Image courtesy of Hawai’i Children’s Action Network.
At the Partnership for America’s Children, 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. I am so proud to bring you all our 2023 Annual Impact Report. The report highlights member victories for kids and families from our network of brilliant child advocacy organizations around the country.
In 2023, our members won public policy victories that will transform the lives of children and their families across the US. There are many stories to lift up, but one that really resonates is how many Partnership members used the federal and state relief response to the COVID-19 pandemic as a policy laboratory. They leveraged real-world evidence on what works for kids, then fought for and won long-term results for children and families. Here are just a few examples:
- Partnership network members have secured historic new or expanded state-based child & family tax credits that help lift children above the poverty line, including advocates in Oregon, New York, Illinois, Hawai’i, Arizona, Connecticut, Maine, and Washington State.
- Network members in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Connecticut, New York, Utah, and North Carolina improved health coverage for children and their parents through Medicaid and state-sponsored health insurance programs.
- States increased mental health funding and programs for children thanks to the hard work of advocates in Virginia, Ohio, California, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Washington State.
- States and local governments are making much greater investments in child care and early educators due to the incredible advocacy of network members in New York, Maine, California, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawai’i, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington State.
Read the full 2023 Annual Impact Report to learn more about these powerful wins and many more stories on the impact of the Partnership network across the United States.
“The Partnership for America’s Children network is a valuable resource that provides insight into a wealth of issues relating to children and how Oklahoma’s sister states contend with them. It gives us roadmaps on how to avoid pitfalls other states’ advocates may have encountered, helping us become even more effective as Oklahoma’s leading child advocacy organization.”
-Jay Paul Gumm, Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy
Engage, Empower, Invest
The Partnership brings together the nation’s visionary child advocates to share winning strategies, build a pipeline of child advocacy leaders, and invest in transformative policy solutions. The Partnership engaged members in our network by hosting learning opportunities in communities of practice, promoting best practices in advocacy strategies, and providing peer support and technical assistance on policy issues. The Partnership empowered advocates and child advocacy organizations by providing capacity-building support to strengthen their organizations, operationalize their commitments to equity, and enhance their leadership skills.
In collaboration with national and regional funders, the Partnership invested in child advocates by pooling philanthropic resources and providing targeted grant opportunities to support state and local advocacy efforts and operational support.
“The Partnership network is an invaluable source of information, technical assistance, and camaraderie. They provide opportunities for our staff at all levels to learn from and brainstorm with peers from sister organizations in other states. Bottom line is they make us more effective in our ability to drive policy that makes a stronger Arizona for children.”
– January Contreras, Children’s Action Alliance
Moving into 2024, Partnership network members have faced an uphill battle as the fight continued to protect gains in health care, early education, and family economic security while child poverty rates are on the rise nationally, political polarization persists, and they must defend their efforts to address racial disparities that impact all children. Despite the challenges, the wins over the past year highlight the opportunities for advocates to take action at the state and local levels to advance transformational policies for children in families. The Partnership looks forward to continuing to strengthen our support and strategize winning strategies in the future.
View the full 2023 Annual Impact Report here.
Many thanks to all Partnership members who generously shared their expertise and insights for the 2023 Annual Impact Report.
