Partnership for America’s Economic Success

Partnership for America’s Economic Success
Name	Partnership for America’s Economic Success
Formation	2005
Type	Nonprofit advocacy organization
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Leader title	President
Leader name	Lynn Morgenthau

Partnership for America’s Economic Success

Partnership for America’s Economic Success is an American nonprofit advocacy organization focused on promoting public policies that support early childhood development, child care, and family supports. The organization engages with legislators, think tanks, philanthropic foundations, and service providers to influence legislation and public funding at federal and state levels. It operates alongside a range of trade associations, advocacy coalitions, and policy research institutes active in Washington, D.C., and across the United States.

History

Founded in 2005, the organization emerged amid policy debates following the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act and contemporaneous discussions around the Affordable Care Act and family policy reform. Its early activities intersected with advocacy by groups such as the AARP, American Enterprise Institute, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Brookings Institution, and Urban Institute on issues impacting children and families. The Partnership has participated in coalitions that engaged Congress during votes on the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act, budget appropriations, and tax legislation such as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and proposals to expand the Child Tax Credit. Leadership transitions connected the group with networks that include former staff from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the House Ways and Means Committee, and the Senate Finance Committee.

Mission and Activities

The organization articulates a mission to advance public investments that improve outcomes for young children and working families, operating at the intersection of policy advocacy, public education, and stakeholder convening. It routinely briefs members of the United States Congress, staff from the Office of Management and Budget, analysts at the Congressional Budget Office, and staff at agencies such as the Administration for Children and Families. Partnership staff collaborate with advocacy partners including National Governors Association, National Conference of State Legislatures, Zero to Three, Child Care Aware of America, and philanthropic actors like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Annie E. Casey Foundation to shape policy priorities and implementation strategies.

Policy Positions and Advocacy

The Partnership advances positions on public investments, tax policy, workforce supports, and regulatory frameworks that affect early childhood services and family economic security. It has submitted policy recommendations aligned with proposals championed by members of both major parties, engaging with lawmakers from the House of Representatives, the Senate, and relevant committees such as House Committee on Education and the Workforce and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The organization has advocated for changes to federal funding formulas for programs such as the Child Care and Development Block Grant and has supported expansions of credits resembling the Earned Income Tax Credit and enhancements to child-focused tax policy like the Child Tax Credit. It also interacts with national advocacy organizations including United Way Worldwide, Children's Defense Fund, First Five Years Fund, National Women's Law Center, and policy research groups at the Heritage Foundation and Center for American Progress.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs emphasize communication campaigns, policy briefings, and technical assistance for state and local policymakers, including training for grantees, convenings that bring together officials from the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, and state agencies, and partnerships with service providers such as Head Start delegate agencies. Initiatives have included coalition-building efforts around federal appropriations in conjunction with groups like the Committee for Economic Development and targeted advocacy during major legislative moments such as budget reconciliation processes and appropriations cycles. The Partnership also produces research summaries and testimony for hearings before panels including the House Budget Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Funding and Governance

The organization is funded through a mix of philanthropic grants, contributions from corporate partners, and donations from individuals, with grantmaking partners historically including national foundations and charitable trusts. Its governance structure features a board of directors comprising leaders from advocacy organizations, philanthropic institutions, and former public officials, and staff with backgrounds in policy analysis, public affairs, and nonprofit management drawn from institutions like the Kaiser Family Foundation, Ford Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and university-affiliated policy centers. Compliance and lobbying disclosures are filed in accordance with requirements overseen by the Federal Election Commission and federal reporting mechanisms relevant to nonprofit organizations.

Impact and Reception

Observers credit the Partnership with contributing to coalition strategies that helped shape debates over early childhood funding, child care access, and tax policy affecting families, alongside other actors such as National Association for the Education of Young Children and Economic Policy Institute. Critics from some advocacy and policy circles argue that priorities reflecting incremental funding or market-based approaches align with agendas promoted by certain corporate funders and think tanks like the Heritage Foundation or American Enterprise Institute. Supporters point to instances of bipartisan engagement, collaborations with state agencies and philanthropic stakeholders, and participation in testimony before congressional committees as indicators of policy influence comparable to coalitions organized by First Five Years Fund and Zero to Three.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C.