The Challenge

We all want children and families in this country to thrive. Parents and caregivers do so much to raise happy, healthy kids, but too often our systems and policies make it harder instead of easier. Child care can be too expensive or difficult to find while tax and parental leave policies and social support systems don’t always address the real challenges families face. We need a broader recognition of our collective responsibility to one another, and that we all have a role in making sure every family has access to the resources they need to thrive. 

Rethinking how we approach policymaking as a whole with families at the center is the big-picture vision behind the Healthy Children and Families strategic portfolio at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).  

Sharing this vision in a way that inspires collective action is no small task. It is about shifting narratives to prioritize equity and care, addressing the legacies and current impact of structural racism head on, pushing for bold policies that support all caregivers in every community, and creating a space where everyone feels included and heard. 

Our Approach

Burness helped RWJF launch the Every Family Forward conversation series in the fall of 2021 with RWJF CEO Dr. Richard Besser and Ai-jen Poo, executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. Bringing together diverse speakers with lived experience, RWJF has hosted eight discussions on a range of topics, including the future of child care, tax reform, bridging policy and narrative, and more. The goals of the series are to:

  • Illustrate the Foundation’s core belief that a healthier, stronger nation starts with the well-being of children and families.

  • Recognize the diversity of families and identify the key conditions that enable them to thrive, regardless of their background or circumstances.

  • Reinforce RWJF’s commitment to economic inclusion, care and caregiving as essential pillars of family and community well being.

  • Develop a bold, long-term vision for what families need to thrive, shaping policies and systems that provide lasting support.

Burness manages all aspects of the events including content development, organic and paid promotion, speaker recruitment and preparation, and Spanish interpretation and live captioning.

Impact and Results

In addition to Ai-jen Poo, other guests have included Janis Bowdler, counselor to the secretary for racial equity, U.S. Department of Treasury; Darrick Hamilton, professor of economics and urban policy and founding director of the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at The New School; Naomi Walker, vice president of Economic Policy Institute; Jordan Budd, executive director at COLAGE, Donna Butts, executive director of Generations United, Andrew Volmert, senior vice president of research at FrameWorks Institute, Erica Phillips, executive director at the National Association for Family Child Care, David Alexander, president at Leading for Kids, Bradley Hardy, associate professor in the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, Chi Offomah, partnership lead at IEDO, and others.

This conversation series has enabled RWJF to:

  • Strengthen partnerships with experts to build a shared vision for family-centered policies centered around the goals listed above.

  • Showcase the importance of lived experience in policymaking.

  • Grow its email subscriber list and reach new audiences, including key advocates and policymakers in adjacent issue areas.