In 2007, 13 places - 7 communities and 5 states - made formal commitments to use Ready by 21 tools and technical assistance to improve the quality and reach of community programs for youth. The Quality Counts sites took on this challenge with the understanding that long-term success would require not only work with programs directors, but with policy makers and the public. 2007 also marked a step-up in our commitment to strengthen support for state children's cabinets and councils. These coordinating bodies have the potential to change the way their states do business. In 2008, our goal is to strengthen the connections between these state level policy bodies and local level planning and to connect our partners to both groups.

Children's Cabinets and Councils
The Forum for Youth Investment connects with state and local cross-agency coordinating bodies in more than 20 states across the country. These coordinating bodies include children's cabinets, commissions, or councils and are systematically changing the fragmented and ineffective way states typically do business for children and youth. Typically, these bodies are made up of heads of state agencies with child and youth-serving programs, who meet on a regular basis with the collective goal of coordinating services, developing a common set of outcomes, and collaboratively developing and implementing plans to foster the well-being of young people. The coordinating body model provides a long-term and sustainable structure for ensuring that young people are physically and emotionally healthy, academically successful, civically engaged, and prepared to enter the workforce. There are currently 21 states that have a coordinating body for children and youth.  Read more about the Children's Cabinets and Councils Network.

Quality Counts
The Ready by 21 Quality Counts Initiative provides community, agency and elected leaders from select cities and states across the country with a bold challenge, an infusion of national and local momentum, and an accompanying suite of policy-building strategies and tools. These supports are designed to help improve the quality and reach of community programs and strengthen and align policies that guide resource allocation, accountability and workforce development. Ready by 21 Challenge grants were made in late January 2008 to seven communities and five states committed to improving the quality and reach of community learning opportunities for children and youth. Support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Atlantic Philanthropies is allowing each of these sites to receive training and technical assistance and up to $100,000 each over two years in matching grants. Austin, TX; Columbus, IN; Georgetown Divide, CA; Grand Rapids, MI; Indianapolis, IN; Nashville, TN; and St. Louis, MO. The selected states are: Iowa, Kentucky, New York, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island.  Read more about the Ready by 21 Quality Counts sites.