Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance
The Alliance for Early Success is a public charity based in Washington, DC, that supports state and national work to advance early childhood policy. It makes grants and connects state advocates with research, expertise, and customized technical assistance focused on children from birth through age eight.
Key facts about Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance
In short: Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance gave $11.3M across 119 grants in 2025 (avg $95K), top state District of Columbia. 27% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 26-2797011
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $11,295,899
- Grants made (2025)
- 119
- Average grant
- $94,924
- Median grant
- $75,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (32 of 119, 2025)
- Total assets
- $26,440,069
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (11% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- State Policy Advocacy Grants and Responsive Support Funding are by invitation only. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$26.4M
-1.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$11.3M
+7.3% YoY
Grant Count
119
+15.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$95K
-7.2% YoY
Is Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 32 of 119 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $80K; repeat grants $100K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $75K repeat.
- 72% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+14%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Alliance’s mission is “to create a powerful, diverse community that informs, accelerates, and amplifies early childhood policy allies’ effectiveness in achieving state actions necessary for each and every young child to thrive.” Its stated vision is that every child in every state has what they need in the early years to realize their full potential for a lifetime.
Its grantmaking supports state early childhood policy organizations and national organizations that support state-level advocacy. The Alliance describes its state grants as flexible core operating support for birth-through-eight policy advocacy. It also funds a network of researchers, consultants, experts, and strategists to provide responsive technical assistance to state advocates, including research, strategy, communications, and rapid-response support.
Grantees’ stated missions illustrate the kinds of organizations supported. Family Forward Oregon, which received $500,000 in 2025, says it works to educate and advocate for systems that elevate care and caregiving. The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, also awarded $500,000, describes itself as a nonpartisan steward of Virginia’s promise for early childhood success. Parent Voices Oakland, awarded $100,000, says it is a parent-led grassroots organization advocating for affordable, accessible, quality child care.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Alliance reported 119 grants totaling $11,295,899. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $600,000, with a median of $75,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $600,000 to the Policy Institute for the Children of Louisiana for advocacy; $550,000 to the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy for advocacy; and $500,000 each to Family Forward Oregon, OLE Education Fund, and Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, all for advocacy. Other notable awards included $300,000 to Colorado Parent Coalition, $235,000 to Zero to Three, and $200,000 to the Center for Law & Social Policy (CLASP), each for advocacy.
Invitation Only
State Policy Advocacy Grants and Responsive Support Funding are by invitation only. State advocacy grants are unconditional general operating grants; the Alliance does not prescribe activities or require a project budget or final financial report. Multi-issue and multi-age grantees must use state advocacy grant funds for policy work for children from birth through age eight. Responsive Support Funding is for national responsive-support grantees and contractors, and experts or consultants with specialized early childhood policy knowledge. The Alliance’s grant summary says eligible organizations must be tax-exempt and align with its mission, and identifies lobbying and funding for individual programs as outside its grant support.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance
Alliance for Early Success Grants
Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Responsive Support Funding
Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
State Policy Advocacy Grants
Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Ready to take the next step with Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Alliance says it makes grants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were DC (11%), New York (8%), Louisiana (7%), Oregon (6%), and Virginia (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 119 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $7.3M (2021) to $11.3M (2025). In 2025 it made 119 grants totaling $11.3M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Policy Institute for the Children of Louisiana Inc ($600K). Together the top 10 received $3.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
519 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 215 grants of 519 (41%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Policy Institute for the Children of Louisiana Inc New Orleans, LA | Advocacy | $600,000 |
| Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy Albany, NY | Advocacy | $550,000 |
| Family Forward Oregon Portland, OR | Advocacy | $500,000 |
| Ole Education Fund Albuquerque, NM | Advocacy | $500,000 |
| Virginia Early Childhood Foundation Richmond, VA | Advocacy | $500,000 |
| Colorado Parent Coalition Denver, CO | Advocacy | $300,000 |
| Zero to Three Washington, DC | Advocacy | $235,000 |
| Center for Law & Social Policy Clasp Washington, DC | Advocacy | $200,000 |
| National Center for Children in Poverty New York, NY | Advocacy | $175,000 |
| Advocates for Children of New Jersey Newark, NJ | Advocacy | $100,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $26,440,069 | $14,374,982 | $15,006,586 | $11,295,899 (119 grants) |
| 2024 | $26,788,031 | $13,251,984 | $13,615,991 | $10,530,825 (103 grants) |
| 2023 | $26,814,475 | $22,455,004 | $13,475,651 | $10,306,478 (97 grants) |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $26,440,069 | $26,788,031 | $26,814,475 |
| Revenue | $14,374,982 | $13,251,984 | $22,455,004 |
| Expenses | $15,006,586 | $13,615,991 | $13,475,651 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,084,181 | $915,468 | $202,516 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 15, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing include Helene Stebbins, Executive Director; C. Lynn McNair, Chair; Michael Burke, Michael C. Laracy, Patricia Kempthorne, Carl Hairston, Nisha Patel, and Mario Cardona, Directors; Stuart Liles, Communications Director; and Albert Wat, Policy Director.
Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance is led by Helene Stebbins, Executive Director since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 5 of 12 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Helene Stebbins
Executive Director
Deputy Director & Executive Director → Executive Di, 2022
Executive Di → Executive Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$212K (2020) → $283K (2025)
C. Lynn McNair
Chair
Board Member → Director, 2022
Director → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Albert Wat
Policy Director
Senior Policy Director → Policy Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$159K (2020) → $184K (2025)
Stuart Liles
Communications Director
Communications Director → Communications, 2022
Communications → Communications Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$169K (2021) → $185K (2025)
Amanda Ableidinger
Policy Director
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$112K (2022) → $177K (2025)
Michael C. Laracy
Director
Director → Chair, 2023
Chair → Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Burke
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carl Hairston
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Kempthorne
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nisha Patel
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mario Cardona
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Courtney Lee
Deputy Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$159K (2025)
Former officers (10)
- Former: Carl Ballton (2020–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Montoya Price Jacy (2024) — Policy Director
- Former: Mark Rodgers (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Marquita Numan (2023) — Policy Director
- Former: Angel Taveras (2020–2022) — Chair
- Former: Milagros Aledo-Sandoval (2020–2022) — Policy Director
- Former: Wendy Elliott (2021–2022) — Grant Manager
- Former: Jessie Rasmussen (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Lisa Klein (2020–2021) — Executive Director
- Former: Karen Howard (2021) — Senior Policy Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $283K, to Helene Stebbins (Executive Director). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 3882, Washington, DC 20027
Phone: (913) 406-7750
Website: https://earlysuccess.org
Frequently asked questions about Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance
How much does Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance give each year?
Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance gave $11.3M across 119 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $10.5M across 103 grants.
What is Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance's typical grant size?
Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance's median grant in 2025 was $75,000, and its average grant was $94,924, across 119 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance that year got $80K on average.
Where does Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance give grants?
Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance's top state is District of Columbia, with 11% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were New York (8%) and Louisiana (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (16 grants), New Orleans, LA (3 grants), Portland, OR (3 grants) and Denver, CO (3 grants).
Does Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 119 grants with a stated purpose on Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Advocacy" (119 grants).
Who are Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance's largest grantees?
Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance's largest 2025 grantees include Policy Institute for the Children of Louisiana Inc ($600,000), Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy ($550,000) and Family Forward Oregon ($500,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance?
Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance reported $26.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $14.4M.
What does Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance fund?
The Alliance’s mission is “to create a powerful, diverse community that informs, accelerates, and amplifies early childhood policy allies’ effectiveness in achieving state actions necessary for each and every young child to thrive.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance?
State Policy Advocacy Grants and Responsive Support Funding are by invitation only. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance's EIN?
Alliance for Early Success FKA Birth to Five Policy Alliance's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-2797011. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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