This guide is a resource for coaches who are currently working on or are planning to work with communities to promote change.

Despite extensive research documenting the benefits of investing in young children, infants and toddlers are underrepresented in the federal budget, a new study from the Urban Institute and Brookings Institution found.

The nation’s 12.5 million children under age 3 are 4.2 percent of the population, but they received just 2.1 percent—$44.1 billion—of federal domestic spending in 2007. Domestic outlays, which exclude defense, homeland security, and international affairs, totaled $2.1 trillion.

A college education strongly affects whether or not children from poor or low-income families move up the economic ladder when they become adults. But they are less likely to enroll in either two- or four-year colleges, and less likely to complete a degree when they do, relative to those from middle- and upper-income families — even after accounting for differences in academic preparation. We review current federal efforts to help low-income students attend college, and recommend new policies that would improve their academic preparation, provide more effective guidance on selecting and paying for college, and improve retention and graduation rates.

A clickable "cheat sheet" list of on foundations, foundations and more foundations that give grants in areas related to children, youth, families and community improvement.

Scott Peterson, founder of Global Youth Justice, has compiled links to hundreds of funding ideas and public and private resources and to support work in juvenile justice, foster care, youth development, youth service and leadership, youth and family employment and much more! Updated regularly.

The newly named and restructured White House Office for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will be a resource for organizations, both secular and faith-based, to address the challenges of poverty, serve women and children, prevent teen pregnancy and improve the odds for young fathers. The Office will help "local groups learn their obligations under the law, cut through red tape, and make the most of what the federal government has to offer."

There is a big side effect in Congress' decision to strip all earmarks from the economic recovery bill. It means that Congress has less say about which organizations and agencies benefit; this shifts power to state and local agencies who will be in charge of the spending details.