What Kids Forward does

Kids Forward is a 501(c)(3) statewide antiracist policy center headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, founded in 1881 (originally as the Wisconsin Conference on Charities and Corrections) and operating under its current name since approximately 2018 following prior identities as Wisconsin Council on Children and Families and Wisconsin Budget Project. The organization employs 17 staff and conducts policy research, community-informed analysis, and advocacy on issues affecting children and families of color in Wisconsin — including budget and taxes, worker power, health care access, child care affordability, nutrition security, youth justice, and immigration. Its core offerings include the Race to Equity initiative (baseline 2013 and 10-year report), the Reimagine Wisconsin multi-year campaign, the Parent/Caregiver Equity Advisory Cabinet housed at the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, policy publications available in English, Spanish, and Hmong, and convening roles in multiple coalitions (Healthy Early, Raise the Age Wisconsin, Wisconsin Debt Free Justice Coalition, Lake Michigan School Food Systems Innovation Hub).

Kids Forward does not develop proprietary technology products; its "platform" is a research-and-advocacy workflow combining quantitative data analysis (e.g., Silver Lynx Consulting on the Race to Equity 10-Year Report) with qualitative community input and coalition-based organizing. The organization distributes its work through email, social media (Facebook, X, Instagram), publications, webinars, in-person events (e.g., the 2026 Candidate Forum for Wisconsin Governor), earned media, and multimedia storytelling — but has no API, SDK, or software product. It does not charge for services.

The business model is a nonprofit donation-and-grant model. Revenue is generated from tax-deductible individual donations, foundation grants (Annie E. Casey Foundation is named as a funder of Race to Equity work), membership-style recurring giving through Partners in Equity, and coalition/program funding including a partnership with USDA and the Illinois Public Health Institute on the Lake Michigan School Food Systems Innovation Hub. No venture, private equity, or external institutional investment is involved. The customer base is not transactional; the organization serves Wisconsin children, families, and communities — particularly those furthest from opportunity — while its funder base spans individual donors, foundations, and government partners.

Name

Kids Forward

Legal name

Kids Forward

Website

https://kidsforward.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1881

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kids Forward is a 501(c)(3) statewide antiracist policy center in Madison, Wisconsin, founded in 1881, that conducts research, coalition-building, and advocacy on behalf of Wisconsin children and families of color across health, child care, worker, nutrition, and youth-justice issues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Social Advocacy Organizations (81331), Child and Youth Services (62411)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood & Child Development Policy Research (EDADADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Child Rights & Protection (BPADAGAG), Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)

Keywords

• Policy advocacy
• Child welfare
• Racial equity
• Community organizing
• Public health policy

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Kids Forward is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that funds its operations through tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations, foundation grants, and membership programs such as Partners in Equity. The organization also receives funding through coalitions and partnerships for specific initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Kids Forward is a statewide antiracist policy center that produces data-driven research, policy briefs, and advocacy toolkits and runs multi-year advocacy campaigns (such as Race to Equity and Reimagine Wisconsin) on issues affecting Wisconsin children and families of color. The organization convenes coalitions and advisory bodies, engages state legislators and community members, and publishes reports and multimedia content to advance policy change in child care, health care, worker rights, immigration, nutrition, and youth justice.

Product overview

Kids Forward is a statewide antiracist policy center that offers a portfolio of advocacy programs, publications, and community engagement initiatives rather than a traditional software product. The organization's core offerings include the Race to Equity Initiative with baseline and 10-year reports on racial disparities; the Reimagine Wisconsin multi-year campaign with three pillars (Care That Works, Work That Pays, Communities That Care); policy research publications and briefs; the Standing up for Racial Justice advocacy guide available in three languages; and various coalitions including Healthy Early, Opportunity Youth Initiative, Wisconsin Debt Free Justice Coalition, and Raise the Age Wisconsin. The organization also operates the Partners in Equity monthly giving program and the Parent/Caregiver Equity Advisory Cabinet. Kids Forward does not offer a software platform, API, or technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Publications and Policy Research Data-driven analysis, research reports, and policy briefs covering topics including budget and taxes, health care, early education, immigration, nutrition, and youth justice in Wisconsin, intended for policymakers, advocates, media, and community members.
• Race to Equity Initiative A Kids Forward initiative examining racial disparities in Dane County, Wisconsin across economic well-being, education, and health, with baseline and 10-year reports documenting progress and persistent inequities for community members, policymakers, and funders.
• Standing up for Racial Justice: A Starter Guide on Policy & Advocacy in Wisconsin A comprehensive guide providing historical context on policy and race, a Wisconsin government overview, the legislative process, a policy advocacy toolkit, and voting information, available in English, Spanish, and Hmong for Wisconsin residents and advocates.
• Opportunity Youth Initiative (OYI) Kids Forward initiative advocating for positive, equitable outcomes for young people across Wisconsin, providing capacity-building opportunities through listening sessions, advocacy coaching, and action.
• Partners in Equity A monthly giving and membership program for supporters committed to long-term investments in structural change to support children and families of color in Wisconsin.
• Child Care Champions Multimedia Series A multimedia video and story collection featuring parents, caregivers, and early childhood educators sharing their experiences with child care in Wisconsin, supporting Kids Forward's child care advocacy.
• DACA Recipients in Wisconsin Primer A policy primer on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and its impact on immigrant children and families in Wisconsin, intended for policymakers, advocates, and immigrant community members.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully advocated for postpartum Medicaid extension bill signed into law (Wisconsin Act 102)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 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 and minor.

