Children's Defense Fund - New York

What Children's Defense Fund - New York does

Children's Defense Fund - New York (CDF-NY) is a regional state office of the national Children's Defense Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has operated in New York since 1992. The organization advances child advocacy and policy reform on behalf of children, youth, and families across New York State, with particular focus on populations affected by poverty, the child welfare system, and racial inequity. Its functional priorities include reducing child poverty (nearly one in five New York children), supporting youth aging out of foster care, advancing youth justice reform, promoting health equity, and protecting immigrant children.

CDF-NY delivers its mission through a portfolio of programs and advocacy initiatives rather than technology products. Core programmatic offerings include CDF Freedom Schools (summer and after-school academic enrichment for K-12 students), YouthNPower (a guaranteed income pilot providing $1,000 per month for 12 months to 100 youth in New York City who aged out of foster care, co-designed with the Public Science Project at CUNY), the Black Student Leadership Network (a pre-K-through-college leadership pipeline), the CDF Alumni Network, and the Hall-Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry. Advocacy initiatives include participation in the Child & Family Wellbeing Fund Working Group, the #Right2RemainSilent coalition for early access to counsel, and the Youth Justice & Opportunities Act campaign. There is no proprietary technology platform or AI product; the organization's "technology" is community organizing methodology, coalition-building, and policy advocacy infrastructure.

CDF-NY operates as a community-led go-to-market organization, mobilizing children, youth, and families with lived experience through direct engagement and coalition partnerships. It is funded through individual donations and foundation grants, with no products sold or services priced commercially. The organization is led by Director Khin Mai Aung and operates from 815 Second Avenue, 8th Floor, New York, NY. Its reach is constrained to New York State, and it is a nonpartisan affiliate paired with a separate 501(c)(4) advocacy arm.

Name

Children's Defense Fund - New York

Legal name

Children's Defense Fund

Website

https://cdfny.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Children's Defense Fund - New York is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional office that advances child advocacy and policy reform for children, youth, and families in New York State through programs like YouthNPower, Freedom Schools, and coalition-driven policy campaigns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Advocacy and Youth Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM), Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO), Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12) (EDAJAEAJ)

Keywords

• Child advocacy services
• Youth policy advocacy
• Community organizing
• Guaranteed income programs
• Nonprofit child welfare

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: CDF-NY accepts donations from individuals who support child advocacy work in New York State.
2. Foundation Grants: The organization receives grants from foundations to support advocacy programs, policy research, and community organizing initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Children's Defense Fund - New York is a nonprofit child advocacy organization that advances policy reform and community organizing on behalf of children, youth, and families in New York State. It delivers direct programs including a guaranteed income pilot for youth aging out of foster care (YouthNPower), CDF Freedom Schools enrichment programming, the Black Student Leadership Network, and the CDF Alumni Network. It also leads or participates in statewide legislative coalitions covering child poverty reduction, youth justice reform, racial justice, immigrant rights, and health equity.

Product overview

Children's Defense Fund - New York is a nonprofit child advocacy organization offering a portfolio of programs and initiatives focused on youth empowerment, economic mobility, and health equity. Core programs include CDF Freedom Schools® (summer/after-school enrichment), YouthNPower (guaranteed income pilot for foster youth), Black Student Leadership Network, CDF Alumni Network, and National Observance of Children's Sabbaths®. The organization also operates CDF Alex Haley Farm as a training facility and runs the Hall-Proctor Institute for faith-based advocacy. These programs work together through advocacy, policy initiatives, and community organizing to advance youth and family justice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CDF Freedom Schools: Summer and after-school enrichment program that provides high-quality academic experiences for children.
• YouthNPower
• Black Student Leadership Network
• CDF Alumni Network

