Seeking to improve lives by advancing neuroscience research, children’s health, early literacy, and the environment
Seeking to improve the understanding and treatment of child and adolescent ADHD and depression, and to improve access to mental health care for children and their families.
Committed to investing in breakthrough neuroscience research, helping communities mitigate climate change, improving early childhood mental health and well-being, and ensuring that all children can read
Dedicated to the advancement of children’s health in Maine, primarily by improving their oral health.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) provides legal assistance and engages in advocacy to protect civil liberties and constitutional protections. A grant to the ACLU Women’s Rights Project to continue efforts to defend early childhood education and the rights of working parents, which defends against attempts to dismantle diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in federally funded education programs, including Head Start.
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A general operating support grant to CCF, a nonpartisan policy and research center that works to ensure children and families have access to high-quality, affordable health coverage through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) by using data, policy expertise, and partnerships with child advocacy organizations to inform state and federal policy decisions.
A general operating support grant to the Chamber of Mothers, a national movement that mobilizes mothers to advocate for paid family leave, affordable child care, and improved maternal health. This grant will support the organization’s three-year strategic plan to expand its membership, advance bipartisan policy solutions, and strengthen the long-term sustainability of the movement.
The Digital Wellness Lab seeks to understand and promote positive and healthy digital media experiences for young people, from birth through young adulthood, Our grant supports the Lab in developing an interactive, online tool to help AI toy designers and product developers create products that meet the developmental and safety needs of children ages two to six. Project activities include finalizing the tool’s structure, designing and developing a low-fidelity pilot version, testing it with a small user group, and refining the tool for public release,
Family Connects strengthens connections for families with newborns and connects them with supportive resources through a universal nurse home visitation model. A two-year (2025–2026) general operating support grant to Family Connects International to strengthen and scale its evidence-based model that provides nurse home visits to parents with newborns and referrals to supportive community care resources. In addition, FCI engages with policymakers to support the sustainability of local programming and collaborates with community-based resources and care systems.
Led by Ying Xu, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Education, this grant supports the first empirical study of the effects of AI-powered digital companions on young children and caregivers., by Ying Xu, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Education. Using behavioral assessments, play observations, child interviews, and parent reports, the project will provide the first causal evidence to guide age recommendations, responsible AI toy design, and policy decisions related to AI technologies for young children.
The Institute for Child Success is an independent research and applied policy organization that works with stakeholders to improve the lives of young children. A grant to support the work of the Strong Nation Initiative, comprised of law enforcement leaders, retired admirals and generals, and business executives advocating for policies that strengthen children’s education, health, and development. Drawing on research, the initiative educates policymakers and the public about how investments in young children and families lead to improved outcomes for children while advancing public safety, national security, and economic growth.
The Institute for Medicaid Innovation develops, implements, and distributes evidence-based models of care that improve the lives of Medicaid enrollees. Our three-year grant (2024–2026) supports the Institute for Medicaid Innovation’s Doula Learning & Action Collaborative, which focuses on galvanizing key Medicaid partners, community-based organizations, and doulas to reduce inequities in perinatal care experiences and outcomes. With IMI’s learning collaborative model, the state-based teams work together to identify key barriers and then foster systemic changes to expand and improve doula care within Medicaid programs.
LENA is a national nonprofit whose mission is to transform children’s futures through early talk technology and data-driven programs. This two-year grant (2025–2026) supports further development and implementation of its “Teacher Led Grow” app that uses artificial intelligence to deliver personalized, real-time digital feedback to teachers and guides, helping them strengthen their practice of increasing conversational turns with young children.
The Maine Association for the Education of Young Children promotes high-quality early learning for children by connecting practice, policy, and research. A two-year (2025–2026) grant to the MaineAEYC for its work on the Right from the Start Coalition supporting a comprehensive advocacy and policy engagement strategy aimed at securing long-term financial commitments for early childhood education policies and programs in Maine.
The Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance advocates for policies that provide comprehensive mental health care during and after pregnancy. Our two-year grant (2025–2026) supports policy advocacy and funding for maternal mental health programs, including the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, the Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Program, and the MOMs Act.
