December 2010
It has been a great privilege for all of us at Water Advocates to have been involved with the growing momentum for safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) issues over the past six years. Although Water Advocates sunsetted, as long planned, at the end of 2010, we are confident that the momentum for WASH will continue to grow. More organizations than ever are committed to raising their voices in Washington DC, and far beyond, on behalf of the global issue. 
Among these is the launch of the WASH Advocacy Initiative, a twelve-month effort supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and several nonprofits, to continue to ramp up WASH advocacy. In addition, several groups are researching a larger advocacy effort on behalf of WASH for 2012 and beyond.
The absence of safe, affordable and sustainable WASH remains the most important public health and development challenge in the world. It is a problem that can be and is being solved, often with the help of American private citizens and the U.S. government.
We at Water Advocates are grateful to have worked with all of you from 2005 to 2010. The new WASH Advocacy Initiative hopes to continue to rely on your enthusiasm and dedication to global WASH issues in 2011.
The WASH Advocacy Initiative will be managed by a team of staff members detailed by Water.org, CARE, Global Water Challenge and Water For People to work on behalf of the sector. The work of the WASH Advocacy Initiative will allow the sector to build greater awareness and catalyze action from the grassroots to the highest levels of government, as well as among civic organizations, faith communities, academic institutions, corporations and foundations. To succeed, every nonprofit will need to continue its own advocacy through various channels, and the WASH Advocacy Initiative will provide additional opportunities to come together at critical times.
If you have any questions regarding the vision of the new WASH Advocacy Initiative, or about how your organization can get involved, please contact John Oldfield at joldfield@WASHinitiative.org.
Thank you again for everything you do for WASH.
Water Advocates