My most recent column reviewed “The Cost of Doing Nothing,” a report from the bipartisan advocacy organization First Focus that clearly addressed the lifetime consequences of poverty experienced during childhood with regards to health, crime, employment as well as the economic costs to society. The report notes that if the recession drives an estimated 3 million children into poverty, as economists predict, the country will lose $1.7 trillion (or about $35 billion dollars a year over the lifetime of these children).

I felt compelled to make the connection, once more, between poverty and the huge cost of systemic failure in child welfare—foster care, aging out, the absence of early childhood education.

I also feel compelled to add that across the country, successful efforts to fix failed systems on behalf of disadvantaged young people make a huge difference in many lives. Too often, the positive economic multiplier effect of such reforms and interventions is not fairly measured.

But this week—EUREKA! I came across an article in Politics and Government Week citing a December 2008 report from the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy aptly named "Strengthening Democracy, Increasing Opportunities" that highlights recent successes from advocacy grants in New Mexico.

In particular:

• New Mexico's overall economy has benefited from policy changes advocated for by 14 local nonprofits from 2003 to 2007. The issues tackled by these organizations include civil and human rights, environmental justice, education, health and economic security, such as living wages.
• The numbers from New Mexico suggest that foundations should turn to the underutilized strategy of supporting advocacy, organizing and civic engagement to be more effective at addressing social issues, recession or no recession.
• For every dollar invested in the 14 advocacy and organizing groups studied, New Mexico's residents reaped more than $157 in benefits. That's a total of more than $2.6 billion of benefits to the broader public as a result of the $16.6 million of support from foundations and other sources that went to these nonprofits to support their advocacy efforts.
• "This is true strategic grant making that gives foundations a real bang for their buck," said Aaron Dorfman, executive director of NCRP. "By supporting advocacy, organizing and civic engagement, foundations have touched the lives of numerous individuals and communities now and for many years to come."

You can read the full article, Advocacy Grantmaking Shows High Return on Investment, Watchdog Says Research Shows Real Results, Community-Wide Benefits, which includes a link to the full report on the Atlantic Philanthropies Website.

Share your own proof and insights with me at scorecard@connectforkids.org.

- Hershel Sarbin