The Partnership for America’s Children was formed in 2013 by the executive directors of state and local child advocacy organizations because of their firm conviction that advocates are more effective when they learn from and support each other. Each member contributes expertise, leadership, and passion to the network in order to fulfill the Partnership’s vision.
Most policy decisions that affect children’s lives are made at the state or local level. States provide two-thirds of the funding for children’s programs and administer many of the federally-funded programs. As local and state experts on effective policies for children, our members contribute data, insight, and recommendations that influence policies and funding federally as well. Bold, inclusive, and robust child advocacy at the state, local, and federal levels is critical to ensuring that every child, from every race, ethnicity, ability, and zip code can thrive.
To achieve our vision of a strong, connected, and dynamic network of state and local child advocates advancing transformative policy for children and families, the Partnership provides the following to our members:
The Partnership brings together child advocates from around the country in a community of practice, strategy, inspiration and mutual support. We facilitate peer-to-peer knowledge sharing activities including monthly Partnership Peer Exchange meetings; affinity groups for Executive Directors, staff of color and others; and an annual retreat for Partnership member leaders.
The Partnership believes that child advocates – equipped with information, knowledge and skills – can more effectively promote policies that transform the lives of children and their families. We ensure that state and local advocates have information about important federal policy actions and state trends; facilitate webinars featuring experts on policy, communications, organizational capacity building and other issues; and curate a library of organizational and policy resources for our members.
Working with national and regional funders, the Partnership provides targeted grant opportunities to our members to support state and local advocacy efforts as well as organizational support. Opportunities have focused on a diverse array of topics including: child health policy; child nutrition; state budget advocacy; expanding access to child tax credits; expanding income supports for families; centering parent advocacy in early childhood policy efforts; and more. Since 2018 the Partnership has regranted more than $10 million, and in 2022, the Partnership dedicated more than 80% of its budget to regrants for members.
The Partnership provides targeted leadership for specific issue areas critical for children, their families, and communities. We facilitate targeted communities of practice and represent our members in leadership roles within specific national campaigns that impact state advocacy.
The Partnership for America’s Children is the home of the State Policy Advocacy and Reform Center (SPARC) — a network of state child advocacy organizations with the goal of accelerating and supporting policy change in state child welfare systems around the country. Consisting of 46 members representing 37 states/localities, SPARC works to strengthen the connections between member organizations; encourages peer learning and support; and provides technical assistance, research, policy support, funding, and cross-state campaign coordination. SPARC is an initiative funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.
Accurate Census Data is critical to children’s advocacy efforts. It impacts the allocation of federal funding for multiple child and family programs, including housing, education, public health, nutrition, and other programs. In 2020, the Partnership played a leadership role, in coalition with the Count All Kids Campaign, to ensure that all children, particularly young children and children of color, were accurately counted in the 2020 Census. We are now squarely focused on 2030, working to ensure that preparation for the upcoming census – from research methodology to communications to state-level coalitions – stays focused on an accurate count of young children who are the not only the most diverse age group but also the most likely to be undercounted. We are also collaborating with state and federal partners to ensure that Census Bureau resources, like the American Community Survey, accurately represent children and families.
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