Human Rights for Kids

What Human Rights for Kids does

Human Rights for Kids (HRFK) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2017 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., that advocates for the human rights of children within the U.S. criminal justice system. The organization's core focus areas include ending life-without-parole sentences for children, removing children from adult jails and prisons, eliminating solitary confinement for minors, establishing minimum age thresholds for prosecution, increasing the transfer age to adult court, and protecting child sex crime victims. HRFK does not operate a technology product or platform; its core methodology is the proprietary "Ripples of Hope" legislative strategy, which secures policy reform in one state per region to generate momentum for nationwide adoption.

The organization's product portfolio consists of policy advocacy services, original research publications (including the Childhood Trauma-to-Prison Pipeline report based on a survey of nearly 20,000 individuals, the Crimes Against Humanity report, and annual State Ratings Reports covering all 50 states and D.C.), strategic litigation via amicus briefs, coalition management, and donor engagement programs. Revenue is generated through individual donations, corporate partnerships via the Child Hero Initiative ($2,500/month tier), and foundation grants. GTM is sales-led in the sense of direct engagement with state and federal legislators, testimony before legislative committees, press conferences, and coalition advocacy, complemented by content marketing, earned media, social media, and a monthly newsletter distribution layer.

HRFK operates with a lean team of 1-10 employees led by founder and CEO James Dold, supported by specialized roles in advocacy, legal counsel, and research, plus a bipartisan board of 11 current and former state legislators. Customer segments are non-commercial (children in the criminal justice system, abused and traumatized children, immigrant children, and policymakers/advocates), making traditional revenue concentration analysis inapplicable.

Name

Human Rights for Kids

Legal name

Human Rights for Kids

Website

https://humanrightsforkids.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Human Rights for Kids is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017 that advocates for the human rights of children in the U.S. criminal justice system through original research, policy advocacy, strategic litigation, and the proprietary Ripples of Hope legislative strategy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Advocacy and Juvenile Justice Policy

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Rights & Protection (BPADAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB), Human Rights Monitoring, Documentation & Advocacy (BPADAGAK), Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid) (BPADADAH), Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG), Juvenile Justice System (Courts & Detention) (BPAIAFAF)

Keywords

• Children's rights advocacy
• Juvenile justice reform
• Child welfare policy
• Human rights nonprofit
• Criminal justice research

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Human Rights for Kids generates revenue through individual donations, corporate donations (such as the Child Hero Initiative), and likely foundation grants. The organization accepts monthly recurring donations as well as one-time contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Human Rights for Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization that promotes and protects children's human rights in the U.S. criminal justice system through policy research, legislative advocacy, coalition building, grassroots mobilization, and strategic litigation. It produces original research reports (e.g., National State Ratings Reports, Childhood Trauma-to-Prison Pipeline, Crimes Against Humanity), drafts and helps pass child rights legislation at the state and federal level, and submits amicus briefs in U.S. Supreme Court and state supreme court cases.

Product overview

Human Rights for Kids operates as a non-profit advocacy organization rather than a product-based company. The organization offers a portfolio of research publications (State Ratings Reports, ACEs Reports, Crimes Against Humanity Report), advocacy services (legislative lobbying, strategic litigation, amicus briefs), policy campaigns, and engagement programs (newsletter, Child Hero donor initiative). The Ripples of Hope methodology serves as the overarching programmatic framework. These offerings work together to advance the organization's mission of protecting children's human rights in the U.S. criminal justice system through research, policy advocacy, coalition building, and strategic litigation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National State Ratings Reports

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, supporting and minor.

• Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CFSY supporting federal child sentencing reform legislation including H.R. 2858 (Sara's Law & Unfair Sentencing of Minors Act) and joint advocacy for legislation to end extreme sentences for children
• National Juvenile Justice NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner supporting comprehensive federal child justice reform bills including H.R. 2908 (Childhood Offenders Rehabilitation & Safety Act)
• Human Rights WatchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner advocating for federal legislation to protect children's rights in the criminal justice system
• Coalition for Juvenile JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner supporting child sentencing reform legislation at the federal level
• Anti-Recidivism CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in federal advocacy effort for comprehensive child justice reform
• First Focus Campaign for ChildrenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner advocating for children's issues in federal policy reform
• Rights4GirlsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner focused on protecting girls from exploitation and supporting policy reforms
• National Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in comprehensive federal advocacy for child justice reform
• The Just TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting the Crimes Against Humanity report and broader child justice reform efforts
• Justice Action NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting criminal justice reform advocacy and policy efforts
• Grantmakers for Girls of ColorsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunder collaborative supporting the organization's work on behalf of girls of color affected by the justice system
• PolsinellisupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw firm partner contributing to the Crimes Against Humanity report and related advocacy efforts
• HerblocksupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner organization supporting the Crimes Against Humanity report and advocacy efforts
• Richard Ross / Juvenile In-JusticesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhotographer and advocate who provided imagery and testimonials for the Crimes Against Humanity report documenting conditions for children in adult facilities
• Eversheds SutherlandsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw firm partner in filing amicus brief in U.S. Supreme Court case Counterman v. Colorado
• Ford Friedman Law FirmminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate Child Hero partner providing monthly donations and support for the organization
• Perkins CoieminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational law firm Corporate Child Hero partner supporting the organization through monthly contributions

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rights4Girls: National human rights organization focused on protecting girls from exploitation and supporting policy reforms. HRFK explicitly partners with Rights4Girls on coalition advocacy, with comparable mission scope around girls in the justice system.
• National Center for Youth Law: National nonprofit using legal advocacy to improve systems serving children in poverty, foster care, juvenile justice, and immigration. Comparable in its focus on children's rights legal advocacy and policy reform.
• Campaign for Fair Sentencing of Youth: Direct peer focused on ending extreme sentences for children prosecuted as adults. HRFK explicitly partners with CFSY on federal legislation including Sara's Law, and both organizations share overlapping leadership (James Dold previously served as Advocacy Director at CFSY).
• Juvenile Law Center: National nonprofit using legal advocacy, policy reform, and litigation to advance children's rights in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. Directly comparable in mission and methodology to HRFK's legal advocacy and amicus brief work.
• National Juvenile Justice Network: Coalition of state-based juvenile justice reform organizations. HRFK is a coalition partner on federal child justice reform bills including H.R. 2908, and both organizations work to advance state-level juvenile justice policy reforms.
• Anti-Recidivism Coalition: Coalition of formerly incarcerated individuals advocating for criminal justice reform. HRFK is a coalition partner in federal advocacy for comprehensive child justice reform, with comparable focus on juvenile justice reform.
• Coalition for Juvenile Justice: National coalition advocating for juvenile justice reform at federal and state levels. HRFK is a coalition partner supporting child sentencing reform legislation, with overlapping mission and federal advocacy strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Human Rights Watch (Children's Rights Division): Large international human rights organization with a dedicated Children's Rights Division. HRFK explicitly partners with HRW on federal advocacy, and both produce investigative research and amicus briefs on children's rights in the justice system.
• First Focus Campaign for Children: Children's advocacy organization working on a broad portfolio of federal policy issues affecting children. HRFK is a coalition partner advocating for children's issues in federal policy reform, with overlapping federal advocacy priorities.

Emerging players

• Justice Action Network: Bipartisan criminal justice reform advocacy organization. HRFK explicitly partners with JAN on criminal justice reform advocacy and policy efforts, with overlapping but broader (adult and juvenile) criminal justice focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HRFK_ORG
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCHd1Cd_XSD703rZGEbh3gVg
• Facebookfacebook.com/humanrightsforkids
• Instagraminstagram.com/hrfk_org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Human Rights for Kids