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| Illinois Action for Children | |
|---|---|
| Name | Illinois Action for Children |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Type | Nonprofit organization |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois |
| Area served | Illinois |
| Mission | Support early childhood providers and families |
Illinois Action for Children
Illinois Action for Children is a nonprofit organization based in Chicago that provides supports for early childhood providers, caregivers, and families across Illinois. It operates programs that include training, accreditation, quality improvement, and family supports, and it engages in advocacy on early childhood finance and regulation. The organization interacts with a network of public agencies, philanthropic institutions, and community providers to influence early care and early learning systems.
The organization emerged in the mid-1970s amid debates following the expansion of Head Start and the passage of federal initiatives such as the Family Support Act and state-level reforms in Illinois like the establishment of the Illinois Department of Human Services. During the 1980s and 1990s it expanded services in response to federal changes under administrations including Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton, and state budget reorganizations associated with governors such as James R. Thompson and Jim Edgar. The group developed partnerships with national networks including National Association for the Education of Young Children and funders like the MacArthur Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. In the 2000s it adapted to policy shifts influenced by legislation like the No Child Left Behind Act and initiatives tied to governors Rod Blagojevich and Pat Quinn, while aligning with statewide efforts led by agencies such as the Illinois State Board of Education and coalitions including Child Care Aware of America.
Illinois Action for Children offers professional development linked to quality frameworks used by Quality Rating and Improvement System models and technical assistance related to Child Care and Development Fund administration. Services include coaching for family child care providers and center directors, assistance with licensure processes overseen by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, and enrollment support for families seeking child care subsidies administered through county agencies like Cook County offices. The organization implements measurement tools similar to the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale and partners with higher education institutions such as University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Loyola University Chicago for workforce training. It also operates parent engagement programs drawing on curricula found in initiatives like Parents as Teachers and collaborates with public health entities including Chicago Department of Public Health.
The organization advocates on budgets and regulations affecting programs funded through the Child Care and Development Block Grant and state appropriations debated in the Illinois General Assembly. It provides testimony before legislative committees and works with coalitions that include Voices for Illinois Children, Advocates for Youth, and national groups such as First Five Years Fund to influence policy under administrations and leaders like Barack Obama at the federal level and Illinois governors. Policy priorities have targeted workforce compensation, subsidy eligibility rules tied to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and quality improvement incentives connected to the Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge grant competitions. The organization publishes policy briefs and participates in stakeholder processes involving the Child Welfare League of America and state-level advisory councils.
The nonprofit operates with a board of directors representing sectors such as philanthropy, academia, and community organizations; historically boards have included leaders with affiliations to institutions like United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, McCormick Foundation, and regional hospitals such as Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Executive leadership typically collaborates with program directors, policy staff, and regional coordinators serving areas including Peoria, Illinois, Rockford, Illinois, and Springfield, Illinois. Staffing models reflect grant-funded program teams alongside administrative units engaged with funders such as the Skylight Foundation and city-level partners including City of Chicago departments.
Funding sources encompass federal grants from Administration for Children and Families, state contracts with Illinois agencies, philanthropic grants from entities like the Robert R. McCormick Foundation and the Joyce Foundation, and fee-for-service revenue from professional development contracts with school districts such as Chicago Public Schools. The organization partners with nonprofits such as Greater Chicago Food Depository for family supports, collaborates with university research centers including the Erikson Institute, and participates in consortia with national intermediaries like ChildCare.gov stakeholders and Early Learning Coalition networks. Corporate partners and local community foundations also contribute through grantmaking and in-kind supports.
Illinois Action for Children has been recognized in state-level evaluations and by national intermediaries for contributions to quality improvement and provider capacity-building across Illinois regions including the Metro Chicago area. Its program outcomes have been cited in reports produced by research organizations such as the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute that examine early childhood workforce issues and subsidy systems. The organization has received awards and acknowledgments from local philanthropic bodies and has served as a model for peer organizations within networks like Child Care Aware of America and statewide initiatives coordinated by the Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation.
Category:Non-profit organizations based in Chicago Category:Early childhood education in the United States