Outreach templates
Copy and paste this template letter to send a message to your Member of Congress. Make sure to personalize the template with your name, position, program, and a couple of reasons why you believe the SEPA program is important (fields are highlighted).
Not sure where to send your letter? Find Congressional contacts for your Program.
Want to send a hard copy? Download this template on Association letterhead.
Dear [Senator or Representative],
My name is [name] and I am a [K-12 student/ K-12 parent/teacher/community member].
I am writing to urge you to support the NIH Science Education Partnership Program (SEPA). SEPA partners scientists with K-12 educators and is the only federally funded program that uses after-school programs, summer activities, museum exhibits and teacher training to expose K-12 students to STEM+M research and careers and teach them skills to flourish in them – like scientific literacy and numeracy, how to appraise and apply data, critical thinking and collaborative problem solving – that K-12 schools lack the capacity to provide.
Each year SEPA awards reach more than 16 million K-12 students and teachers, and more than 29 million family and community members. But NIH has recently terminated more than half these programs and left the rest in limbo. We are losing decades of STEM Education expertise and infrastructure. We need NIH to keep on funding SEPA’s critical mission.
I have been involved with [SEPA Program] in your [district/state] for [number] years. The program has been of great significance to me because [preferably two reasons, more if you can; one is enough]. I urge you to support Science Education Partnerships that expose our children to 21st-century research and careers and skill building. Our country needs it more than ever.
Sincerely,
[Your name
Affiliation]