Learn more about what we do
LWVA Grants
The LWV Amherst is now accepting applications for 2024-2025 Civic Action Grants
Up to $2,500 for projects that are directly related to the League's priority programs.
Please read the information and guidelines for the League's Civic Action Grants first.
2023-24 Grant Awards and Donations
Fort River 5th Grade -
2024
Amherst Regional Public Schools (ARPS) teacher Tim Austin received a grant of $2000 for The Civic Literacy and Organizing Project, to partner with a hip-hop musician, teacher, activist and author, Tem Blessed.
Young Voters Initiative
2024
In recent years many young voters have become so discouraged by our political divisions that an alarming number are considering not participating in this November’s election. Both Creative Collective for the Public Interest and its sister non-profit, Creative Collective for Issue Advocacy, produce video PSA’s for distribution on social media. These spots are placed as ads and micro-targeted to the audience that needs to hear the message. While the two organizations have to this point focused on climate change education and on individual political races, the sole focus this year is on encouraging young people to vote with a campaign of 30-second video PSA’s targeted to college campuses. This non-partisan project will involve short interviews with several categories of subjects: high school history teachers talking about the importance of voting and how it feels knowing that former students of theirs are considering sitting out the election; new citizens talking about the experience of voting as Americans for the first time; and refugees from non-democracies talking about the privilege of voting in free and fair elections.
Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts
$1000
Civic Action Grant
Fort River Elementary Library
$600
Donation for Civics and Women's Studies books
LWVA Book Group
The LWV Book Group will meet the second Wednesday of the month at 1:30 p.m. at Applewood. The building is handicapped accessible.
Schedule and books:
July: Lady Justice, Dahlia Lithwick
September: The Water Dancers, Ta-Nehisi Coates
October: Resetting the Table, Robert Pearlberg
November: Lab Girl, Hope Jahra
January: Cloud Cuckooland, Anthony Dorr
February: How the Word is Passed, Clint Smith
March: American Character, Colin Woodard
For information email Phyllis Leher
Town Charter Review
LWVA Charter Review Task Force survey!
The Task Force developed a survey to ascertain residents' opinions regarding Amherst’s Council/Manager form of government under the 2017 Home Rule Charter, in light of good government principles.
The survey is in anticipation of the town’s review of the Charter scheduled for 2024 when the Council will consider whether any portions of the charter should be amended or revised.
The survey results were presented at a public meeting at the Bangs Center on May 24th.
Other Recent Studies and Reviews
New Amherst Elementary School Review Group
LWVA's School Review Group Report
LWVA Steering Committee Letter to the Membership in support of project.
LWVA Letter to the Editor, Amherst Bulletin
Ballot Question Study (LWVMA)
LWVMA studied the process for statewide citizen-initiated ballot questions in 2018-2019. Thirty-six Massachusetts Leagues held consensus meetings in connection with this study, including LWVA. The new state position was approved at the LWVMA Convention on June 8, 2019
Learn more about what a league study is and how it is conducted
League Studies
Once an issue has been adopted for study by the members, a study committee is formed to assemble study materials and plan the process by which the general membership will be able to learn about the issues.
The committee is responsible for preparing consensus questions for one or more discussion meetings (consensus meetings), in which members attempt to come to agreement. Each consensus question is framed so that it is neutral, in terms that allow multiple possible conclusions.
The committee prepares summaries of alternative points of view on each question and provides enough information so that members can do their own further research as desired.
Depending on the complexity of the issue, the study committee may decide to hold informational meetings prior to the consensus meetings. These meetings can be primarily for members, or they may be organized as public civic education meetings.
After the consensus meetings have been held, and arrived at consensus on each question (or failed to arrive at such a consensus), it is the role of the board or steering committee to approve the final wording of a position statement consistent with the consensus. Since many League positions are retained for decades, they need to be worded generally and flexibly so they can be used in a variety of advocacy situations. Details such as references to specific legislation or technology must be avoided, since they could limit League advocacy in unknown future situations.
Finally, as with all League positions, the position as formulated must be adopted annually (or bienially) to remain part of the League's program.
2023/24 Steering Committee
Rebecca Fricke, Spokesperson
Marla Jamate, Social Media
Susan Lowery, Membership
Jessica Ryan, Voter Engagement
David Shanabrook, Treasurer
Andrea Battle, At-Large
Nancy DiMattio, At-Large