4C Council INFO CENTER - Advocacy Groups

Below is a list of several child care advocacy organizations dedicated to the well-being of children in California. For more organizations locally, as well as nationally, please review our Child Care Advocacy Resources list.

California Alliance of Information and Referral Services (CAIRS) CAIRS was established in 1979, and is the only statewide organization dedicated exclusively to serving the needs of professionals involved in the public access to human services.
California Alternative Payment Program Association (CAPPA) CAPPA is the premiere state association of organizations that provide child care subsidies to Cal WORKs and working poor families throughout California. Established in 1977, CAPPA is the lead voice for public and private nonprofit agencies who contract with the California Department of Education (CDE) to provide child care subsidies to families and to ensure children keep learning while parents are earning.
California Child Care Resource and Referral Network The California Child Care Resource and Referral Network (Network) is the oldest, most well-established system of child care Resource and Referral (R&R) agencies in the United States. The Network combines practical knowledge at the local level with extensive experience in working on state and national child care policy. The unparalleled public and private support for child care R&R services in California is acclaimed throughout the country.
California Child Development Administrators Association (CCDAA) CCDAA is an independent professional organization for administrators of publicly funded Child Development Programs. Our long standing record of advocating quality early education dates back to 1943. We are recognized as one of California's leading professional organizations.
Child Care Law Center The Child Care Law Center (CCLC) is a national nonprofit legal services organization that uses legal tools to make high quality, affordable child care available to every child, every family, and every community. We are the only organization in the country devoted exclusively to the complex legal issues that affect child care. Our diverse substantive work encompasses public benefits, civil rights, housing, economic development, family violence, regulation and licensing, and land use.
Children’s Defense Fund- National Advocacy for Children The mission of the Children's Defense Fund is to Leave No Child Behind and to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.
Connect for Kids Connect for Kids makes the best use of communications technologies, specifically the Internet, to give adults – parents, grandparents, guardians, educators, advocates, policymakers, elected officials and others – the tools and information they need to improve the lives of children, youth and families. The Connect for Kids online publication covers more than 30 topics ranging from arts to youth development, foster care to adoption, and welfare reform to oral health. We Sift, So You Don’t Have To Each week, CFK sifts through an enormous amount of information so we can point child advocates, educators, parents and others to the most up-to-date news, research and advocacy information. Join the CFK Weekly community by subscribing today, and view our latest edition online.
The Food Research and Action Center The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) is a leading national organization working to improve public policies to eradicate hunger and undernutrition in the United States. Founded in 1970 as a public interest law firm, FRAC is a nonprofit and nonpartisan research and public policy center that serves as the hub of an anti-hunger network of thousands of individuals and agencies across the country.
Latino Coalition for a Healthy California Since 1992, the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC) has been the leading voice on Latino health issues throughout the state. Our primary programs include community education, research and policy advocacy in the areas of access to health care, immigrant health, health care disparities and community health.
Local Early Education Planning Council of Santa Clara County The Santa Clara County Local Early Education Planning Council was formed in 1991 by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and the Santa Clara County Office of Education. The primary mission is to plan for child care and development services based on the needs of families and children in the local community.
National Association For Family Child Care The focus of NAFCC is to provide technical assistance to family child care associations. This assistance is provided through developing leadership and professionalism, addressing issues of diversity, and by promoting quality and professionalism through NAFCC's Family Child Care Accreditation.
National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) NACCRRA is the national network of more than 850 child care resource and referral centers (CCR&Rs) located in every state and most communities across the US. CCR&R centers help families, child care providers, and communities find, provide, and plan for affordable, quality child care.
National Council of La Raza (NCLR) The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax-exempt organization established in 1968 to reduce poverty and discrimination, and improve life opportunities for Hispanic Americans.
Parent Voices Parent Voices is a partnership of parents throughout California that is coordinated by the Network and hosted by Child Care Resource and Referral agencies throughout California. Essentially, Parent Voices works jointly to develop and organize leadership, advocacy and community people and resources in order to increase funding, improve quality and provide better access to child care.
Preschool California Preschool California is a broad-based, multi-year, non-partisan advocacy campaign to achieve voluntary preschool for all 4-year-olds in California. We bring together business leaders, K-12 educators, parents, labor, law enforcement, faith-based institutions, seniors, community leaders, early care and education providers, child advocates, women and others to work toward making quality preschool programs available for all of California's children.
RESULTS RESULTS is a nonprofit grassroots advocacy organization, committed to creating the political will to end hunger and the worst aspects of poverty. RESULTS is committed to individuals exercising their personal and political power by lobbying elected officials for effective solutions and key policies that affect hunger and poverty.
Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofit The Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofit is a membership organization open to all 501 c-3 nonprofits in Silicon Valley with an emphasis on Santa Clara County. We currently have 185 member agencies. Our mission is to magnify the influence and contribution of nonprofit businesses in Santa Clara County by working as a Nonprofit Chamber of Commerce — A Voice of Strength, building on values to influence public policy.
San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce The San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce began in 1886 as the Board of Trade, bringing together businesses to solve mutual problems and strengthen the local business climate.
The California Partnership The California Partnership is a statewide coalition of community based organizations that fights poverty in California. We work together for our common goals by organizing and advocating at the local, state and national levels for the programs and policies that reduce and end poverty.