The Only State-Funded Deaf-Blind School in the U.S. Survives a Political Threat to its Budget

CLIENT’S CHALLENGE 

The call came in late at night, like many others when a crisis breaks. Philip J. Rock Center & School (PRC), the only publicly funded deaf-blind school in the nation, was fighting for much needed capital improvement dollars for major life-safety improvements for its residents - and was about to lose its funding. PRC is one of the most intensive, comprehensive educational institutions available for children who are deaf-blind in the 3- to 21-year-old age group. “Our original request to the state was for $6.5 million we needed desperately to remove asbestos from the basement, replace our 1964 boiler, and upgrade the building to ADA standards for our residents,” PRC’s administrator said. “But budget negotiations and political infighting has now threatened not only the $6.5 million request but also our entire annual budget.” 

THE STRATEGIA SOLUTION 

Strategia’s team mobilized immediately. First, it set about crafting the narrative and key messages explaining the PRC’s unique role in supporting the specialized needs of the state’s deaf-blind community. Next, its team members outlined a strategy to lobby key legislators in Springfield in a position to approve the funds needed by the PRC and, on one day alone, lobbied 14 legislators. Over the next few weeks, as the state budget wound its way to final approval, the Strategia team created introductions to dozens of the state’s top leaders and hosted visits of federal and state elected officials to the PRC facility. 

IMPACTS + OUTCOMES 

In May 2019, the state legislature approved both the $6.5 million renovation budget and also PRC’s operating budget for the coming year. “Many projects with exceptional merits like this one fail to get funding every year,” explains Lissa Druss, Strategia’s founder and CEO. “Nudging certain leaders in the right direction can make an enormous difference.” High-profile lobbying campaigns like this can also deliver long-term benefits. In this particular case, a whole new generation of political leaders in Illinois’ Springfield capitol have a new and enduring appreciation for PRC and the value it brings to one of the state’s most vulnerable communities.