ReadyNation
ReadyNation is a nonprofit advocacy network of approximately 3,000 business executives across nearly every U.S. state, producing original economic research on the child care crisis and mobilizing business leaders to advocate for early childhood investment as workforce development policy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ReadyNation does
ReadyNation is a nonprofit advocacy network of approximately 3,000 business executives that promotes early childhood education and child care as workforce development policy. Founded in the 2000s as one of five constituency networks within Council for a Strong America (CSA, founded 1996), ReadyNation operates in nearly every U.S. state and runs dedicated state offices in Illinois, Maine, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Its core activity is original economic research and policy advocacy: ReadyNation produced the widely cited $122 billion annual cost estimate of the infant-toddler child care crisis and accompanying state-specific analyses (Washington $5B, Pennsylvania $2.4–$6.65B, Ohio $3.85B, Illinois ~$5B, Arizona $4.7B, Colorado $2.7B, Mississippi $659M, Maryland $2.2B), connecting child care shortages to employer productivity losses, labor force participation, and economic competitiveness. Adjacent research outputs span juvenile justice policy, rural early childhood investment, and ECE workforce analysis.
ReadyNation does not sell products or services; its operating model relies on foundation grants and member-driven advocacy. Distribution is via research reports and publications, state-level legislative events and briefings, earned media and opinion editorials, and coalition partnerships with state chambers of commerce and civic organizations. Network members—including leaders such as the CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop—publish op-eds and participate in legislative advocacy days to elevate child care as a business and economic issue.
On July 31, 2024, the parent organization Council for a Strong America announced it would dissolve as a national nonprofit on September 30, 2024, citing ongoing fundraising challenges and the loss of long-time foundation partners. Following dissolution, the Institute for Child Success (ICS) assumed ownership of CSA's mission-related intellectual property and databases, and ReadyNation continues nationally through a partnership with the National Collaborative for Infants and Toddlers while state-level work proceeds in six states under a federated, advisory-board-governed model licensed by ICS. ReadyNation is a private, nonprofit entity with no venture funding, no commercial revenue, and no public financials.
ReadyNation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ReadyNation
- Legal name
- Council for a Strong America
- Website
- https://strongnation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- ReadyNation is a nonprofit advocacy network of approximately 3,000 business executives across nearly every U.S. state, producing original economic research on the child care crisis and mobilizing business leaders to advocate for early childhood investment as workforce development policy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ReadyNation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Early Childhood Education Advocacy
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (62411)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)
Keywords
Where ReadyNation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
ReadyNation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
ReadyNation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ReadyNation is a nonprofit advocacy network of more than 3,000 business executives that promotes early childhood education and child care investment as a workforce development and economic competitiveness strategy. The organization produces economic research quantifying the cost of child care shortages to U.S. employers and mobilizes executives to advocate before state and federal policymakers for public investment in early childhood programs.
Product overview
ReadyNation is an advocacy network of business executives focused on workforce development through early childhood education and child care policy. The organization produces economic impact research reports quantifying the costs of child care shortages, publishes state-specific analyses of infant-toddler child care crises, and releases policy briefs on juvenile justice and early learning programs. ReadyNation's work is primarily advocacy-focused, using research reports and policy recommendations rather than a software product or technology platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ReadyNation CEO Task Force on Early Childhood
Quantifiable outcome
- Annual economic cost of insufficient child care: $122 billion nationally
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use ReadyNation
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ReadyNation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ReadyNation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Institute for Child Success (ICS)coreICS took ownership of CSA's mission-related intellectual property and databases. ICS has the power to license the use of materials associated with ReadyNation, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, and Mission: Readiness to like-minded nonprofits willing to join the federated network.
- National Collaborative for Infants and ToddlerscoreThe work of former ReadyNation staff allows ReadyNation to remain active nationally by partnering with the National Collaborative for Infants and Toddlers to continue advocacy and research efforts.
- State Allies (Illinois, Maine, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington)coreState-level work continues through a federated network with support from state allies in Illinois, Maine, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Washington. State staff and consultants continue operations under advisory board oversight.
