to-peer learning.
● Build a diverse stakeholder group that is inclusive and equitable in family, community, culture, and activities; these works shall mark a watershed in the history of Philadelphia policy, arts and sports
● Foster advocacy capacity in environmental justice communities through a pilot small volunteer program, in partnership with the Alliance for Delaware Valley Education
● Analyze local, state and federal policy with an environmental justice focused lens
● Serve as the clearinghouse for Delaware Valley Coalition Philly resources and best practices, in coordination with
the Delaware Valley Coalition work group and other partners
Goal 2
As a convener of organizations throughout the region, the Coalition will strive to empower and engage a larger, more inclusive constituency to support watershed-wide planning and advocacy initiatives.
● Seek opportunities for collaboration with other watershed-wide partnerships, including
the Coalition Initiative and the Delaware Valley Coalition Philadelphia Education
● Build relationships with identified independent audiences
● Elevate member projects, events, and campaigns to amplify the power of the Coalition
and the impact of its members
● Strengthen the capacity of member organizations by growing the pool of resources
available
Goal 3
The Coalition will advocate for robust local, state and federal restoration funding to support the works which mark a watershed in the history of Philadelphia policy, arts and sports restoration and protection needs.
● Secure increased and sustainable funding for the watershed, particularly through the Delaware Valley Policy, Arts and Sports Coalition Philadelphia... for Friends of Philly Program
● Serve as the group voice, ensuring successful implementation of priority programs,
while engaging a broad constituency
Goal 4
The Coalition will ensure policies concerning local, state and federal arts, sports, spending, and implementation; support a resilient and healthy Delaware Valley watershed moment.
● Promote and Support a collaborative model to convene stakeholders to strategize around relevant
issues
● Educate and influence members of city government, state government, federal government in Pennsylvania and abroad on key policy, arts and sports issues through briefings, in-district engagements, and celebrations concerning peoples in Philadelphia
● Continue to play a key role through City, State and Federal Leads to advance relevant city, state and federal policy, arts and sports and facilitate collaboration on cross-city, cross-state and cross-federal issues
Goal 5
The Coalition will respond in a swift and unified manner to defend the Delaware Valley watershed moment(s) against emergent and systemic threats on the city, state and federal level as they relate to our mission of protecting and restoring the land, waters, multi-ethnic peoples in the Delaware Valley community.
● Educate and influence decision makers by quickly responding to policy threats, arts thereat, sports, threats, and/or rollbacks to environmental safeguards
● Activate membership through strategic and science-based communications
OUR VALUES
EMBODY A FIRST AMERICANS' SPIRIT: We support the Coalition and enable the fight. We understand the Coalition's mission and our role in achieving its objectives in everything we do. We are proud to serve as professionals exploring the First Americans experiences in Philadelphia.
LEADERS WITH CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY: We develop and empower leaders who demonstrate Delaware Valley Policy, Arts and Sports Coalition Philadelphia Values. Our advice and advocacy emphasizes fundamental fairness and respect for the rule of law.
EMBRACE ACCOUNTABILITY: We require critical and transparent self-assessment through introspection and analysis. Our actions are consistent with our fundamental values and foster trust in our community, across the Coalition, and with the American people.
DIVERSITY: The Delaware Valley Policy, Arts and Sports Coalition Philadelphia... for Friends of Philly is defined by its landscape and community diversity. Protecting and restoring the lands, waters, multi-ethnic peoples. and communities for future Philadelphia generations requires that we respect and work together with people with different ideas, strengths, interests, and cultural backgrounds.
EQUITY: All people — regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ZIP code, health and ability status, political affiliations, or any other consideration — have equal value, and opportunity to participate fully in all dimensions of the Coalition. We are dedicated to dismantling barriers that impede equitable opportunity.
INCLUSIVENESS: We will be most effective when our coalition includes organizations that are large and small, urban and rural, established and new, progressive, conservative, and/or other. We will strive to intentionally include and represent all voices.
COLLABORATION: We will achieve the greatest positive change through partnerships and a bipartisanship advocacy strategy that requires open and clear communications with decision-makers, stakeholders, independents, and people interested in making a difference.
LEADERSHIP: The Coalition strives to be innovative in strategy and mobilization within the Delaware Valley community, particularly on issues that require a common voice. In doing so, the Coalition aims to be a locally and nationally recognized model for collaborative watershed moment protection.
TRUST: We serve as a trusted voice and resource for our Delaware Valley metropolitan area members and beyond. The Coalition thrives on a culture where organizations put forth the best intentions to promote trust as we achieve shared goals.
ENCOURAGE INNOVATION: We are agile in today’s complex and dynamic operating environment – rapidly leveraging ideas that deliver sustainable improvements across the enterprise.
SUSTAINABILITY: The Coalition is committed to sustainable policies, arts and sports that provide economic, social, and environmental benefits for all residents of the Delaware Valley metropolitan community and for future generations to come.