 STRENGTHENING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES IN L.A. COUNTY
First 5 LA is a public grantmaking and child advocacy organization established in 1998 as a result of the passage of Proposition 10, a statewide ballot initiative which set aside a portion of the revenue from a newly imposed State cigarette tax to support the well-being of California's children under 5. First 5 LA's Board of Commissioners (the Commission) is charged with overseeing the distribution of Prop 10 resources available to Los Angeles County.
Over its first 10 years of operation, First 5 LA invested over $871 million in programs to improve the health, safety and early learning of children under 5 who reside in L.A. County. In 2008, the Commission embarked on a thorough public engagement and planning process to review what was learned from its first 10 years of grantmaking and determine the best use of First 5 LA's limited resources moving into the future. After engaging community stakeholders, grantees, other funders and child development experts, the Commission concluded that a more focused, integrated funding approach would give First 5 LA a greater opportunity to improve the well-being of young children most in need and to sustain those improvements over time.
In June 2009, the Commission adopted a new strategic plan to guide its investments through June 2015. The adoption of this plan, "Strengthening Families and Communities in L.A. County," marked a significant evolution in First 5 LA's approach to grantmaking by committing a sizeable percentage of funding to improving the well-being of children in specific geographic communities. This "place-based approach" will allow the Commission to concentrate limited resources in areas of high need and to sustain those efforts over time.
In adopting "Strengthening Families and Communities in L.A. County," the Commission identified fiscal year 2009-2010 as a planning year. The plan will begin implementation in June 2010 and continue through June 2015. What follows is a condensed version of the full strategic plan, which highlights First 5 LA's goals, funding strategies and its approach to measuring success and being accountable to its public stakeholders. This condensed version will be periodically updated on the First 5 LA website as target communities are selected and other key planning milestones are achieved.
To view "Strengthening Families and Communities in L.A. County" in its entirety, including supporting appendices and references, click here. STRATEGIC PLAN FY 2009-2015 OVERVIEW» |
