Who We Are
Raising Illinois is a collective effort to close the opportunity gap for our earliest learners.
Raising Illinois is a partnership of diverse individuals and organizations across Illinois committed to supporting our youngest generation by ensuring families can access high-quality health care, engage in quality learning experiences and establish economic security. Together, we must address the root causes of disparities and create an equitable and cohesive early childhood development system of supports for expecting families, infants and toddlers and the communities in which they live. We believe no child should have race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status or ability determine the opportunities and ultimately the success they experience in life.
A National Movement to Amplify Voices of New Parents & Early Learning and Care Providers
Raising Illinois is part of a national movement of 19 states funded by the Pritzker Children’s Initiative to amplify the voices and experiences of new families and early learning and care providers to make powerful and positive change for generations of infants and toddlers.
Driving Bold & Collective Action on Behalf of Illinois' Families
We are grateful to Robert R. McCormick Foundation, W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation and Irving Harris Foundation for supporting the creation of the Illinois Prenatal to Three Agenda, and to W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation and J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation for ongoing support of Raising Illinois to drive bold and collective action on behalf of Illinois’ families.
This is a public and private effort. The Illinois Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development leads coordination across public agencies, and Start Early (formerly the Ounce of Prevention Fund) leads strategic, comprehensive management of Raising Illinois and its policy groups. Find a list of Raising Illinois’ lead facilitating and contributing organizations that inform and advance the agenda's priorities and objectives.
Our Vision
Every expecting family, infant and toddler in Illinois should have equitable access to affordable high-quality learning experiences, health services and economic supports that they need during their most formative years—creating the strongest foundation for their success in school and life.
How We Got Here
In 2019, a broad group of more than 100 diverse stakeholders convened to develop an ambitious, comprehensive, multi-year strategic policy agenda to ensure that Illinois’ youngest children and their families, especially those furthest from opportunity, are on a trajectory for success.
The group identified where Illinois needs to:
- Increase access to existing services through enrollment or expansion efforts.
- Improve quality of existing programs and services.
- Implement new services or innovations that are needed.
In developing recommended policy priorities, we examined data, applied a racial equity lens and focused on Illinois’ priority populations.
29 Contributors &
45 Champions
The Breadth of Raising Illinois
In our first year of work, advocates across have committed to making change for Illinois' infants, toddlers and families by joining in on the efforts of Raising Illinois. We are eager to see our reach as a collective effort extend to all corners and in all counties of the state in the coming years.
