Proposal Summary

Aimed to empowers the children and youth in grades K–12 in communities where quality
academic enrichment programming is limited, too expensive, or non-existent, to excel and
believe in their ability to make a difference in themselves, their families, communities, country,
and the world with hope, education, and action, the Children’s Defense Fund designed the CDF
Freedom Schools program. The CDF Freedom Schools program is expected to serve $350
scholars during the year of 2021, The total cost of implementation of this program is $97,000. Of
this amount, 8,3000 has already been committed from both the local government and other
donors. In order to complete the funding we need to fully implement this project, we are
applying for a $14,000 grant from the Nonprofit Association Foundation.

Organization Information

The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that
focuses on child advocacy and research.

Organization’s History
We grew out of the Civil Rights Movement under the leadership of Marian Wright Edelman, and
from our inception, have worked to improve policies and programs for children across the United
States.
Organization’s Mission
We champion policies and programs that lift children out of poverty; protect them from abuse
and neglect; and ensure their access to health care, quality education and a moral and spiritual
foundation.
Organization’s Priorities
We seek to end child poverty, give every child a healthy start, a quality early childhood
experience, a level education playing field, and safe families and communities free from violence
Organization’s achievements/impacts
● Successfully fought for the passage of the Family First Transition Act to help implement
a landmark law that helps keep children safely with their families
● Equipped the child welfare field with a comprehensive implementation guide to help
states make critical improvements to the child welfare system
● Released a bold plan to decrease child poverty by 57% and lift 5.5 million children out of
poverty now
● Drove more than 80,000 signatures and 7 candidate responses on a petition to include a
question about child poverty in the 2020 presidential debates
● Pushed back against harmful changes to Medicaid and sounded the alarm about the
increasing number of children without health insurance
 ● Succeeded in urging federal courts to block the federal government’s attempt to
dismantle protections for immigrant children in federal custody
● Deployed more than 1,000 teens and parents to deliver our Protect Children, Not Guns
report to lawmakers on Capitol Hill
● Trained more than 1,300 young people to serve as mentors and educators in CDF
Freedom Schools
● Brought together over 400 faith leaders, seminarians, and activists to be challenged,
connected, and inspired to advocate for children at our Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute
for Child Advocacy Ministry

Problem/needs/situation Description

To succeed, children need stable homes, quality health care, ample nutritious food, good
schools, safe neighborhoods, and access to resources and opportunities that enable them to reach
their potential. But the fact is that for too many of our children, these basic building blocks for
success are out of reach.

Project and Objectives Narrative

Our programs are aimed to help lift children out of poverty, protect them from abuse and neglect,
and ensure that they have access to healthcare, quality education, and a moral and spiritual
foundation.
CDF Freedom Schools

The CDF Freedom Schools program is designed to serve children and youth in grades K–
12 in communities where quality academic enrichment programming is limited, too expensive, or
non-existent. By partnering with community and faith-based organizations, schools,
municipalities, colleges and universities, and juvenile detention facilities, we are able to offer
this program in these communities at no cost to the families and communities they serve.
Objectives
CDF Freedom Schools school-aged scholars engage in a research-based, multicultural Integrated
Reading Curriculum that supports them and their families:

● High quality academic enrichment

● Parent and family development
● Civic engagement and social action
● Intergenerational servant leadership development
● Nutrition, health, and mental health
● Students also receive two nutritious meals and a snack daily, as well as a book each week
to build their home libraries.
 Budget and Cost

● In 2020, there were 244 scholars in the Florida area who had the CDF Freedom Schools®
experience. And we predict to serve 350 scholars during the year of 2021.

Revenue Source - government grants 2,3000

Revenue Source - contributions 6,0000

Program Supplies 80,000

Communication 3,000

Volunteer Expenses 4,000

Staff Development/Training 8,000

Miscellaneous 2,000

TOTAL: 97,000

Amount Requested from the Nonprofit 14,000

Association Foundation