DEVELOPING A LEGISLATIVE STRATEGY IN SUPPORT OF ALICE RESIDENTS

United Way of Central Maryland (UWCM) is a nonprofit organization committed to promoting equity and creating opportunity by increasing access to education, employment, health, and housing for people designated as ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), whose earnings are not enough to support a “survival budget” for life’s essentials. Seeking to advocate and create change for ALICE individuals and families in Maryland through targeted legislation, impactful advocacy, and effective service delivery, UWCM enlisted a Capstone team to develop a legislative strategy to inform and educate newly elected officials and support greater outcomes for ALICE residents. The team conducted interviews with relevant stakeholders and used that data to produce an environmental scan and power map, a legislative analysis, and a legislative roadmap for UWCM for the upcoming 2024 Maryland legislative session. The team’s final report contains a comprehensive analysis of its findings and outlines legislative recommendations for how UWCM can best serve the ALICE population of Maryland.