Overview

As communities across California respond to the compounding effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, an economic recession, and continuing racial injustice––all of which disproportionately affect Black, Indigenous, and People of Color––it is critical to build the influence and power of families to lead their children’s learning, and influence systems and policy change.

Our Goal

The Families Lead California initiative has two goals: to support community-based organizations that strengthen the pipeline of diverse parent leaders, and to build their power to influence system and policy changes that reflect the priorities of families with children ages 0-8. This initiative recognizes that parents know what their children need to thrive, and it is through their leadership that systems will become accountable and responsive to diverse families.

Priority Areas

Through this initiative, a cohort of community-based family engagement and leadership organizations will have opportunities to:

  • Receive flexible funding over a period of three years;
  • Strengthen organizational effectiveness and sustainability;
  • Co-create a network based on expanded parent voice and leadership; and,
  • Share and design strategies to support family leadership in their homes and communities, and to build parents’ power to participate in creating systemic and policy change.

Cohort

The Families Lead California initiative cohort is comprised of the following organizations:

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