On Wednesday, July 14, 2010 First Focus held a Children’s Budget Summit at the National Press Club. The objective the event was to galvanize advocates, policymakers, members of the media, and the public to address the declining share of federal spending on programs that benefit children and families.

Keynote remarks were delivered by U.S. Senators Robert Casey (D-PA), Blanche Lincoln (D-AK), and Richard Lugar (R-IN), as well as White House Deputy Domestic Policy Director Heather Higginbottom. At the event, these individuals were presented with First Focus Champion for Children awards in recognition for their work on behalf of America’s young people.

RESOURCES FROM THE EVENT

Children’s Budget 2010 First Focus President Bruce Lesley presented findings from the third annual comprehensive guide to the over 180 children’s programs funded by the federal government.

– Review the PowerPoint presentation – Learn more about the book

Messaging to Make Children a National Priority Dr. Drew Westen, nationally renowned messaging expert, presented highlights from public opinion research completed with First Focus that was aimed at identifying the most effective language to use when communicating about the needs of children.

– Review Dr. Westen’s PowerPoint presentation – Download Dr. Westen’s messaging memo

Kids’ Share: Report on Federal Expenditures on Children through 2009 Julia Isaacs of the Brookings Institution and Eugene Steuerle of the Urban Institute presented findings from the latest edition of Kids’ Share, the annual examination of federal spending trends and tax policies that support and impact children and families.

– Review Julia Isaacs and Eugene Steuerle’s PowerPoint presentation – Learn more about Kids’ Share

Finding the Activation Point Kristen Grimm, president of Spitfire Strategies, presented ways to bridget the gap between support for children’s issues and action with tips and strategies to engage and activate your audience.

– Review Kristen Grimm’s PowerPoint presentation – Learn more about Descovering the Activation Point