Advancement Project

Rooted in the great human rights struggles for equality and justice, we exist to fulfill America's promise of a caring, inclusive and just democracy.

Our National programs focus on tackling inequity with innovative strategies and strong community alliance. We combine law, communications, policy, and technology to create workable solutions and achieve systemic change on issues of democracy, voting rights, and access to justice.

Our California programs engineer large-scale systems change to remedy inequality, expand opportunity and open paths to upward mobility with the goal that members of all communities have the safety, opportunity and health they need to thrive.

Our California offices pursue our mission using research and data analysis, governmental relations, and building community power.

RESEARCH & DATA ANALYSIS
Our Research & Data Analysis team employs a wide range of methods to reveal and visualize data on issues affecting communities most impacted by racial inequities. Described below are some of our research capabilities that are be used by community organizations, foundations, and governments in their community planning and initiative building.
https://www.healthycity.org/
https://www.racecounts.org/
https://www.advancementprojectca.org/tools-we-use/maps-and-data

GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
With over a decade of advocacy in Sacramento and a wealth of knowledge about California’s legislative process, our organization is uniquely positioned to move the needle on public policy. We possess the knowledge, relationships and drive to effectively navigate the Capitol and achieve meaningful wins to advance racial equity. Our legislative advocacy is grounded in data and research that reveals how racial equity is vital to California’s economy and future.

We convene coalitions, practitioners and policymakers in pursuit of win-win solutions that are both socially just and economically viable.

Our Sacramento office interfaces with the state legislature, various state departments, statewide organizations, and the Governor’s office to pursue equitable policy and funding opportunities alongside our community partners.

BUILDING POWER
We fundamentally believe that community stakeholders possess the knowledge, agency and power to move a social justice policy agenda. We encourage systems to shift how they view community to an assets-based approach and to create space for community members to be integrated in creating policy change.

Above all, we advocate for a community-center approach to policymaking that builds on the cultural, social and linguistic strengths of our diverse state.

Please visit https://www.advancementprojectca.org/in-the-news for highlights about our California offices' progress and impact.


Because of Advancement Project's National Work:

·         Elections are more fair and barriers facing voters of color have been reduced.
·         Harsh and unfair school discipline practices, such as zero tolerance, that push children off an academic track and onto a track to prison have been reduced.
·         Laws that exploit and criminalize immigrants have been reformed.
·         Rights of survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have been protected.

In past years, Advancement Project's government relations work has helped achieve the following:

·         Securing over a quarter of billion dollars for state-funded early care and education programs since the Great Recession.
·         Creating the Local Control Funding Formula, as well as the Local Control and Accountability Plans, that guarantees more funding for low-income students, English learners, and Foster Youth.
·         Establishing Transitional Kindergarten, which gives California a two-year public school kindergarten experience that will ensure that our youngest children will be prepared to succeed in school.
·         Establishing the California DREAM Act, which allows children who were brought into the US under the age of 16 without proper visas/immigration documentation meet in-state tuition and GPA requirements to have access to financial aid benefits at public universities and colleges.
·         Ensuring that Foster Youth get credit for school coursework they take in case they have to transfer between schools due to placement issues and also giving Foster Youth priority enrollment into college courses.
·         Providing $90 million in facility lease money reimbursement to charter schools serving low-income students and $400 million in facility eligibility to the state's overcrowded classrooms.
·         Ensuring that the state streamline funding for early childhood education and care so that more resources can be spent on services to children.

To learn more about Advancement Project's work in voter protection, access and equity in educational opportunity, immigrant rights and more, please visit the website at www.advancementprojectca.org/.