- Portland Regional Chamber of CommerceminorCEO Quincy Hentzel of Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce participated in ReadyNation Maine events, supporting early childhood advocacy efforts and workforce development initiatives.
- Maine State Chamber of CommerceminorReadyNation member Dana Connors, President and CEO of Maine State Chamber of Commerce, leads business leader panels and advocates for child care as workforce challenge.
- Louisiana Association of Business and IndustryminorSponsored ReadyNation's Early Ed Month Business Breakfast Briefing alongside Louisiana Policy Institute for Children to highlight importance of early care and education.
- Louisiana Policy Institute for ChildrenminorCreated Early Ed Month bringing legislators and business leaders together to highlight early care and education. Co-sponsored business breakfast briefing with ReadyNation member Jack McBride as keynote speaker.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
ReadyNation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Zero to Three: Established national nonprofit focused on infant and toddler wellbeing through policy, research, and training. Overlaps with ReadyNation's infant-toddler focus but operates a broader portfolio including direct professional development and parent-facing programs.
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): Largest professional membership association for early childhood educators, also engaging in federal advocacy. Broader scope than ReadyNation (covers birth through age 8 with credentialing and accreditation services) but comparable on policy advocacy for ECE funding.
- Bipartisan Policy Center: Washington-based think tank with a dedicated Early Childhood Initiative that produces policy research and convenes cross-sector stakeholders. Comparable to ReadyNation in policy research approach and DC-based engagement, though broader across multiple issue areas.
- National Women's Law Center: National legal and policy organization with a significant child care and early learning portfolio. Comparable to ReadyNation on federal and state advocacy for child care affordability and workforce impacts, though embedded in a broader women's economic security agenda.
Direct peers
- Child Care Aware of America: National nonprofit that conducts child care research and advocates for child care policy and affordability. Directly comparable to ReadyNation on child care research outputs, policy advocacy, and engagement with employers and state policymakers.
- First Five Years Fund: Federal early childhood advocacy organization focused on bipartisan policy change for children 0-5. Directly comparable to ReadyNation in mission, policy-advocacy approach, and target audience of federal policymakers, with overlapping work on child care and early learning funding.
- National Collaborative for Infants and Toddlers: National organization focused on infants and toddlers through research, policy, and advocacy. Directly comparable to ReadyNation and currently serves as its national operational partner following CSA's dissolution.
Others
- Center for American Progress: Public policy research and advocacy organization with substantial early childhood and child care policy work. Comparable on policy research production and federal advocacy, though it operates across the full progressive policy agenda.
- Urban Institute: Nonprofit research organization producing economic and social policy research including child care and early childhood economics. Comparable to ReadyNation on rigorous economic impact research and state-level data analysis, though positioned as a research vendor rather than an advocacy network.
Emerging players
- Institute for Child Success: Research and policy organization focused on early childhood and family wellbeing. Holds the intellectual property of CSA and has licensing authority over the ReadyNation brand, making it both a peer and an institutional successor for the network.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ReadyNation social profiles
Digital presenceReadyNation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ReadyNation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
ReadyNation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ReadyNation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ReadyNation
What does ReadyNation do?
ReadyNation is a nonprofit advocacy network of more than 3,000 business executives that promotes early childhood education and child care investment as a workforce development and economic competitiveness strategy. The organization produces economic research quantifying the cost of child care shortages to U.S. employers and mobilizes executives to advocate before state and federal policymakers for public investment in early childhood programs.
Is ReadyNation a public or private company?
ReadyNation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ReadyNation founded?
ReadyNation was founded in 1996.
Where is ReadyNation based?
ReadyNation is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
Who are ReadyNation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Zero to Three, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Bipartisan Policy Center and National Women's Law Center. Direct peers are Child Care Aware of America, First Five Years Fund and National Collaborative for Infants and Toddlers. Others are Center for American Progress and Urban Institute. Institute for Child Success is listed as an emerging player.
Does ReadyNation have an API?
No public API is recorded for ReadyNation.
What industry is ReadyNation in?
ReadyNation's product category is Early Childhood Education Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAA, Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 8133 and its SIC code is 8200.