Case Study

We help states, cities, and organizations design more effective systems that consist of multiple components moving in the same direction to achieve a common goal. Our deep knowledge of policy and practice, and ability “to see the whole field,” help clients design and navigate systems that enable them to achieve their goals for children and families.

After emerging from the largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history, the city of Detroit set out to rebuild its early childhood system. In 2016, The Kresge Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation launched a community engagement initiative called Hope Starts Here to:

1. create a vision for early childhood in Detroit that gives every child a strong start,
2. develop a community framework to make that vision a reality, and
3. inspire people across the city to bring the community framework to life.

The process was guided by the principles of equity, healthy families, community leadership, and proven practice.

The Policy Equity Group supported the Hope Starts Here visioning process, developing a webinar series to provide information on national best practices to the leadership and strategy teams that were created for the project. We also worked closely with stakeholders and policy experts in Detroit and across Michigan to develop a set of 26 policy recommendations that are organized around the six imperatives of the Hope Starts Here Early Childhood Framework.

The policy priorities were derived from a series of conversations with community members and stakeholders about what the greatest needs are for Detroit’s early childhood system and what changes would advance the well-being of Detroit’s youngest children and families. We researched each policy area and investigated promising practices implemented in other states and communities. The final recommendations were vetted by Michigan child policy and advocacy experts to ensure the proposals were viable, given the state and local context.

See the Hope Starts Here Framework here