The Mount Sinai Hospital Parenting Center aims to transform the way pediatric healthcare is delivered by maximizing opportunities to promote strong parent-child relationships and early childhood development within everyday healthcare interactions. Their scalable programming leverages the healthcare space to reach families in the earliest years. A three-year general operating grant (2025–2027) supports the Center’s programs.
The National Center for Children in Poverty, a center in the Bank Street Graduate School of Education, conducts research to improve the lives of low-income children.A two-year grant (2025–2026) supports a resource analysis of social–emotional-focused supports in early care and education programs and provide consultation to Maine, New York, and Delaware. The findings will help partners identify and address gaps in existing support systems to enhance school readiness outcomes for young children.
The Niskanen Center promotes policies that advance prosperity, opportunity, and human flourishing that draw on ideas from across the ideological spectrum. A two-year (2025–2026) general operating support grant to the Social Policy Team at the Niskanen Center to help educate policymakers, thought leaders, journalists, advocates, and others about how tax credits, paid family leave, childcare, and unemployment insurance can improve child well-being, stabilize families, and maximize parental choice. Through timely and strategic research and analysis, the Social Policy Team aims to advance the case for expanded family benefits.
PlayReadVIP is a relationship-based, individualized parent-child intervention delivered during pediatric well-child visits that has demonstrated significant positive impacts on parenting practices and child development. This two-year grant (2026–2027) will advance PlayReadVIP’s financial sustainability initiative to ensure the long-term stability and high-quality delivery of the program.
A two-year (2026–2027) general operating support grant to the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health to help close gaps in maternal mental health care so that every mother, child, and family can thrive. Over the next two years, the organization will continue to advance research and policy insights, convene policymakers, providers, payors, and strategic partners, and foster cross-sector collaboration. PCMMH also aims to support coordinated policy and maternity care payment reform efforts designed to improve access to and quality of maternal mental health care.
The Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center translates research in child development into state-level policies and public investments and provides guidance to state leaders on the most effective investments states can make to ensure all young children thrive. Our three-year general operating support grant (2024–2026) sustains and expands the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center.
Reach Out and Read strengthens families with young children through guidance from medical clinicians about nurturing relationships through shared reading. A two-year grant (2025–2026) will support Reach Out and Read in its efforts to secure Medicaid reimbursement for its program. The funding will cover provider training, quality assessment, and an evaluation of the parent/caregiver experience, with the long-term goal of making Reach Out and Read a permanent component of how Medicaid managed care plans support children’s health.
The Stanford University Center on Early Childhood promotes child development, assures equity, and increases the omnidirectional flow of information in the early childhood sector. Our three-year grant (2026–2028) to the Stanford University Center on Early Childhood supports the development, testing, and evaluation of the FIND Learning Pathways Framework. The framework guides educators from online learning into video-based reflection and coaching. The project will also integrate iFIND, an AI tool that reduces video review time and makes coaching more efficient. Over three years, FIND will test, refine, and scale this approach to create lasting impact for early childhood educators and the children they serve.
Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA) advocates for early childhood professionals and strong early care and education in Wisconsin. This two-year grant (2025–2026) supports collaboration with Civitas Strategies and others to develop a tax education coaching program that enables family child care providers to accurately prepare their own taxes.
Zero to Three informs, trains, and supports professionals, policymakers, and parents in their efforts to improve the health and development of babies and toddlers.
HealthySteps is an evidence-based, interdisciplinary pediatric primary care program that promotes the health, well-being, and school readiness of babies and toddlers, with an emphasis on families living in low-income communities. A two-year grant (2026–2027) supports HealthySteps in implementing its Epic Turbocharger Package at large healthcare sites in New York, Maryland, and California, enabling the collection of high-quality data to identify health disparities, tailor early interventions, and inform expansion across the HealthySteps network.
Another two-year grant (2026–2027) to support the State Strategies for Financing Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health and Diagnosis program. The project will provide technical assistance to 45 state leadership teams as they develop and implement financing policy plans. The program emphasizes a continuum of developmentally appropriate mental health support and services to strengthen systems of care for babies, young children, and their caregivers.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) provides legal assistance and engages in advocacy to protect civil liberties and constitutional protections. A grant to support the ACLU’s efforts to defend early childhood education and the rights of working parents, with a focus on opposing attempts to dismantle diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in federally funded education programs, including Head Start.