Products and services

• CDF Freedom Schools A summer and after-school enrichment program providing high-quality academic and cultural activities for K-12 students, focusing on reading, leadership development, and civic engagement; serves children in New York communities through CDF-NY.
• YouthNPower Guaranteed income / direct cash transfer pilot for youth who have aged out of foster care, providing $1,000 per month for 12 months to 100 youth in New York City; designed and evaluated with young people who experienced the child welfare system.
• Black Student Leadership Network A pipeline development program for Black servant leaders from pre-K through college, guiding young people toward opportunities to thrive.
• CDF Alumni Network A purposeful community network comprising former CDF staff, program participants, and volunteers devoted to nurturing relationships that bolster the organization's mission and values centered around child and youth well-being.
• Child & Family Wellbeing Fund Statewide advocacy initiative developing legislation to create a new state-wide fund bringing public dollars to support community assets in neighborhoods with the highest levels of system contact and racial targeting.
• Youth Justice & Opportunities Act Campaign Statewide coalition campaign to advance legislation that would increase criminal legal system records protections, serve more emerging adults through age 25 who are court-involved within their communities, and limit the incarceration of youth and young adults.
• End Child Poverty Advocacy Policy advocacy initiative committed to reducing child poverty across New York State, where nearly one in five children experience poverty, with even higher rates for children of color; focused on creating better economic opportunities and outcomes for all children.
• Racial Justice and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Policy advocacy promoting equity, ensuring institutional accountability, and empowering communities by recognizing their experiences and amplifying their voices; covers racial justice and immigrant rights in New York State.
• Health Equity Advocacy Policy advocacy supporting reforms to ensure equity in access to robust, high-quality healthcare for all New York children regardless of race and economic status; active in coalitions advocating for school-based Medicaid programs, early intervention initiatives, and Medicaid expansion and inclusivity.
• Right2RemainSilent Coalition Coalition campaign bringing young people and allies together to pass legislation ensuring that all children and adolescents speak with an attorney before being questioned by police during a custodial interrogation.

Quantifiable outcome

• YouthNPower pilot showed increased sense of well-being and self-determination, greater portion of youth in labor market, and enhanced financial stability, with no increase in negative outcomes like jail entry or shelter use

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Public Science Project at the City University of New YorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouthNPower: Transforming Care is led by CDF-NY and its partners at the Public Science Project at CUNY. This partnership designed and evaluated the first guaranteed income/direct cash transfer pilot for youth who have aged out of foster care, with young people who have experienced the child welfare system participating in the design and evaluation process.
• Child & Family Wellbeing Fund Working GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDF-NY serves on the Child & Family Wellbeing Fund Working Group, a statewide leadership team of advocates with lived experience in the child welfare system, service providers and policy experts, developing legislation to create a new state-wide fund bringing public dollars to support community assets in neighborhoods that have experienced the highest levels of system contact and racial targeting.
• #Right2RemainSilent CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDF-NY serves on the campaign steering committee for the #Right2RemainSilent coalition, bringing young people and allies together to pass legislation that would ensure that all children and adolescents speak with an attorney before being questioned by police during a custodial interrogation.
• Youth Justice & Opportunities Act CampaigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDF-NY is a member of the Youth Justice & Opportunities Act campaign steering committee, a statewide coalition to advance legislation that would increase criminal legal system records protections, serve more emerging adults (through age 25) who are court-involved within their communities, and limit the incarceration of youth and young adults.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• YouthBuild USA: National nonprofit providing education, job training, and leadership development for opportunity youth aged 16-24. Comparable in targeting youth disconnected from systems and combining direct service with advocacy.
• National Crittenton: National organization advancing opportunity and well-being for girls and young women impacted by systemic inequity, foster care, and the justice system. Comparable in lived-experience-driven advocacy and youth leadership development.
• Juvenile Law Center: Philadelphia-based national nonprofit using legal advocacy to advance rights of youth in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Comparable in pursuing systems-change advocacy for youth aging out of foster care and justice involvement.

Direct peers

• Children's Rights: NYC-based national nonprofit using legal advocacy and litigation to protect children's rights in child welfare, juvenile justice, and education. Comparable in taking a systems-change approach to child welfare reform.
• Children's Aid Society: NYC-based nonprofit providing direct services and advocacy for children in poverty, foster care, and education. Comparable mission and NYC footprint, with a heavier direct-service orientation alongside systems-change advocacy.
• Children's Defense Fund (national): National parent organization of CDF-NY, advancing the same child advocacy, Freedom Schools, and policy agenda at federal and state levels. Most direct peer given shared brand, programs, and methodologies.
• Casey Family Programs: National foundation focused on foster care and child welfare systems change, operating in NY and other states. Comparable in advancing policy and practice reforms for children and families involved in the child welfare system.
• Citizens' Committee for Children of New York: New York-based child advocacy and policy research organization that lobbies on child poverty, juvenile justice, and family economic stability. Direct peer given shared NY focus, policy advocacy model, and overlapping issue portfolio.
• Youth Justice & Opportunities Act Campaign: NY statewide coalition of which CDF-NY is a steering committee member, advancing legislation to raise the age and limit youth incarceration. Comparable in mobilizing young people with lived experience for juvenile justice reform.

Broad incumbents

• New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU): NY affiliate of the ACLU with a substantial youth justice and student rights portfolio. Operates broadly across civil liberties with a specialized children's rights practice overlapping CDF-NY's juvenile justice work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ChildDefender
• YouTubeyoutube.com/childrensdefense
• Facebookfacebook.com/childrensdefensefund
• Instagraminstagram.com/childdefender1973
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/childrens-defense-fund-new-york

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Children's Defense Fund - New York