This executive summary describes the research that was conducted based on the following question: "How could a philanthropic investment of $1 billion dramatically increase upward social mobility for low-income individuals and families?" The intent of the research was to create a series of roadmaps that illustrate how investments of $1…

In partnership with the John M. Belk Endowment, MDC has researched and written the report, "North Carolina's Economic Imperative: Building an Infrastructure of Opportunity," part of our work with the endowment to study, address, and propose solutions for the low mobility rate of too many North Carolinians. The report examines patterns of…

This paper examines the U.S. social insurance system, which we define broadly to include both programs supported by dedicated taxes and other federal programs that provide income support, assistance in meeting basic needs, or services to improve economic opportunity. The paper considers the social insurance system as a whole as well as its…

With the goal of motivating a broader swath of philanthropists to make well-informed, actionable "big bets" to catalyze social change, The Bridgespan Group launched an ambitious research project in partnership with Bridgespan Fellow Jim Shelton. The intent: determine how private donors can best invest to increase upward social mobility…

This work is part of a larger set of conversations on how philanthropic capital can better deliver potent results. This paper is intended for philanthropists and foundation staff who are interested in understanding not only which issues and interventions might put many more low-income people on an upward trajectory, but also how private donors can…

This year's KIDS COUNT report delves into disparities in child well-being based on race and ethnicity in an effort to shine a light on issues where Colorado can and must do better at creating equitable opportunities for children. The disparities seen in many areas of child well-being did not just happen by coincidence; nor are they the result of…

Designed to stimulate the economy and employment, the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009" (ARRA), commonly referred to as the stimulus package or plan, is a crucial step in a massive effort to create and save 3 to 4 million jobs, jump-start the U.S. economy and begin the process of transforming the economy for the 21st…

This paper presents an overview of the Head Start program. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act), $1 billion will be provided to the Office of Head Start to promote the school readiness of low-income children, including children on federally-recognized reservations and children of migratory farm workers, by enhancing…

For the past 21 years, the KIDS COUNT project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation has tracked the well-being of children at the national, state, and local levels. Over the years, the foundation's work has documented both great progress in child well-being and periodic setbacks. The 10 key indicators tracked in the KIDS COUNT Data Book over the past…

In 2007, nearly one in five or 18 percent of children in the U.S. lived in poverty (KIDS COUNT Data Center, 2009). Many of these children come from minority backgrounds. African American (35 percent), American Indian (33 percent) and Latino (27 percent) children are more likely to live in poverty than their white (11 percent) and Asian (12…

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was signed into law by President Obama on Tuesday, February 17, 2009. It is the broadest and largest funding package in American history. The intent of the statute is to stimulate the economy both through direct spending on a range of programs and to create tax relief. The package makes investments…

This paper exploits a new source of variation in Head Start funding to identify the program's effects on health and schooling. In 1965 the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) provided technical assistance to the 300 poorest counties in the U.S. to develop Head Start funding proposals. The result was a large and lasting discontinuity in Head Start…