First Kids 1st Initiative
In 2016, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation awarded the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) funding to support an initial three-year project entitled First Kids 1st. The proposal featured a partnership between NCAI and three other national organizations working on Native youth initiatives: the National Indian Child Welfare Association, National Indian Education Association, and National Indian Health Board.
The goals of the First Kids 1st project are to:
- Create the conditions in which Native children can thrive by fostering community and policy change at the national/tribal/state levels;
- Rally the spirit of local Native communities putting First Kids 1st by dismantling structural barriers, improving access to funding and other resources, and inspiring and aligning local action;
- Equip local communities and policy decision makers to put First Kids 1st with strategies, actionable information, and knowledge resources;
- Expand the impact by inviting a broad and diverse network of partners and champions to join in implementation in ways that are consistent with their missions and to leverage their existing work; and
- Provide a forum to engage the voices of Native youth and families in developing policy and community change.
Learn more on the First Kids 1st website, and follow the initiative on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and updates!
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