Who We Are
We are a group of nongovernmental organizations with a shared mission: to improve children’s and youth’s lives around the world by investing in and prioritizing their critical needs. We work collaboratively to support a holistic, common-sense approach to U.S. foreign assistance for all young people.
The Children’s Policy and Funding Initiative is a collective effort to elevate critical issues affecting young people globally and to influence the U.S. government to treat these issues as a top priority in U.S. diplomacy, funding and foreign assistance. Part of the Initiative includes a Youth Alliance Working Group comprised of passionate young people with critical insight on the issues impacting them. The Initiative is a pooled funding project housed at Tides Center and made possible through generous funding provided by several leading foundations.
Disability Rights International (DRI) is one of the few organizations of people with disabilities dedicated specifically to protecting children with disabilities and promoting their full inclusion in families and society. DRI is partnering with the United States International Council on Disabilities to draft a new Global Disability Rights and Family Inclusion for Children with Disabilities Act.
For more than 30 years, Futures Without Violence has been providing groundbreaking programs, policies, and campaigns that empower individuals and organizations working to end violence against women and children around the world. Striving to reach new audiences and transform social norms, we train professionals such as doctors, nurses, judges, and athletic coaches on improving responses to violence and abuse. We also work with advocates, policy makers, and others to build sustainable community leadership and educate people everywhere about the importance of respect and healthy relationships. Our vision is a future without violence that provides education, safety, justice, and hope.
InterAction is the largest alliance of international NGOs and partners in the United States. InterAction works to unite and mobilize organizations working on a range of issue areas affecting children and youth globally by facilitating cross-sectoral coordination and information sharing.
Plan International USA is a global girls’ rights organization. We fight for gender equality by partnering with young leaders to achieve their goals through access to quality healthcare, education, humanitarian action and work force preparation.
The Thrive Coalition is a community of nearly 50 independent organizations and individuals dedicated to optimizing U.S. support for global early childhood development. The grant awarded to the Thrive Coalition supports time-sensitive projects that can influence the robust implementation of the Global Child Thrive Act of 2020.
UNICEF USA (UUSA) is committed to helping children around the world thrive so that every child has an equitable chance in life. UUSA is working to develop and advocate for policy reforms that benefit children and adolescents, with a special focus on mental health and protection from violence and abuse.
ChildFund is working toward a world where children are free to realize their rights and potential by connecting children with what they need to grow up healthy, educated, skilled and safe. ChildFund is helping to lead the design, coordination and implementation of a shared strategy to ensure the U.S. government is making children and youth a top priority in international development and diplomacy efforts.
First Focus on Children is a bipartisan advocacy organization dedicated to making children and families the priority in federal policy and budget decisions. First Focus on Children seeks to promote a multi-sectoral, domestic and international approach to elevate whole child development within the U.S. government and to establish a clear and full accounting of all federal spending for children and youth globally.
The Global Campaign for Education-US (GCE-US) believes education is a basic human right. The coalition of international, national and community-based organizations, teachers’ unions, faith-based groups and advocates is collaborating with USAID’s Center for Education to influence the U.S government and Congress to commit, expand and fund children’s, girls’ and adolescents’ education globally.
The mission of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future. Our vision is to empower those caught in crisis through high-impact programs and the sharing of our ideas.
Search for Common Ground elevates the voices of youth from conflict zones around the world, putting young people in the driver’s seat of advocacy for issues that affect them directly. As co-chairs of the U.S. Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS), Search for Common Ground has supported youth fellows’ efforts to mainstream and integrate YPS policy frameworks into U.S. foreign policy.
Together for Girls is a global partnership working to end sexual violence against children and adolescents. Through data and advocacy, Together for Girls drives action to break cycles of violence and ensure prevention, healing, and justice. The Together for Girls partnership includes U.S. government and UN entities working with national governments around the world to conduct Violence Against Children & Youth Surveys (VACS) to inform national policy and drive action. Together for Girls works in partnership to influence the U.S. government and Congress to prioritize preventing and ending violence against children and adolescents, particularly sexual violence, through U.S. foreign policy and foreign assistance, including critical investments in the VACS and evidence-based interventions.
World Vision is a global Christian humanitarian organization that works in nearly 100 countries, addressing causes of poverty and injustice through relationship-building and service to children and families, regardless of their faith. World Vision is partnering with other organizations to call for structural reforms that prioritize and fund issues impacting children, girls and adolescents globally.