• Worker Justice WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to build worker power across Wisconsin by upholding worker dignity, improving state and local policies, developing anti-racist agendas, and hosting educational events with data resources.
• Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Workers UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on building worker power across Wisconsin through collective action and policy advocacy for workers' rights.
• High Road Strategy CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop and implement high road economic strategies benefiting workers and communities across Wisconsin.
• Multicultural Community, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for immigrant rights events and community engagement activities in Wisconsin, including Los Derechos de Inmigrantes en Wisconsin events.
• USDAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through the Lake Michigan School Food Systems Innovation Hub to strengthen K-12 food supply chains by funding collaborations with farmers, food suppliers, and food service directors.
• Illinois Public Health InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-lead on the Lake Michigan School Food Systems Innovation Hub project to improve school nutrition and food system innovation.
• Raise the Age Wisconsin CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition advocacy to raise the age at which youth are treated as adults from 17 to 18, keeping young people in the juvenile justice system where they can receive appropriate support.
• Wisconsin Debt Free Justice CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition working to eliminate fines and fees that burden justice-involved youth and their families, preventing cycles of poverty and incarceration. Members include ACLU of Wisconsin, National Center for Youth Law, Juvenile Law Center, and Kids Forward.
• Healthy EarlycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide cross-sector partnership working to create equitable opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity for Wisconsin kids and families. Kids Forward serves as the convener.
• Silver Lynx ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting partner that co-authored the Race to Equity 10-Year Report and led quantitative data collection with antiracist analysis.
• nINA CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided invaluable outreach and community engagement support for the Race to Equity report and community engagement efforts.
• Kaleidoscope WI CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew coalition dedicated to ensuring birthing people, young children, and families of color have resources and support they need. Kids Forward is a member organization.
• Wisconsin Early Childhood AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Farm to ECE program and child care advocacy initiatives, including multimedia storytelling projects.
• Wisconsin Head Start AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on child care and early childhood education advocacy and multimedia storytelling initiatives.
• Supporting Families Together AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on child care advocacy and multimedia storytelling projects supporting families and early childhood programs.
• Multicultural CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Language Access Awareness Campaign launched in 2024 to address language barriers at systems and policy levels, working with advocates and service providers in the Fox Valley.
• Parent/Caregiver Equity Advisory Cabinet (PCEAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCabinet that advises state leaders on early childhood programs, policies, and services reflecting needs of families with children ages 0-8. Supported by Kids Forward and housed at the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Wisconsin Council on Children and Families (now Kids Forward): Previous incarnation of Kids Forward; noted here because the WCCF brand and mission continue to define the organization's identity and historical policy work in Wisconsin.

Broad incumbents

• Kids Count (Annie E. Casey Foundation): National data platform tracking child well-being at state and local levels; Kids Forward hosts the Wisconsin Kids Count Data Center, making this a direct data and policy infrastructure peer.
• Annie E. Casey Foundation: National foundation funding the Race to Equity 10-Year Report and advancing Kids Count data on child well-being; comparable mission to improve outcomes for children and families, but operates at considerably greater scale and as a grantmaker rather than direct advocate.
• Center for American Progress: National progressive policy think tank and advocacy organization producing research on racial equity, child and family policy, health care, and economic justice — analogous function at a much larger scale.

Regional players

• Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort (WAVE): Wisconsin-based education fund and advocacy organization addressing racial disparities in education, juvenile justice, and child welfare — comparable regional mission and community-led advocacy model.

Direct peers

• Forward Analytics: Wisconsin Policy Forum's research arm producing data-driven analysis on state demographics, economy, and child/family well-being — overlapping with Kids Forward's research publication function.
• Wisconsin Public Policy Forum: Nonpartisan Wisconsin-based policy research organization producing data-driven reports on fiscal, education, and social issues for state and local decision-makers — closely comparable in research-driven advocacy model and geographic scope.
• COWS (Center on Wisconsin Strategy): University of Wisconsin–Madison-affiliated policy think tank producing high-road economic strategy research and partnering with Kids Forward on worker power initiatives — directly overlapping on Wisconsin economic and labor policy advocacy.
• Voices for Wisconsin Children: Wisconsin-focused child and family advocacy nonprofit that conducts budget and policy analysis, lobbies state lawmakers, and convenes coalitions on early care, health, and economic security — directly comparable mission and operating model to Kids Forward.

Emerging players

• National Center for Youth Law: National legal advocacy organization focused on youth justice reform, child welfare, and immigrant youth rights — a coalition partner of Kids Forward's Wisconsin Debt Free Justice Coalition and comparable in youth justice advocacy scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KidsForwardWI
• Facebookfacebook.com/KidsForwardWI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kidsforward
• Instagraminstagram.com/kidsforward/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Kids Forward