A grant to support the development and implementation of Every Child Ready, a program designed to increase access to high-quality preschool instructional materials for all children. This comprehensive model combines curriculum, professional development, and integrated data systems.
The Bipartisan Policy Center is a think tank that ensures policymakers work across party lines to craft bipartisan solutions. Our two-year grant (2024–2025) supports the Economic Policy Team at Bipartisan Policy Center conduct research and policy work in paid family leave and refundable child tax credits for working families and their children.
Blueprint Labs uses data and economics to uncover the consequences of policy decisions and improve society. Our two-year (2024–2025) grant to Blueprint Labs supports six research projects involving lottery-based preschool programs to assess the long-term impacts of preschool on student outcomes.
Capita is an independent think tank and community whose purpose is to build a future in which all children and families flourish. This grant supports phase two of the Stay-at-Home Parents Project, to conduct surveys and focus groups, and to advocate with elected officials and their staff concerning the vital role of stay-at-home parents in caring for America’s children.
A general operating support grant to the Center, which translates scientific research and serves as a non-partisan resource for policymakers, advocates, community leaders, and others whose work and decision-making are essential for supporting healthy child development.
A general operating support grant to the Chamber of Mothers, a collective movement uniting mothers as advocates for paid family leave, affordable child care, and maternal health. This grant will allow the Chamber of Mothers to respond to growing demand, ensure equitable expansion of its chapter network, and sustain bipartisan, grassroots organizing.
Child Care Aware of America works to ensure that all families have access to quality, affordable child care. With this two-year (2024–2025) grant, Child Care Aware of America will launch its Financing Child Care Initiative, creating an actionable path forward on how to achieve a long-term solution for financing child care in the U.S.
Our annual membership dues support this national collaborative of funders committed to improving the quality of and access to home-based child care.
Our two-year grant (2024–2025) supports the Thriving Providers Project to compensate family, friend, and neighbor caregivers serving a diverse population in New York City to understand the degree to which stabilizing the economic well-being of providers improves the availability and quality of care for young children.
An additional two-year general operating support grant (2025–2026) to Home Grown, a national collaborative of funders, caregivers, and providers working together to advance home-based child care as a quality option for children and families.
Mathematica uses data science, social science, and technology to improve public well-being. This grant supports research to evaluate the impacts of Washington, DC’s Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund, an initiative to supplement child care and early educators’ wages and achieve pay parity with public school teachers.
PlayReadVIP National Center supports parents by utilizing play and reading to enhance early relational health, and by using video feedback as a tool for parents and caregivers by reinforcing their strengths. This two-year (2024–2025) grant supports the National Center in creating a financially sustainable business model based on direct billing and reimbursement that will lead to additional program sites.
The Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health conducts research and organizes convenings to close gaps in maternal mental health care.
A two-year grant (2024–2025) that supports ‘Improving Maternal Mental Health by Embedding Community Health Workers in Obstetric Settings,’ a pilot project to study the potential benefits and challenges of integrating community health workers in obstetric clinics with a high percentage of Medi-Cal patients.
A second grant (2025) supports the Maternity and Postpartum Care Payment Reform Expert Workgroup, which will convene 8-12 leading maternity care financing experts to publish and disseminate a report on the maternity care reimbursement reform. The report will provide insight into alternative payment strategies to improve maternal health outcomes.
The Stanford University Center on Early Childhood promotes child development, assures equity, and increases the omnidirectional flow of information in the early childhood sector. Our two-year grant (2024–2025) supports the Stanford University Center on Early Childhood in the development, pilot testing, and evaluation of FIND-PD. FIND-PD is an online, self-paced, multi-level training series for early childhood educators. The training series builds on caregivers’ existing capabilities and offers practical strategies to enhance positive interactions, build child skills, and reduce challenging child behavior. The Center has developed a 24-month plan to expand the program.
A two-year grant (2024–2025) for the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health-Financing Policy Project, providing technical assistance to state leadership teams to develop and implement financing policy plans that support the healthy development of very young children. Technical assistance will include collaborative learning, resource development, and expert consultation.
Our Grantees: View an alphabetical list of all grantees.