Strengthening Policy Advocacy: A Decade of Lessons Learned from the First 5 Los Angeles Policy Advocacy Fund: 2008-20118

This report is an evaluation of First 5 LA's 10-year grantmaking investment into policy advocacy.The document provides insights gleaned from the period beginning with the first year of theCommunity Opportunity Fund (COF) (2008) through the final year of the Policy AdvocacyFund (PAF), Cycle II (2018). During this period, the COF and PAF were the primary grantmakingmechanisms through which First 5 LA impacted systems and policy change, ultimately increasingopportunities for children prenatal to age 5 and their families. This report identifies the practices,strategic shifts and overall impact of these grantmaking initiatives. We hope that the lessonslearned will inform future grantmaking decisions for First 5 LA and other grantmakers looking tocontribute to making lasting, systemic change