"At the Partnership, we measure our impact by the tangible difference our members make in the lives of children across the United States, from state houses to local school board meetings."
Our Members’ Impact in 2023
Click the dots on the map below to display success stories from our members across the country.
Our Core Pillars
We Engaged.
The Partnership engaged members in our network by bringing child advocates to learn together in communities of practice, to share strategies, and to provide peer support. In 2023, we hosted 10 peer-to-peer knowledge sharing events, as well as an annual conference for leaders. Partnership network organizations are leading the way and building each other up on organizational development, advocacy strategy, and policy expertise.
“As the only state located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, our West Coast neighbors are over 2,500 miles away. Being a member of the Partnership for Americaʻs Children network vastly shortens the distance between Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network and our advocacy colleagues across the continent. This network gives us immediate access to resources, ideas, messages, and tools to keep putting children and families first in Hawaiʻi.”
Zoe Brooks-Jeffiers
Hawai’i Children’s Action Network
– Image courtesy of Hawai’i Children’s Action Network
– Image courtesy of The Children’s Agenda (NY)
We Empowered.
The Partnership empowers advocates and child advocacy organizations by providing capacity-building support to strengthen their organizations. We support executive directors of member organizations, the development of a pipeline of leaders in the child advocacy sector through convenings, formal and informal professional development, and networking with colleagues around the country. We also build the capacity of child advocates to center equity in their advocacy and partner with lived-experience experts.
“As a result of our advocacy in Rochester, especially the voices of parents in school board meetings, the Rochester City School District developed a new plan for school-based health and mental health supports. The plan includes telemedicine at all schools and health centers at 16 schools.”
Stephanie Townsend
The Children’s Agenda
We Invested.
Working with national and regional funders, the Partnership invests in child advocates by providing targeted grant opportunities to support state and local advocacy efforts, as well as organizational support. We also partner with several national organizations to provide technical assistance to network members on policy issues.
“The Partnership is an invaluable resource, facilitating the exchange of ideas, insights, and best practices for its members. Through our membership experience, we have found strength and inspiration to be better advocates for Ohio’s children and families.”
Mark Mecum
Ohio Children’s Alliance
– We love the connections and support.”
Moe Hickey, Voices for Utah Children
Featured Stories
A look at how the Partnership engaged, empowered, and invested in child advocates in 2023.
Building a Community of Courageous Leaders for Kids
Reflections on the partnership's annual retreat for executive directors.
Homegrown Youth Organizing
Several Partnership members are growing their own youth-led organizing programs to inform and energize policy advocacy.
SPARC 2023 convening
Working and Learning Together for Transformational Change in Child Welfare.
Building on the expertise of parents
A new evaluation of NC Child’s Parent Advisory Council shows a compelling model for health advocacy.
Our Team
The Partnership for America’s Children is mindfully building a dynamic Board of Directors that reflects the diversity of child advocates around the nation.
Meet our Staff & Board of Directors >
Get to know our new Executive Director, Marquita Little NuMan >
Staff demographics
Board demographics
2023 Financial Report
Since 2014, the Partnership has provided $13 million in grants to state & local child advocacy organizations.
2023 Income & Expense Statement (unaudited)
Income: $1,424,222
Expenses: $1,533,375
Thank You
With a special thank you to our funders for supporting our organization and the work of all our partners:
Message from the Board Co-Chairs
Dear child advocates and supporters,
2023 was a year of transformation for the Partnership for America’s Children. We welcomed our new Executive Director, Marquita Little NuMan. We said farewell and thank you to our Interim Executive Director, Michelle Hughes, who led us through an intentional year of rebuilding post-pandemic. And we launched a strategic planning process that has brought us a bold vision and a new level of accountability and responsiveness with our members and philanthropic partners.
Most importantly, we worked together to advance the well-being of children and their families around the nation. The national map in this impact report highlights just a few examples of the ground-breaking public policies our members have achieved for kids in 2023. In a time of immense and growing political polarization, our members are united, and they are building on our shared values in communities across the nation to ensure all children have the resources they need to thrive.
Our collaboration with child advocates around the nation is all about connecting with each other, building each other up, and leveraging our collective voices for America’s children and their families. Thank you for standing with us for children.
Kimberly Perry
Executive Director,
DC Action
Jennifer Wagley
Executive Director,
Our Children Oregon
